Joshua Richards: South Tamworth's gun new signing

Twelve hours after he had scored 64 not out for South Tamworth against Old Boys at a hot No. 1 Oval, the South African-born anaesthetic trainee had blocked out Sunday morning, October 22, to watch his beloved Springboks edge England 16-15 in the Rugby World Cup semi-final in Paris.

"That was too close for comfort," he said in a text after the game. "[My] nerves are shot."

Speaking after his innings on Saturday afternoon, October 21, Richards briefly but passionately detailed the Springboks' importance to South Africans; how they were more than just a rugby team.

Raised in the "new" South Africa that evolved after the end of apartheid, the 32-year-old thrived.

As a wicketkeeper-batsman he made his first-class debut at age 18, at the Titans, and captained South Africa at the 2010 under-19 World Cup. He then captained the South Africa Cricket Academy on its 2011 tour of Bangladesh.

His Cricinfo bio said he had modelled his game on legendary South African allrounder Jacques Kallis, and was "a highly rated player on the domestic circuit".

But in 2012, a year after making his first-class debut, Richards farewelled the aspiring international cricketer he had been and said hello to a new life in Sydney as he pursued his dream of becoming a doctor. He joined his parents, Tammy and Gordon, in migrating to Australia.

"Studying as a non-Australian citizen, initially, was tough," he said. "Dad worked long hours, and Mum worked two jobs just to help pay for my studies. I am who I am, and where I am today, because of them."

Eleven years after the family's relocation, Richards arrived in Tamworth to continue his four-year anaesthetic traineeship. Two months into a six-month stint in Tamworth, the former Sydney University first-grader has resumed playing cricket after about five years away from the game.

"Obviously [it's] a bit tough moving your whole life to a different country, but Australia is home for us now," the Australian citizen said.

"It took a bit of time for us to find our feet. But I'm married now. My gorgeous wife is from Merimbula. She's actually a midwife. She's in Gosford at the moment, and she's coming up here this weekend."

Richards met his wife, Asha, at a Sydney church. She will join him for his final four months in Tamworth, before he returns to Newcastle and a 12-month stint at John Hunter Hospital.

Richards said he had "no regrets whatsoever" over his decision to choose medicine over cricket.

"I didn't have the best first-class stint when I started [111 runs in 10 innings at an average of 11.10]. So I probably didn't have the numbers when I started, to really make a case to push forward. So I would've had to work really hard.

"But I had the option of signing another contract and continuing down that path, or coming here and studying and doing something else with my life. And I wanted to do something else other than cricket."

On Saturday, Richards teamed with English signing George Wilson for an unbeaten 111-run third-wicket partnership as Souths finished day one of the two-dayer at 2-169. Wilson is 45 not out.

After electing to bat first, Old Boys were dismissed for 107 in the 39th over. Tim Kensell top-scored (23) while off-spinner Jelany Chilia took 3-17 off nine overs for Souths.

Richards, who took one wicket bowling leg spin, said of his innings: "I wasn't seeing them too well, actually; I only had three hours sleep last night. I was on call at the hospital until about 3am this morning [Saturday]."

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