Australia's Moises Henriques (centre) celebrates taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera. (REUTERS)
One associates Portugal with soccer and greats such as Eusebio, Luis Figo and the superbly-talented Cristiano Ronaldo. No one in that European country though had heard of Moises Constantino Henriques or for that matter cricket. Some are now paying attention after Henriques made history on the weekend by becoming the first Portuguese-born player to earn his Baggy Green cap for Australia.
Henriques, who was born in Funchal, Portugal, moved to Australia with his family when he was a couple of years old and his preference for cricket over soccer paid dividends. He made an auspicious Test debut and is the man delaying India’s march to an easy win when play resumes in Chennia on the fifth day Tuesday.
The manner in which Henriques applied himself in scoring half-centuries and guiding the tail in both innings should seal his spot at No. 7 for this series and the coming Ashes series.
