IT'S more than 10 years since Bathurst cricket star Trent Copeland made his Sheffield Shield debut, but he's just as passionate about pulling on the baggy blue cap now as he was all those summers ago.
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It's why he joked on day one of the Blues' season-opener he was "still like a 12-year-old kid" but at the same time an older, wiser more experienced Copeland appreciated just how lucky he and his fellow cricketers were to be playing at all.
The COVID-19 pandemic which saw last season cut short and the Blues declared champions, had threatened the 2020-21 season as well.
But play has gone ahead - the first four rounds to be conducted in Adelaide- and Copeland said he's "Very thankful we can still play the game we love."
He and his NSW Blues team-mates began their title defence with a draw against Western Australia at Adelaide's Elphick Park.
Western Australia made 534 in reply to the Blues' 6-443 and as NSW reached 2-107 on Thursday, it was evident there would be no outright winner. Stumps were pulled and a draw declared.
Fast bowler Sean Abbott was the star of the NSW attack as he took 6-89 from 32.5 overs and while Copeland did not claim any scalps, he still applied pressure.
He was the most economical of the NSW bowlers, conceding an average of 2.44 an over. Copeland bowled nine maidens in his 34 overs.
The Blues' next match, also against Western Australia, starts October 30.
"We've been training for a very long period of time. Everyone is very comfortable with where their game is at the moment, so it's just about best preparation for the next game," NSW captain Peter Nevill said.
