John Peers says he can’t wait to test his long dormant cricket skills when he lines up in Boundaries 4 Bushfires at the WACA Ground on February 7.
Peers has just returned to Perth after playing his first Australian Open alongside new partner Michael Venus where the pair had a third round exit.
The 20-time ATP Tour title winner said he while he and Venus would have loved to have progressed further at Melbourne Park, he was excited for the rest of the season with the New Zealander.
“A little bit disappointed but learned a lot with a new partnership I’ve got this year to play with Michael Venus,” Peers told 6PR’s Sportsday WA. “Really looking forward to that adventure coming up this year. It’s just getting back to work now and getting focused on what I’ve got to do for the rest of the year.
“I’m in Perth for a couple of weeks before I head to Dubai and then back for Davis Cup in Adelaide.”
Peers has been announced among a star-studded line-up for the T20 charity match Boundaries 4 Bushfires alongside Michelle Cowan and Nicole Bolton.
Peers said fellow Emageo Group star Jason Behrendorff, who will coach Team Red in the match, had encouraged him to get involved.
“Jason Behrendorff got in touch with me and I said: ‘Yeah, I’d love to play if I could’,” he said.
“It’s going to be great to be able get out there and play on the WACA. Hopefully it’s nice and the rumours are true that it’s like a concrete wicket out there.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun and hopefully we can get away with a couple would be nice. Let’s just hope I stand in line and try and get bat to ball. If not, it could hurt a bit.”
Peers described himself as a wicketkeeper-batsman, but admitted he didn’t have a great record as a junior.
“No good scores,” he said. “I was too small when I grew up. I couldn’t hit it off the square.
“I haven’t hit a thing for ages to be honest with you. I played a lot of cricket up to 15, 16.”