However, it was the 70-year-old former leg-break bowler’s turn to be bamboozled this week after he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to cricket.

“I’m certainly surprised about it and I didn’t know it was coming and I wasn’t looking forward to it,” Mr Holland said. “Now that there’s an award being offered it’s fantastic and a great thing and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Mr Holland played 11 Tests for Australia between 1984 and 1986, after becoming the oldest debutante in half a century at 38. He also played 95 first-class matches for New South Wales and Wellington from 1978 to 1988, claiming 316 wickets.

Immediately after his first-class retirement, Mr Holland returned to Toronto Cricket Club, then known as Southern Lakes, and served as president for 16 years until 2004. Mr Holland has also been club treasurer, secretary, coach and remains a committee member.

Mr Holland hopes to return to his duties as grounds keeper shortly after undergoing a second shoulder reconstruction three months ago. The injury was sustained in August when Mr Holland and his wife Carolyn were allegedly assaulted at Awaba Oval by two motorcyclists.

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