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Former Scorcher Michael Klinger opens up on extraordinary balancing act of cricket amid wife’s cancer battle

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Bonnie RaynorThe West Australian
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Camera IconCredit: Michael Klinger bats against the Sixers (R) and is pictured with his family (L).

Former Perth Scorchers batsman Michael Klinger has opened up on his extraordinary balancing act of playing cricket amid his wife's cancer battle - and the remarkable day the two worlds collided more than any other.

On the eve of the Big Bash commencing in December 2017, Klinger penned an emotional letter revealing his wife Cindy had been diagnosed with cancer in her back and neck, which a biopsy revealed had spread from her breast.

Three days out from Perth’s opening match, the veteran opener would miss the trip to Sydney to face a much bigger fight.

“My mind just went into overdrive to get her the best care possible,” Klinger revealed on the Gritfull podcast, hosted by former WA cricketer Simon Mackin.

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“The first thing we did was call Cindy’s parents and my Dad who were all in Melbourne, they got on a plane straight away.

“The next week was going to be very busy for us, Big Bash was starting three days later – I didn’t know if I’d take part in that at all – the WACA and Scorchers were extremely supportive right through.

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“I’m not afraid to say I pulled every string I possibly could to make sure she got into the best breast surgeon possible, the best breast oncologist in Perth.

Perth Scorchers batsman Michael Klinger with his wife Cindy and three children at home in Yokine, Perth.
Camera IconPerth Scorchers batsman Michael Klinger with his wife Cindy and three children at home in Yokine, Perth. Credit: Ross Swanborough/The West Australian

“In the space of getting diagnosed she was having chemotherapy three days later.

“I owe (WACA Doctor) Tom Hill dearly for what he did.”

Klinger’s determination personified the grit fans had grown used to seeing on the field, but the extra gear he would have to find to overcome his biggest hurdle yet was almost unimaginable.

“As a cricketer, I wasn’t as naturally talented as some others, but what I felt I had over other players in Australia, was being able to mentally focus more than anyone else,” Klinger said.

“Whether that was over a period of a T20 cricket so three hours, or a six-hour period in a four-day game, I was able to totally absorb myself into the contest.

“I found that really helped me. For the first time in my life, in my career after Cindy got sick, I came back for the Big Bash and I wasn’t able to do that.

“For once, things on the outside just got too much.”

As Cindy battled weekly chemotherapy to combat the deadly disease, Klinger cut himself no slack for being unable to clear his mind on the field, despite what his young family was going through.

“I missed the first game that was in Sydney, because that was when Cindy was starting her treatment, and the first couple of games back I just couldn’t get that focus that made me good,” he recalled.

“It was really frustrating and I remember this one game against the Sydney Sixers where my whole family came to the game.

“Cindy had chemotherapy that day and came to the game that night with the kids, which was unbelievable in itself.

“My parents-in-law were over, my dad was over and I just thought to myself ‘I’ve got to do something special for them’, and I was able to get that focus back for that night.

“We were chasing 180-odd and I think I got 90 and then we won the game,” he continued through tears.

“That taught me a lot, that if you don’t have that focus as a batter, you might come good every now and then but you’re not going to have sustainable success.

Michael Klinger of the Scorchers bats during the Big Bash League match between the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers at WACA.
Camera IconMichael Klinger of the Scorchers bats during the Big Bash League match between the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers at WACA. Credit: Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images

“In hindsight, I did poorly in the next two games because I was just completely cooked from the mental focus I poured in to that game.

“In hindsight, I probably should’ve told JL (Justin Langer) that I wasn’t quite up to it.”

Klinger’s stirring 61-ball 83 led the Scorchers to a comfortable six-wicket victory over the Sixers at the WACA, just days after what he describes as the most difficult thing he’s ever had to do.

His children were seven, five and one when he’d try to explain what their mum was going through.

“Easton was too young, he was one, but telling our other two kids that mum had breast cancer was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” he said.

“They just associated the word ‘cancer’ with dying because of my mum dying – they knew my mum had cancer and she died.

“They just burst into tears, I don’t think they knew exactly what was going on but they just associated it with ‘Mum’s going to die’.

“That was no doubt the hardest part of it all. Once we calmed them down a bit and said ‘Mum’s going to get special medicine for a bit and it’s going to make her better’, it helped.”

Klinger revealed his much-loved wife went to extreme measures to avoid losing her hair, purely for the reassurance of her children.

Michael 'Maxy' Klinger with his wife Cindy and their children Summer, Easton and Bailey.
Camera IconMichael 'Maxy' Klinger with his wife Cindy and their children Summer, Easton and Bailey. Credit: Keane Bourke/existencephotography.com

“Cindy wore this swimming cap, it’s a cold cap and it makes the temperature of your head three degrees,” he said.

“If you think about it, ice baths that we used to go in are between 8-12 degrees and you go waist down.

“This was three degrees, localised just to your head for four hours, once a week, every time she had chemotherapy for six months.

“She did that to try and stop her hair falling out because she didn’t want the kids to see that.”

The right-hander tried the cold cap on the final day of Cindy’s treatment, and admitted he didn’t last a minute with it on.

“I put it on and no joke I did not have it on for more than 20 seconds,” he laughed.

“It was like that brain freeze that’s 100 times worse.

“To show the strength that she had, to have it on once a week for six months, was unbelievable.

Perth Scorchers batsman Michael Klinger at home with his wife Cindy and their children, Bailey, eight, Summer, six and Easton, two.
Camera IconPerth Scorchers batsman Michael Klinger at home with his wife Cindy and their children, Bailey, eight, Summer, six and Easton, two. Credit: Nic Ellis/The West Australian

A few years on, the Big Bash’s second all-time run-scorer has called time on his illustrious playing career and transitioned to the head coach of the Melbourne Renegades.

The move has allowed them to be closer to their extended family.

“It was an extremely tough period but we’re through it now,” ‘Maxy’ said.

“It went for six months and thank god we’re two and a half years later and things are looking really good and she’s living a normal lifestyle again.

“She went through a couple of big operations but she’s going really well and is flying now.”

The podcast on which Klinger speaks, Gritfull, has recently been started by professional cricketers Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Turner and Simon Mackin.

The program, which resembles gratitude, resilience, integrity and togetherness, is an online wellbeing-based platform providing strategies and promoting awareness around positive wellbeing.

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