After all, it had been a ‘season of seconds’ for him.
Representing Victoria and finishing runner-up in the National Country Cricket Championships earlier this year was the start of a run of second placings the Kyabram sporting star has experienced since.
Victoria was pipped by Queensland in the carnival and had to settle for second place, and Mueller finished second for the most runs scored by any batter over the carnival.
Then last week in Cricket Shepparton’s top individual award, the Lightfoot Medal, Mueller had to be content with second place again.
He also made the second most runs in the Haisman Shield competition this season.
But this list of frustrating second bests had not entered Mueller’s head when he led Kyabram into battle in Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield final last weekend.
But through greater talent rather than luck, Mueller was celebrating another premiership, rather than another second-best finish.
Mueller said he hadn’t given any thought that maybe last weekend’s Haisman Shield premiership showdown with Waaia might have dished up another runner-up finish for this season.
But, as he has always done all his sporting life, he took it on his own to stop that happening with his gallant unbeaten knock of 75.
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