Two decades on from missing World Cup selection, former Australian fast bowler Paul Wilson is finally heading to the international cricket tournament.
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But the Medowie-based man, more affectionately known by his nickname "Blocker", won't be in England to roll the arm over.
Instead, the 47-year-old will be on umpiring duties.
Wilson, who will officiate in 11 matches, is one of 16 umpires appointed for the 2019 title race and one of only four from outside the ICC elite panel.
It comes 13 years after starting out as an umpire with Cricket Australia, following on quickly from the end of his playing days.
"It's a real thrill," Wilson told the Newcastle Herald at No.1 Sportsground on Thursday.
"It was awesome to get the appointment to start with and to get the chance to be part of one of the major cricket events so I'm looking forward to it.
"When you start out you try and get as far as you can, but you don't envisage that [going to a World Cup].
"The irony is I missed out as a player to go to the 1999 World Cup, which was also in England and Wales. Now I'm going there 20 years later as an umpire. The worm turns."
Southern Lakes product Wilson played a sole Test for Australia in 1998 and 11 one-day internationals across the summer of 1997-98.
According to records on the ESPN cricinfo website, the South Australian and Western Australian representative claimed 151 first-class wickets from 51 fixtures.
After retiring in 2006, Wilson transfered almost immediately into umpiring and spent six years juggling other jobs before tackling the role full-time.
He progressed via grade and onto the domestic scene, including this season's Sheffield Shield and JLT One-Day Cup finals as well as clocking up plenty of men's and women's Big Bash League appearances along the way.
His ICC tournament list so far shows the men's T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2015, third umpire for the 2017 women's World Cup final at Lord's and last year both the men's under-19 World Cup in New Zealand and men's World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
Wilson has now umpired 11 T20 internationals and 23 ODIs, most recently 50-over series in India, New Zealand and the West Indies featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and Jos Butler.
"It's always good to see decent cricket," he said.
"The recent West Indies and England series was amazing and if that's replicated during the World Cup then we're in for a treat."
Wilson said the transition to umpiring was assisted by his playing background.
"It doesn't harm your chances of building a rapport with players and in a way it's easier to read how a game is unfolding," he said.
Wilson, minus wife Sally and their two children Stephanie, 7, and Marcus, 3, departs Newcastle on Saturday before meeting his fellow World Cup umpires in London.
He will oversee a few warm-up matches from next week before competition proper starts on May 30.
Five of his tournament appointments are on-field, three are fourth official and the remaining three are television umpire.
He has games at Cardiff, Bristol, Taunton, Southampton, Headingley and Edgbaston. None will involve Australia.
Officiating a Test remains Wilson's "ultimate" goal.
"The special part of our game is Test cricket ... It's the only level now that I haven't done so it's the next one to tick off," he said.
Closer to home, Wilson "had a big smile" on his face in March when hearing of Toronto's maiden first grade premiership in the Newcastle district ranks.
