Aussie hero of Ashes first day cut off his finger chopping logs

He is the man who took the axe to England's cricketers in Brisbane in the early hours of this morning.

But today we can reveal that Australia's new hero Peter Siddle almost ended his career before it began — by chopping off his own finger.

For the 26-year-old from the heart of the Bush spent his formative years as champion woodchopper. It is a major sport in the rural Victorian state where he grew up.

Siddle was given his first Tomahawk at the age of two.

His father Steve said: "He cut his finger off in the backyard. It was hanging by the skin. But it's fine. He got it stitched back up with no painkillers."

Siddle's family say his determination in competition was immediately obvious.

His father said: "He came second most times because there was a boy who was a lot bigger than him, but he had the same determination he shows now."

Mother Allison said: "It was the type of thing they grew up around so you don't worry too much. They just use little Tomahawks to start with and they were never that sharp."

Today, as he celebrated his birthday, he took six wickets including a hat-trick — dismissing three batsmen with successive balls — on the first day of the Ashes at Gabba in Brisbane while his parents watched the match in tears from their home in Morwell, west of Melbourne.

"It was unbelievable," said Mrs Siddle. I was sitting here in my pyjamas because I had the day off work. I've been very superstitious and didn't want to leave my seat.

"It's such a huge relief. Pete can perform so well when he's under pressure. I just hope this gets some of the non-believers off his back."

Siddle is rapidly becoming a cult sporting hero Down Under and has attended award ceremonies with his girlfriend Katrina Quaine, who has admitted being nervous at her new role as a cricket "Wag".