Tasmanian teammates were quick turning towards Mowbray all-rounder Jarrod Freeman at the very mention of the lingering Australian under-19 final selection.
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It was no wind up when Riverside batsman Oliver Wood and South Launceston seamer James Beattie flippantly disregarded their own prospects, but was happy to acknowledge Freeman’s odds of a national call-up.
“He’s the one who’s got the most of the opportunities,” Wood said of Freeman.
Inside a month of this month’s national championship final at Bellerive Oval, Australia will face India in its opening under-19 World Cup game in New Zealand.
Freeman was named one of 28 players – and the only Tasmanian – last month in Australia’s provisional squad for the 2018 tournament.
Tasmania’s aspiring youth players still have a robust chance to press any claims from outside of the squad when the state plays host to NSW Metro at Kingston Twin Ovals in Monday’s opener.
But the 17-year-old was putting his teammates first before his own ambitions.
“We just have to see how we’ll perform,” Freeman said.
“Obviously, there is some pretty good cricketers out there that are already playing Futures League games and some games against touring teams such as England.
“It will be really interesting to see how they go in our conditions and whether we (Tasmanians) can all put our hand up for an opportunity.”
The trio will head home for additional state fixtures in Launceston on Thursday at NTCA No.2 Ground, Friday night at UTAS Stadium and Sunday at Windsor Park.
Under-19 National Championships
FIXTURE
December 4
- Northern Territory v Victoria Country, Kangaroo Bay Oval
- Tasmania v NSW Metro, Kingston Twin Ovals
- Western Australia v Queensland, Lindisfarne Oval
- Victoria Metro v Cricket Australia XI, New Town Oval
- ACT/NSW Country v South Australia, Queenborough Oval
December 5
- South Australia v Victoria Metro, KGV Oval
- ACT/NSW Country v Northern Territory, Ferguson Park
- Victoria Country v Queensland, University of Hobart Oval
- Tasmania v Cricket Australia XI, Lindisfarne Oval
- NSW Metro v Western Australia, New Town Oval
December 7
- Victoria Country v NSW Metro, Windsor Park Tasmania
- Victoria Metro v ACT/NSW Country, Invermay Park
- Queensland v Northern Territory, NTCA Ground
- Western Australia v Cricket Australia XI, UTAS Stadium
- South Australia v Tasmania, NTCA No.2 Ground
December 8
- Victoria Country v Western Australia, Windsor Park
- Northern Territory v NSW Metro, NTCA No.2 Ground
- South Australia v Queensland, Invermay Park
- Cricket Australia XI v ACT/NSW Country, NTCA Ground
- Victoria Metro v Tasmania, UTAS Stadium
December 10
- NSW Metro v Queensland, UTAS Stadium
- Victoria Country v Victoria Metro, NTCA Ground
- ACT/NSW Country v Tasmania, Windsor Park
- Western Australia v Northern Territory, Invermay Park
- Cricket Australia XI v South Australia, NTCA No.2 Ground
December 12
- Quarter-Finals, TBC in Hobart
December 13
- Semi-Finals, TBC in Hobart
December 15
- Finals, TBC in Hobart
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
