Tara Murray
Mitchell Jamieson was thrown a challenge at the Bendigo Summer Series this week and took it with both hands.
With the under-17 national cricket championships called off due to COVID-19, Cricket Victoria decided to get the best players in the state together for a mini competition.
The Vic Metro and Country teams were joined by a bottom age group of players, who formed a Cricket Victoria Emerging team.
Jamieson, who was meant to be part of the Metro team, was asked to captain the emerging team to give them some more experience.
“I captained the bottom age side,” he said. “They’re coming through the emerging squad and we were very successful, winning three games.
“I was the only top age kid in the team and I felt like an old man. I was a little bit surprised when they asked me to be captain.
“It was an honour and who doesn’t want to learn more.”
The competition was a hot one with the temperatures in the 30s all week. Having had limited cricket in the weeks before the tournament Jamieson, who has played most of his cricket at Keilor, was unsure how he would go.
“I opened the batting in the first game and got 40 which was a nice way to kick things off.
“The highlight was the next day when we played Vic Metro. The coach said we’ll bat you at seven and give everyone else a go.
“We were 5-45 and in all sorts. We walked off at 9-230.
“I made 88 not out. I’ve played some pretty good innings, but that is up there with my best.”
Jamieson finished the tournament as its leading run scorer despite batting in only two of the games.
While he loved his time at the competition, he said it doesn’t come close to playing at a national championships.
“That was the best week I’ve ever had when I played as a 15-year-old.“
Jamieson won’t put the bat down for long with a couple of busy weeks ahead of him.
On Saturday, he will be in action for Footscray in Victorian Premier Cricket.
Jamieson said he was loving his time at the club, which he joined this season.
“I’ve had a relationship with Footscray the last couple of years and I can’t fault anything they’ve done,“ he said.
“They have been really helpful and there’s been plenty of messages from the boys.”
Jamieson has been playing in the club’s second XI, which surprised him at the start of the season.
Now he has aims of playing in the first XI before the season is out.
“The seconds won the flag last year, so I didn’t expect to stay that high.
“It’s not too bad. The first time I went out to bat, was the most nervous I’ve ever been batting.
“I’ve made a couple of 20s and 30s and a 60. Ideally I wnt to play a couple of games in the ones, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll go again next year.”
Jamieson will also be part of the club’s under-17 Dowling Shield side which plays in the coming weeks.
