Bowling the big league

By Paul Pickering
JACKSON Coleman has now seen the best, so bring on the rest.
The 17-year-old Dandenong cricketer represented Australia for the first time last month, turning out for the national under-19 team in a five-match series against reigning World Cup champion India.
The lanky left-arm paceman was among only a handful of Aussies to enhance their reputations in the home series. His return of nine wickets at an average of just over 20 – in three one-dayers and two Tests – did no harm to his chances of making the 2010 Under-19 World Cup squad.
The Indians dominated the Tasmanian leg of the tour, winning convincingly in two 50-over clashes and a three-day match at Bellerive Oval, only for the home side to hit back with wins in each format at the pace-friendly WACA ground.
Coleman was particularly impressive on the low-and-slow Bellerive deck, where he claimed match figures of 4/41 in the first Test. He was rested for the one-dayer in Perth, before taking 2/54 in the three-day series finale.
“It was a good experience,” the Black Rock resident reflected on Monday.
“I didn’t really know what to expect and what my role would be, but I was just happy to do my job and have a crack at it.”
The Haileybury College student, who made his Premier Cricket debut with Dandenong last summer, relished the chance to bowl to some of the world’s elite junior batsmen.
“It was a big step up from what I’m used to,” he said.
“I had to work a lot harder for my wickets, plan how I wanted to bowl and work out the batsmen’s weaknesses.”
The learning curve was steep – and welcome.
“I found out that it wasn’t all about pace – I need to bowl line and length and use subtle variations to get wickets. And I need to get a lot stronger and a lot fitter,” Coleman conceded. “I thought I did well considering the conditions in Hobart, but I could’ve done a bit better at the WACA.”
The standout Test prospects playing in the series were Indian off-spinner Kundan Singh, who claimed 15 wickets and unveiled his ‘doosra’ with devastating effect, and Australian century-maker Mitchell Marsh, the son of former Test opener, Geoff.
Coleman barely had time to reflect on the tour before heading to Queensland last weekend for his first look at the Centre of Excellence as part of his Cricket Australia development scholarship.
He worked with world-class fast-bowling coach Troy Cooley during the three-day visit, while also establishing a new training and nutritional program for the lead-up to the World Cup.
The squad will be chosen early next year, with selectors keen to cast an eye over the in-form talent during the National Under-19 Championships.