By Jonty Ralphsmith
Santa certainly delivered for a former Narre Warren South junior cricketer over the Christmas break!
18-year-old off-spinner Harkirat Bajwa got the opportunity to be water-boy for the Australian cricket team on day one of the Boxing Day test.
It gave him a front row seat to the Aussie domination as the hosts bowled South Africa out for 189, lead by five wickets to all-rounder Cameron Green.
Bajwa did it alongside Melbourne Cricket Club teammate Harry DeMattia, a duel sporting prospect who plays footy for the Dandenong Stingrays.
The role involved essentially doing the blue-collar work for the squad: packing up balls, giving players what they needed, getting drinks ready on the sidelines.
DeMattia also relished in the opportunity to play spike-ball with the squad and Bajwa highlighted the excitement of hearing the discussions that took place at drinks breaks and when wickets were taken.
“We got the full experience” Bajwa said.
“It was interesting to see; you would think they’re real serious about their cricket.
“They’re serious when they’re playing, but in the breaks, you wouldn’t hear much chat about cricket, it was more just trying to switch off in between, so it was nice to see how they go about it.
“As younger players, we can often feel like we have to be switched on all the time but a lot of the time they were relaxing.”
Bajwa and DeMattia also got the opportunity to train with the Aussies on Christmas Eve, Bajwa sending down some of his offies and DeMattia taking part in a fielding session.
“I walked up (at training on the 24th) and they had net bowlers there already,” Bajwa recounted.
“I was expecting just to hang out there and let the boys train and then when Nathan Lyon was padding up, me and a few other boys were there and he asked ‘are any of you guys bowlers’?”
“I said I bowl offies and then he ripped into me for not bowling, so then I bowled to him and had a talk to Usman (Khawaja) and got a chance to bowl to ‘Greeny’ and Travis (Head) so that was nice.”
“A few came out alright, I was under quite a bit of pressure, I didn’t want to muck up!”
Bajwa is a highly touted spinner who has a knack of taking wickets, having represented Australia as a bottom-ager at the Under-19 World Cup last year.
The pair got offered the opportunity at the end of the Under-19 National Championships which took place in Adelaide during mid-December.
