By Charlene Gatt
YEAR 10 Brimbank College student Andrew Spiteri scored a rare chance to play cricket internationally after being awarded a sporting scholarship through Western Chances.
The all-rounder made the trek to New Zealand with 13 other western suburbs cricketers earlier this year to compete for the Crusaders in a six-day competition against Christchurch school teams.
“I didn’t do too good but the team did pretty well,” the 15-year-old said.
“I learnt a lot from it, like things I have to get right, and I’ve picked up my fielding since so everything has got better.”
In atypically poor form, Spiteri was bowled out for a duck in his first game, and pulled only marginally better figures in the following matches with one and one not out respectively.
The club managed to rack up two wins, two losses and one washout in the five-match series.
The trip is the pinnacle of Spiteri’s short cricketing career.
The competition was a joint initiative between Western Chances, the Crusaders and the Footscray/Edgewater Cricket Club to provide young western suburbs players with access to first-class cricket facilities and coaching.
Spiteri follows in the footsteps of fellow Brimbank College students Matthew Marshall and Aaron Aiki, who were selected to compete in last year’s inaugural tournament.
Thirty-eight former participants in Crusaders youth development programs have gone on to play first eleven cricket.
It’s the second time Spiteri has been awarded a Western Chances scholarship, with the student getting his first in grade six for another cricket tournament.
This year has already proved to be a big one for the rising star, who has played an instrumental part in his domestic competition with the Melton West Saints.
The 2007-08 under 16 minor premiers fell at the last hurdle over the weekend to hand a five wicket victory – and the premiership – to opponents Melton.
