James Muirhead has received a two-year rookie contract with Cricket Victoria. 73471_04
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
JAMES Muirhead is aiming to be in Victoria’s First XI come the first round of the Sheffield Shield.
It’s an ambitious but realistic goal for the 18-year-old from Altona Meadows who last week was handed a rookie contract with Cricket Victoria. After all, talented leg spinners are few and far between.
Cricket Victoria promptly offered Muirhead a two-year contract after the South Australian Cricket Association tried to lure him south.
Muirhead impressed for the Adelaide Strikers in last season’s Big Bash League, in what was his first taste of senior national level cricket.
“It gave me a rough idea of where I had to be at. I do have a little bit of improvement, just to break the nerves with the big crowds, but I took four wickets so I know I can get good batsmen out such as Herschelle Gibbs and Paul Collingwood. At least I know I can compete with them,” Muirhead said.
“I was sort of expecting a contract considering I had options to go to SA … and I’m glad to stay home.”
The spinner said he hoped to play at least half of the upcoming Big Bash season.
Chairmen of selectors Andrew Lynch said Cricket Victoria had been keeping an eye on Muirhead since he went to Premier Cricket club St Kilda in the 2010/11 season.
“We’ve had our eye on James for a while,” Lynch said. “He came through the premier grade ranks pretty quickly at St Kilda last season.
“Being a leg spinner with great talent, there are not a lot of them. It’s a rare commodity.”
Muirhead was selected to play for Australia’s Under 19 team to play in next month’s world cup, but is instead recovering from a shoulder reconstruction.
“He was going to be the premier spinner in our Australian Under 19 world cup campaign,” Lynch said.
Melton resident and Footscray Edgewater cricketer Dylan Kight is also in the Cricket Victoria Squad on a Kerry Packer Cricket Foundation scholarship.
Lynch said the scholarship was like an extra rookie contract.
“He’s very much part of our future we believe,” Lynch said of the wicketkeeper batsman.
“He’s a terrific talent and has got a really good character, so we’re hoping that he’ll develop and come through as one of our keepers for the future.”
