By Tara Murray
It’s been a whirlwind week for Sunbury cricketer Emerson White, after being picked in the Vic Country team for the under-19 national cricket championships.
Initially not picked in the squad, White received a phone call on Tuesday saying he was a late call-up for the team which kicked off its campaign on Monday.
It is White’s first state team selection.
“I was pretty pumped and excited,” he said.
“They called me Tuesday and we go away in like four or five days after they called me.
“So it’s pretty much straight away that everything has sort of happened.
“I was told by a few mates that I was close, so I had sort of hoped that if someone had pulled out, that I might be next in line.
“But I wasn’t really expecting it.”
White spent most of last week preparing for the championships, which are being played in Perth.
There were plenty of fitness tests to ensure that he was right to go.
White, who is a bottom-age player, said having been in contention for the state team as a younger player had given him plenty of confidence.
He said he had taken his game to the next level this season which had put him in contention.
“Even though I didn’t make it [originally], I still thought that I had next year … had my hopes up for next year.
“It was just improving over the off season and playing a lot of cricket and trying to get better at my game and playing at Essendon and trying to do my best there.”
White said there were a few nerves ahead of the championships and that it was a little bit of an unknown, having never played at this level before.
“I’m expecting to have fun and play my best that I can play.
“With all the coaching and coaches there, I will learn more over there being away and playing on different grounds outside of Victoria.”
The batsman is in his second season at Essendon, having joined the Victorian Premier Cricket club from Rupertswood in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association, where he had made his first XI debut.
He’s currently playing in the second XI at the Bombers.
White said the move to Essendon had been good for his career.
“You’re surrounded by people who want to get better at cricket and they want to drag you along with them, it’s a good environment to be part of.
“Hopefully I’ll play well in the two’s this year and if the opportunity comes in the one’s, I’ll take it.
“Hopefully next year I’ll push for the ones.”
White who has been playing cricket since under-12s said the goal long term was to play cricket professionally.
