GUS FINDS HIS MOJO WITH BAT AND BALL
GEELONG Premier cricketer Gus Boyd finally feels like he belongs.
It’s not that he is complacent or believes it is his right to be selected, rather the 19year-old feels comfortable at Victoria’s elite standard.
Before summer, the former Hamilton junior had a highest score of 28 in first XI cricket, despite two centuries in the seconds.
He not only battled with form, but a lack of confidence and an insecurity meant he failed to go on with starts.
But the ex-Geelong College student matured over the offseason, only to hit a new first XI high score of 39 in the season-opening match against Northcote.
“Last year was certainly pretty tough. I didn’t have the year I wanted and it dragged out a bit,” Boyd said.
“I just struggled form-wise and didn’t capitalise on any starts and found myself out of the ones.
“That was pretty disappointing but I was happy towards the end of the year — I was able to get a 100 in the twos and force my way back into that side.
“It was certainly a bit of a motivator this year, after having a pretty poor year the year before, to try and bounce back and have a good season.”
Two more scores in the 30s — as well as a rare five-for with the ball — made him confident he could hold his own. But it was a knock of 88 against Melbourne University in Round 6 that cleared any queries in his own mind.
“That was big for me; I think we were 2-5 and to have a big partnership with (captain) Eamonn (Vines) and get the win there, that was massive for me,” he said.
“Before then, I hadn’t got a big score, so that was big for my confidence in the sense that I knew I could perform at that level.”
In 15 innings this season, Boyd has amassed 478 runs at 39.8, including scores of 44 not out, 32 and 74 in his past three outings.
“I think a key focus for me this year was to play my role,” he said.
“Certainly in the white-ball stuff at the start of the year, playing 10 white-ball games for us, no matter where I was being put in, it was about doing my bit.
“The scorecard would show 30s or 40s, but if I was coming in late and I had to do my bit and accelerate, that was my job, so I took a lot of confi- dence out of playing my role.
“I want to try and keep the ball rolling and keep doing as well as I can. Last week was good again to chip in with a score, so I’ve just got to keep playing my role and see what happens.”
Geelong’s bid for a finals berth starts with its final regular season match away to third-placed Dandenong today. The Cats are hanging on to eighth spot on percentage.
“Obviously it’s a pretty big game,” Boyd said.
“It was a bit disappointing last week to not get the points and settle ourselves in finals, but obviously this week we know now if we win we’re in.”