National duties have Wildermuth primed for new season Bull on the charge
Sat September 15 Sat September 15 Sat September 15 Sat September 15 8.00PM 8.00PM 3.00PM 3.00PM IT MIGHT be their first game of the season, but Queensland Bulls allrounder Jack Wildermuth won’t need to shake off any rust ahead of tomorrow’s JLT Cup clash with Victoria at Riverway Stadium.
Wildermuth has enjoyed a breakthrough winter, making his international Twenty20 debut in the tri- series in Zimbabwe in July, then earning a call- up for last month’s A series in India.
The 25- year- old showed just why he’ll be a valuable asset for the young Bulls squad by smashing an unbeaten 62 from 42 balls in a remarkable last- ball victory for Australia A against India B.
Requiring 19 from the final over, Wildermuth faced all six deliveries and with five needed from the last ball he smashed a six over midwicket to seal his side’s place in the quad series final.
The Bulls will be looking for more lower- order runs this summer following the retirement of pinchhitter Ben Cutting, and Wildermuth believes he could rise to the challenge.
“It’s been a really good winter for me. I’ve had some really great experiences and I’m feeling really match- ready coming into the sea- Warriors Wulguru Brothers MA Olympic V V V V Rebels MA Olympic Burdekin Rebels son,” he said. “It definitely gives me a lot of confidence being in those situations where you’ve got to try and win a match for the team, especially being in India for the first time.
“Hopefully we don’t leave it that late, but I’m pretty confident in the top of the order for the Bulls this year. I reckon they’ll get us off to some good starts and hopefully my job is made a little bit easier down the end.”
The Bulls have lost five players to Test duties, including Usman Khawaja, who averaged 63 in last year’s JLT Cup, but they’ll welcome back six machine Chris Lynn for the first time in almost five years.
Lynn is one of the most powerful hitters in world cricket and Wildermuth said the Bulls were excited to have him back in the maroon oneday colours this season.
“He’s been smashing most of the bowlers out of the park in practice matches so it’ll be nice to have him on our side. He definitely gives a lot of confidence to the other boys,” Wildermuth said.
The Bulls haven’t lifted the oneday trophy since 2014, but they’d won four titles in eight years before that and Wildermuth believed they were primed for a strong summer.
Play starts tomorrow at 10am. Entry to Riverway Stadium is free. Brolga Park Field 1 Brolga Park Field 1 Brolga Park Field 2 Brolga Park Field 2