BEING BACK WITH BILLY
Q
Is following your dad into the Test cricket ranks another goal to tick off?
A
It’s always there but in saying that you want to do well in one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket as well for Australia. It’s definitely a goal of mine but if you’re doing well for Australia you don’t get too much opportunity to play Shield cricket – I’ve come back from two Twenty20 series and played two Shield games. But it’s definitely a goal so hopefully I can take those opportunities in Shield cricket when they come and do well in Twenty20s and one-day cricket for Australia and hopefully that helps with selection as well. I do feel like (my short form game is ahead), definitely. I haven’t played too much Shield cricket – this year I’ve played two games and got 50 in one of the innings and a couple of starts so it wasn’t great. There’s definitely something to work on.
Q
You grew up playing with Billy Stanlake. Has it sunk in that you lined up for Australia together?
A
It’s pretty special to grow up with Billy and then play my first game for Australia with him as well. We played all our junior cricket together and then parted ways when I moved up to Brisbane and he stayed on the Gold Coast. It was good fun (playing as juniors) and you were always not chasing too many when you had Bill in your team so that was my best memory growing up. We’re very close so it’s good fun (playing against each other), we have a little bit of banter every now and then so it’s always a good contest. That was probably the most memorable thing (about my debut).