CONNOR Cook will become the first current Hastings cricketer to represent Australia when he heads to Queensland for next week’s under-17 national titles.
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The 15-year-old Port Pirate can’t wait to write his own page in Hastings cricket history in Mackay and then Brisbane.
Hastings product Brock Larance also played for the Australian under-16 team a year ago, but he wasn’t playing in the Hastings region at the time.
Cook’s selection in the national side is another step on the path to receiving the highly sought-after Baggy Green cap.
“I still remember the moment they called my name out at the end of the under-15s, it still gives me goosebumps,” Cook said.
“I didn’t expect to get in, but before the 15s I made it my goal to win.
“I didn’t want to be selfish but then realised it’s not selfish because if I play my best cricket our team will go well.
“It gave me every opportunity to be selected in the team.”
After the two-week national title experience in Queensland, Cook will head to Dubai in January when the Australian team plays Pakistan.
It has been a whirlwind 12-month period for the Camden Haven High School student whose selection in the NSW All-Schools side last December started the ball rolling.
He admitted he sometimes still needed to pinch himself to believe it wasn’t a dream.
“It’s (the level) progressively getting harder,” the teenager said.
“It feels a bit surreal that you’re playing at that level (when you see) the quality of the other players.
“You see them play and you think they’re good players, but you’re playing against them.”
Pirates Mid North Coast Premier Cricket League captain Gary Humphreys has been working with Cook for the last four years.
His progression through the ranks hasn’t come as a surprise.
“There were always three or four kids I thought had the potential to be good, but I stopped trying to predict young players a long time ago because you just never know,” Humphreys said.
“His season in the Premier League was a huge contribution to his success because he was playing against mature men who hit the ball very hard.
“Playing at that level helped him tremendously.”
Humphreys admitted Cook was mentally strong enough to continue his progression.
“I’ve had him since under 12s and he always took disappointment in his stride,” he said.