Young talent breaks through to state cricket team

RICHMOND Christian College student Johnny Bull has been selected in the Combined Independent Schools state cricket team for the first time.

The 11-year-old attended trials at the prestigious Kings School in Sydney with some of the best junior cricketers from across the state.

He was selected in the top side and is one of only a couple of players selected from outside the metropolitan area.

“It was very exciting to be named, I was pretty nervous I wasn’t sure if I would make it,” Johnny said.

“Before I went out to bat the selectors told us that they wanted to see people score runs and stock blocking.

“I listened to what they said, batted aggressive and looked to score runs.

“After a couple of overs in centre-wicket they told me I could stop batting and go and bowl.”

The talented all-rounder will compete in the CIS team at the NSW Primary School Sports Association championships in February.

It is a pathway for selection in the NSW state primary school boys’ cricket team.

“The manager told us that the CIS team have won it three out of the past five years and when they haven’t won it, they finished in top three,” Johnny said.

“I think we have a really good chance to finish in the top three again. I want to make the NSW team and win the tournament.”

Johnny is no stranger to representative cricket.

He has been in the NSW Country Pathways for the past two seasons and was named Far North Coast player of the year last season.

One of his biggest achievements was playing for Far North Coast in the Lismore under-12 cricket carnival when he was only eight.

He finished that carnival as the leading wicket-taker in the competition claiming 11 scalps with multiple three-wicket hauls.

Since then, he has gone to be part of the winning under-12 Coastal Marlins team in the Ballina Premier League.

He now plays club cricket with Tintenbar-East Ballina where he is a middle-order batsman and bowls leg spin.

His top-score this season was 64 not out when he opened the batting in a 120-run win against the Ballina Bears.

He is looking forward to future carnivals at High School level and hopes to go all the way with cricket.

“I look up to [Australian cricketer] Travis Head because he is an aggressive batter and can change a game quickly,” Johnny said.

“I want to play for Trinity Catholic College in the Marist Carnival, my dad and brothers have played in it.

“I want to play Sheffield Shield for Queensland, because I was born there and I want to play for Australia in Test matches and for Brisbane Heat in the BBL.”