Ben Gordon reflects on standout 2025 season after Australian under-19s selection
A rising Sunshine Coast cricket talent will soon don the green and gold for Australia despite still being in high school. Discover why you need to know Ben Gordon.
A rising Sunshine Coast sporting talent has been selected in the Australian under-19 cricket team despite being still in school.
Ben Gordon, who plays for the Coolum Cricket Club and attends St Andrew's Anglican College, was selected in the 15-man squad after a series of impressive performances at club, state and national level.
The pace bowler said he would be hoping to feature in the matches later this year when Australia welcome India in three 50-over matches and two four-day games in Brisbane and Mackay from 21 September to 10 October.
Gordon would also celebrate his 18th birthday midway through the tournament.
“I was lucky enough that my name was put forward to the Cricket Australia selection panel which I thought was a huge achievement on its own but then I got a call from Greg Moller at Queensland Cricket who told me I had been selected,” Gordon said.
“I was still at school when he called and I just couldn’t believe it.”
After representing the Queensland under-17 side in 2024, Gordon missed his chance of back-to-back state selection in 2025 due to a foot injury but later returned to make his first grade debut with the Sunshine Coast Scorchers.
“I’m excited to get in and around some elite level coaches and players from around the country who share similar ambitions,” he said,
“I don’t have any major goals I’m trying to reach at the moment as I manage school and sport life but I’m definitely looking forward to the experience.”
Gordon will be hoping to prove his worth alongside the best young talent in Australia as they each push for selection ahead of the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup in 2026.
“I think my journey has been very step-by-step as I’ve played in the junior scorchers teams from under-12s, was introduced into the Queensland Cricket system when I was 16 and from there I’ve been in and out of those squads with training, preparation and matches,” he said.
“It’s been very progressive but I certainly didn’t expect to be in an Australian team anytime soon so hopefully I can put my best foot forward and have another crack next year.”
The 17-member Indian side includes 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who lit up the IPL earlier this year with his power-packed batting.
Gordon said he still had a focus on finishing year 12 as he hoped to study biomechanical engineering down at the University of Queensland.
He praised the support and guidance of Sunshine Coast Scorchers coaches Gerard Flegler and Peter Dein.
"I first met him as a younger lad and you could always see a fair bit of talent but to come back to the Scorchers and see his progressing over the last few years, especially last season, is all down to how coachable and committed he is," Scorchers first grade coach Peter Dein said.
"To debut and still be in school shows he has such a great cricket brain and cricket awareness.
"He's putting his best foot forward, he's already come back to training quicker with the ball and he's just going to keep on improving which is great to see."
