ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup: The NSW fast bowler primed to end Australia’s 14-year drought

Pat Cummins has raised one, now Australia’s next generation of cricketers are a red-hot chance of adding the under-19 World Cup to the cabinet, and once again, a NSW paceman is champing at the bit.

Rafael MacMillan celebrates Australia’s one-wicket semi-final victory over Pakistan at the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup in South Africa. Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

He’s the sleeping giant from Sydney’s south known for firing up at the pointy end of a tournament. And now with the under-19 World Cup at stake, Tom Straker has gone global.

Only last week, the Sutherland paceman looked like he’d bowled the final spell of his South African tour.

Omitted from Australia’s side for the do-or-die Super Sixes clash against the West Indies, the tall right-armer’s campaign seemed over.

But on Thursday at Benoni, on the outskirts of Johannesburg some 1,600m above sea level, Straker dismantled Pakistan’s batting line-up and any hope they had of meeting big-brother India in Sunday’s final.

With two early wickets in Australia’s one-wicket victory, Straker terrorised like a runaway rhino and returned for more, cartwheeling the stumps in a semi-final winning haul of 6-24.

“I’m not sure why I wasn’t selected for the Windies game, but all the bowlers have had a game off now,” Straker said on Friday morning from the team’s hotel.

“I feel fine and have been bowling pretty good, so hopefully I’m on the list for the final.”

It was a different story last December as Straker nursed an ankle injury heading into the U19 nationals in Albury.

After working through the gears in the preliminaries, the speedster peaked when needed, and alongside World Cup teammate Charlie Anderson, they combined to bowl NSW Metro to the title against Queensland.

Tom Straker takes one of six wickets in the semi-final win over Pakistan. Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Now as Australia chase a fourth World Cup title and the first since 2010, Straker said there’s still plenty of work to do before they meet an undefeated Indian line-up that boasts the top three run scorers in the competition.

“The Benoni wicket is quick and bouncy, so it should help our attack,” said Straker, who tops the wickets for Australia alongside Queenslander Callum Vidler with 12, although at a superior 9.25 apiece.

“We’ve had a bit of a look at them and I’m sure we’ll do more over the next two days.

“But when it comes to selecting the final team, much of it will depend on match-ups and conditions on the morning of the game.”

Although unbeaten in six starts, with its fair share of batting collapses, you can bet the bowlers’ form in the lower order will be a hot topic at the selection table.

“There’s been a few low scoring games, especially for us,” Straker explained.

“Our spinner Rafael MacMillan has scored some really important runs for us at No.7 or eight. He saved us with that last wicket partnership in the semi, he was clutch, and he saved us against Namibia in the first game too.”

Wary of getting ahead of himself, the boy from the Shire did acknowledge Mitch Marsh and Josh Hazlewood as the only current international stars remaining from Australia’s most recent under-19s title.

“After we won the semi-final, we spoke about how the last time Australia made the final was the 2018 loss to India.

“Everyone knows about it. But hopefully the boys here keep moving forward with their careers and one day look back fondly on this tour like Mitch and Josh do of 2010.”