Premier Cricket 2018-19: James Seymour in sparkling form as Essendon chases breakthrough flag
One of the most destructive batsmen in Premier Cricket, James Seymour has put Big Bash League franchises on notice with a summer of power-packed performances.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Renowned power hitting coach Julian Wood saw the potential instantly.
A former first-class batsman who has worked with Big Bash League teams and the English national side, Wood was quick to recognise Essendon opener James Seymour’s talents when the pair first met several years ago.
SEYMOUR GUIDES ESSENDON TO COMMANDING WIN OVER DEES
DONS DUO MCKAY AND AYRE TO SHARE CAPTAINCY DURING BBL
DONS SKIPPER LAUDS AYRE AS BEST BATSMEN OUTSIDE BIG BASH
TEMPERAMENT KEY TO ESSENDON SPINNER’S DEVELOPMENT
“He’s scoring runs now, but I believe it’s the way that he is getting these runs that are making people take note,” Wood said.
“Like a lot of young players in the modern game I can see him breaking into the professional game through his white-ball skills initially, then see where it takes him.
“It’s no surprise to me that he has started producing good, exciting, eye-catching performances.”
Seymour and Wood spent time working on his preparation for Twenty20 innings in December, when the coach was in Australia to work with Sydney Thunder.
“That really helped me in terms of getting a bit of a plan together,” Seymour said.
“Working on batting for the full innings, how to start, how to go through the power play and then change through the middle overs. Having a game plan.
“Obviously the bowlers have got fields set and they are trying to execute a certain delivery to that field.
“You have got a bit of a head start where you can try and predict what they are going to bowl based on what field they have got.
“Then obviously you know what areas you can target if he gets it wrong.”
Those sessions paid dividends when Seymour was called up to the Victorian Futures League team for a series of T20 matches last month.
The left-hander was thrust to the top of the Victorian batting line-up midway through the carnival, grasping his opportunity with successive scores of 82 from 61 balls, 73 from 56 and 97 from 62.
“With T20 cricket you can look to hit the big shot all the time but it’s not always the right ball,” Seymour said.
“I was really focusing on trying to rotate the strike as much as I could, especially in the power play.
“Then if the ball comes in your areas, you can look to put it away.”
The 26-year-old capped a week to remember with his third Premier First XI hundred, clubbing 106 from 112 deliveries as Essendon reeled in Melbourne’s 5-347 with ample time to spare.
Seymour amassed the best score of his career in Round 8, facing 243 balls on his way to 161 against an experienced Ringwood bowling attack.
Alongside former Victorian wicketkeeper-batsman Aaron Ayre, he has formed one of the most prolific and destructive opening partnerships of the summer in Premier Cricket.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Ayre said.
“When he’s staying nice and still and keeping his head still he always hits the ball really cleanly.
“He’s very still at the crease at the moment and it’s no surprise when he does that he gives it a whack.”
Seymour peeled off 709 runs at 41.7 last season, his return campaign to Windy Hill after stints in Tasmania and with Premier rival Casey-South Melbourne and VSDCA club Plenty Valley.
He is on track to better that mark this summer, amassing 590 runs to Round 12.
Bombers coach Mitch Johnstone, who first played with Seymour in 2010-11, said the left-hander had matured into one of the competition’s premier batsmen.
“He just needed that little opportunity and he has demonstrated that he is more than good enough,” Johnstone said.
“He’s in a purple patch at the moment. What that means for his higher aspirations in the immediate and short-term will be interesting.
“He’s definitely more than capable. He’s someone that does a lot of work on his cricket outside of club training and he is reaping the rewards at the moment.”
OFF-SEASON HQ: LATEST COACH, PLAYER MOVES IN LOCAL FOOTY
GALLERY: THE BEST LOCAL CRICKET PICS FROM FEBRUARY 2
CRICKETERS REFLECT ON PLAYING DURING BLACK SATURDAY
FFA CUP HERO TIPPED TO TAKE NPL VICTORIA BY STORM
Johnstone said Seymour’s selection in the Futures League team had been just reward.
“He’s just relishing being out in the middle,” Johnstone said.
“That’s what he loves doing and his preparation between games means he’s in the best possible position to succeed.”
Seymour was mooted as a future Big Bash League player prior to the launch of the inaugural Vic Super Slam and his performances in the Futures League should have put franchises across the country on notice.
“They are trying to create a bit of a pathway from the Super Slam to Futures League to Big Bash,” Seymour said.
“Hopefully next year I put my name up there with a few runs and might get a look in. Keep making runs, that’s all I can do.”
Johnstone said Seymour’s Futures League performances were only a taste of his untapped talents.
“The fact he has got a bit of recognition and done well, I think has been a bit of a breakthrough for him,” he said.
“Hopefully he keeps continuing going onwards and upwards.”
A passionate cricketer, Seymour spends the off-season playing in Darwin with Waratah.
“I think Darwin has had a pretty big influence on my development over the last few years, being able to play during the off-season,” he said.
“I am 26, I know my game so well. I have been playing so much cricket.
“I haven’t had an off-season really since I have been 18.”
MORE LOCAL SPORT NEWS
BROTHERS SIGN ON WITH REIGNING RDFL PREMIER
CLUBS COME TOGETHER TO COMMEMORATE COMMUNITY SPIRIT