Stephen Mihelakos-James returns to Footscray after Coburg debut

A “highly talented” youngster has taken an opportunity to return to Premier Cricket just days after making his Sub-District debut. Here’s why:

Former Victorian Metro under 19 cricketer Stephen Mihelakos-James has decided to return to his former premier club Footscray just days after debuting with his new Sub-District side Coburg.

It is believed the 22-year-old was going to spend a season playing Sub-District cricket before his Footscray came calling for the wicketkeeper-batsman.

Footscray had lost talented skipper and gloveman Dylan Kight on the eve of the season to a shoulder injury which led to calls for Mihelakos to return to fulfil the keeping stocks at the club.

Footscray wicketkeeper Dylan Kight. Picture: Steve Tanner

Mihelakos had made his debut in the North-South Sub-District section on Saturday scoring eight runs from 15 deliveries batting at number three.

He also went onto the field without the gloves on and took 2-22 from five overs with the ball to help his side to a 106-run win.

Coburg captain-coach Aaron Shellie knew Mihelakos would be likely to return to Footscray after the season but was disappointed it happened this early.

“It’s a bit of a sore point actually, Shellie said.

“Mihelakos pulled out yesterday.

“He is going back to premier cricket.

“He had the one game and then he thought he wasn’t done so I think he is going back to premier cricket next week I think.

“It’s very disappointing.

“When we sign someone up we think we are going to get them for that period of time.

“Look, we only expected him for one year.

“We thought he was going to take a year off premier cricket and then go back but I think he had a few pretty enticing conversations with a few people.

“Obviously he thinks he has an opportunity to play some first XI cricket out at Footscray.

“He is only a young fella, we were hopeful he would stay and play some cricket with us.”

Footscray coach Dale McDonald said he was excited to have Mihelakos back at the club.

“Stevie is a highly talented cricketer,” McDonald said.

“It’s a decision that Stevie came to in the end.

“I certainly spoke to him and wanted to get an idea of where he was at but at the end of the day it was not a forceful conversation.

“It was if it was something that he wanted to do then the door was open for him to come back.”

McDonald, who coached Mihelakos as an assistant at Footscray in the previous two seasons, was pleased to see him wanting to return to the level.

“At the end of the day we all want really good cricketers playing the best level of cricket,” he said.

“I think in the last five weeks that Stephen hasn’t been at the club (training on turf), I think he has realised how much he actually does miss it and the training standards and all the things that come with playing premier cricket.

“So he will be fine, he will work hard, we will push him along and hopefully he goes well.”

Mihelakos made his debut in Footscray’s firsts last season and scored a century and three fifties in the club’s second side.