Nathan McSweeney as an opener: Not the first time SA skipper has gone up the order

The first Test in Perth won’t be the first time Nathan McSweeney has vaulted to the top of the order when others couldn’t – or wouldn’t – take on the challenge.

Nathan McSweeney may not have a wealth of first-class opening experience, but he has a history of putting his hand up to face the new ball when others have not been so willing.

When still a teenager, McSweeney volunteered to head to the top of the order in a pre-season match for his grade club Northern Suburbs.

A couple of more senior players hadn’t been jumping at the prospect of facing tearaway Brendan Doggett, who before long would be called into an Australian Test squad.

But consistent with character assessments of McSweeney that have gained prominence in recent weeks as he closed in on a baggy green, the youngster was up for the task.

“Roughly 2016,17, pre-season. He was just establishing himself in that first grade setup at Norths. And we had a pre-season match against Western Suburbs,” recalls Kendel Fleming, McSweeney’s former Norths teammate and now the new Aussie Test opener’s agent.

Nathan McSweeney takes cover while batting in 2017. Picture: Justin Kennedy

“They had big quick Brendan Doggett warming up and bowling fast. He was probably considered one of the quickest, if not the quickest, bowler in Queensland at that time. Something that stands out to myself and a couple of the other Norths guys reflecting on Buddha’s (McSweeney’s) rise through the ranks and his journey to date is that he was really keen to stick his hand up to open the batting that day, to face that challenge. I think that speaks to his mindset as a young fella and just that attitude towards embracing those challenges.”

While the stakes will be much higher, the opponents more venomous and the scrutiny in a different stratosphere, there are parallels between McSweeney’s willingness to step up all those years ago and his preparedness to bat at the top of the order for Australia despite it not being his usual position for South Australia.

That other members of Australia’s top six have not exactly been clawing over each other to partner Usman Khawaja in the first Test adds to the similarities.

Fleming says it is emblematic of McSweeney’s team-first nature.

“And I think that, while facing Brendan Doggett at Ian Healy Oval is slightly different to the challenge of facing Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball at Optus Stadium in the first Test of the summer, I think that great attitude will stand him in good stead for this summer and hopefully beyond that,” he said.

Brendan Doggett bowling for Australia A. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images.

Nathan McSweeney is Australia’s next opener. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

Fleming, who as well as being an accomplished opener at grade level is also captain of Japan’s national side by dint of his mother’s heritage, said he recalled McSweeney digging in, belying his age.

“He ended up facing most of Doggett’s balls, which is what he wanted to do. I don’t remember exactly what he got, but I know he outlasted most of the more experienced batters in the team that day,” Fleming said.

“Something about Nathan is, and I suppose it speaks to the way that he’s been promoted through the leadership ranks, is that he’s just got this knack of earning the respect of people that are older than him, as well as his peers and those younger than him, and that stood out from a young age. He just had that from the outset, where it was not only that competitive drive, but it was all about the team and finding ways to put his teams in winning positions. These traits have continued to translate into each level of cricket and team he has progressed to, and I’m sure they’ll continue to as he approaches his biggest cricket challenge so far.”

McSweeney had not opened the batting in first-class cricket until last week’s Australia A game at the MCG, in which he made 14 and 25, enough for Aussie selectors to lock him in at the top when the first Test begins on November 22.

Originally published as Nathan McSweeney as an opener: Not the first time SA skipper has gone up the order