Darwin dasher Jake Weatherald has a ball, ball, ball against England

Jake Weatherald is Australia’s first Darwin-born Test cricketer. He’s here to stay after a dashing 72 against England.

Jake Weatherald raises his bat after reaching 50 on day two of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. Picture: AFP.

Jake Weatherald crouches like a boxer. Whispers, “Ball, ball, ball.” Keeps clobbering it to the rope. Boundary, boundary, boundary. Australia’s unearthed a good ’un.

Our first Darwin-born Test cricketer is in the Australian XI to stay after a rocking and rolling innings of 72 in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.

He started day two against England yet to nail his spot. He finished with a future brighter than the hoop earrings in his lobes. After multitudinous debates and faffing around about the best opening combination, Weatherald and his great mate Travis Head are as immovable as Uluru.

Head is rarely upstaged and yet Weatherald stole the show in their 77-run opening stand. Pugnacious, punchy drives. Flamboyant cuts for crowd-pleasing sixes over slips. Judicious leaving of the ball when he sensed danger. He appeared risk-free but still rattled along like a truck on the Barkly Highway, making 72 from 78 deliveries. Head and Weatherald will open for the rest of the Ashes. Case closed.

“The best part about playing Test cricket is you want to be in the limelight, doing things that people notice,” Weatherald says. “That’s a part of playing for Australia. You want to represent your country the best way you possibly can. It’s a cool thing to be a part of, the way you can ride the emotions of the Australian public.”

Weatherald hits a six on his way to 72. Picture: AP

At stumps in a delicately and deliciously poised battle, Australia was 6-378 after Marnus Labuschagne (65), captain Steve Smith (61), Cam Green (45) and Travis Head (33) followed promising starts with abrupt endings. Smith’s side led by 44 runs when the floodlights were turned out with Alex Carey 46 not out. Anyone’s game from here.

When Weatherald was a kid in Darwin, they reckon he was so outdoorsy he never needed to be told to watch less television. He needed encouragement to get inside and relax. His batting is similarly industrious. You could’ve sworn he would make a fairytale hundred. A mature-aged Test player at 31, in just his second game, Darwin’s dasher was trapped LBW by a sandshoe crusher from Jofra Archer. He shuffled off to a warm ovation. Soon after, he looked fidgety in the dressing room. He’s too outdoorsy to be in there.