Lehmann Academy link up with the Flinders for Junior Sri Lankan Tour

In what is an enormous coup for cricket in the Mid North and Flinders Region, the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy have awarded 15yo Crystal Brook cricketer Jake Wohling with a scholarship, to participate in a schoolboys tour to Sri Lanka from July 10-19 under the tutelage of Academy Coach Shaun Seigert and former Redbacks Coach Mark Sorrell. It again strengthens the region’s links with high performance cricket, with the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy’s 2012/2013 scholars, mostly English County players, having previously visited Jamestown in November 2012.

The Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy has been invited to Sri Lanka to compete against some of their best school-aged cricketers, as well as those from other parts of the world including South Africa. Part of the tour includes the team participating in work with the underprivileged communities. It’s part of the harmony through sport philosophy which has led to the establishment of cricket tournaments under the guidance of former Sri Lankan Captains Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakarra.

Jake has had a busy year in cricket, representing Crystal Brook in the Rocky River Cricket Association, as well as Wandearah in the Port Pirie Cricket Association and Woodville in the SACA Under 16 Red Competition. Jake finished second on Woodville’s wicket takers list as well as fifth on the run scorers tally, whilst also being part of the team’s first ever U16 premiership. He also represented the Mid North at the Under 17 Statewide Cup, against all of the metropolitan teams and took out the bowling aggregate in the process. Jake’s achievements have seen him selected in the State Under 17 squad, having previously been a member of the State under 15 squad.

Mid North Junior Cricket President Jamie McNamara said “It is a terrific opportunity for Jake and also for our region. Opportunities like this simply haven’t been around before, so we’re thrilled to be a part of it. Our committee is sure that Jake will do a great job representing our area on the international stage.”

The process of selecting a representative from the Zone was particularly difficult for the Zone executive given the number of talented young cricketers within the area and to his credit Jake’s father Tim, who is a long time administrator of the Rocky River Cricket Association, removed himself from the process to ensure transparency.

Jake said he’s particularly proud & honored to be chosen to be the Mid North’s representative and has been extremely humbled by the number of people that have wished him well for the upcoming tour.

About James Lang

A committed volunteer who loves Australia's game. Based in Jamestown in South Australia's Mid North, the birthplace of RM Williams, I work closely with the local Football, Netball and Cricket clubs. A rewarding involvement has been in establishing the social interaction group Backyard Football League Australia.

Comments

  1. Great news James. Pass my congratulations and best wishes onto Jake.
    How will he cope with the dusty, low turf wickets of Sri Lanka? My grandfather came from Jamestown (or was it Spalding?) I grew up on Yorke Peninsula and as a modest batsman, I could cope with malthoid or matting laid over concrete. There was reliable high bounce, though rubber malthoid could really spin and seam when the temperature got over 90F – which was most of the summer.
    I really struggled when I got on the unreliable turf wickets of the lower District Grades in Adelaide. Its a huge change. Are the local wickets around Crystal Brook all laid on concrete slabs? How has Jake’s transition to turf wickets at Woodville gone?

  2. Hi Peter, the nearest turf wickets up this way are in Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Yorke Peninsula and the Barossa Valley, but the numbers are expanding. Most wickets up this way are matting on concrete, with the largest slab being the 6 lane Lehmann/Gillespie Cricket Training Facility within Jamestown’s Regional Sports Stadium at Victoria Park. Whilst it’s not as humid in the Flinders and Mid North as Sri Lanka, we certainly get some extreme heat. I know the feeling when adjusting to turf wickets, via many country carnivals and a little but of Adelaide Turf Cricket. Some are great to bat on, others are terrific to bowl on!

    Jake performed pretty well at Woodville, but it will be a great experience to text his skills on the sub continent. He performed very well there last summer and landed a spot in the SACA Under 17 squad. He comes from a good pedigree, with his cousin Nick Joyce currently on the Adelaide Crows list, whilst his sister is a State League netballer in Adelaide.

    The last week would surely be an added incentive to represent a group bearing the name of Australia’s new coach!

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