George Cumming has had a phenomenal start to the 2018-19 season.
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The spinner has already picked up 22 wickets in six innings bowling for Kinross Wolaroi seconds, including a seven-wicket haul and a six-wicket haul in rounds two and three of the Orange District Cricket Association.
Now, Cumming is set to take the stage at the Cricket Australia Male Under 15 National Championships in February.
The six-wicket haul came with the astonishing figures of 6-9 off eight overs, and his early-season form rewarded him with a spot in the Country NSW squad for trial matches.
His seven wickets from two games booked him a place to Brisbane and the Sunshine coast next month.
It is fun having to think a lot and not just bowling, you sort of make it a different game when you bowl spin.
- George Cumming
While Cumming said he’s “excited”, he was surprised to make the side.
“I wasn't very confident, I dunno. It was a bit 50-50,” he said.
Which is a humble take on his selection considering he took the most wickets at the selection carnival, which involved two games for a Southern Country side against two metropolitan teams at Hawksbury.
His hauls of 3-38 and 4-27 – both from 10 overs – stood out, which has helped the left-arm tweaker earn his selection.
“It was pretty nice,” Cumming said of being picked.
What makes his selection doubly as impressive is that the 15-year-old has only been bowling spin for the past two seasons after switching over from mediums.
“It’s a challenge, you have to think a lot more bowling spin,” he said.
“It is fun having to think a lot and not just bowling, you sort of make it a different game when you bowl spin.”
While a national squad will be picked from the under-15 carnival, Cumming doesn’t have any expectation or aims to push onward, and is happy to take his cricket “as it comes”.
He said it would be a “nervous experience” in Queensland but just hoped to bowl his best and do what he’s been doing.
I was very nervous, it’s tough playing against the older, very experienced players.
- George Cumming on his first-grade debut
And, if his form this year is anything to go by, he should do just fine.
Cumming picked up a first grade debut in the final game of the year, and while he didn’t take any wickets in the game, he was please with bowling nine overs for 29 runs – keeping the runs tight.
It also gave him the opportunity to play alongside brother Gus for the first time, who Cumming said “helped me keep my nerves”.
“I was very nervous, it’s tough playing against the older, very experienced players,” he said.
While he’s expecting similar nerves in February, Cumming said he’s ready to take the national championships head-on.
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