Tauranga's Fergus Lellman is looking forward to testing himself against the best under-19 cricket players in the world. Photo / File
Tauranga's Fergus Lellman is looking forward to testing himself against the best under-19 cricket players in the world. Photo / File
Every superstar athlete started somewhere. For Black Caps captain and arguably the greatest batsman New Zealand has ever produced Kane Williamson, that somewhere was the cricket nets at Pillans Point School in Tauranga - nets which his father organised the construction of.
Williamson grew up a few doors down fromthe primary school, which he would later attend and play cricket for, and would constantly badger his dad into giving him throw downs in the nets. It was the beginning of an obsession with self-improvement and meteoric rise to the top of the sport.
Now, a pair of Tauranga teenagers who honed their craft in those same Pillans Point School nets are following in Williamson's footsteps.
Fergus Lellman and Ben Pomare, former Pillans Point School students, have been named in the 15-strong New Zealand squad for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa early next year. Their selection proves another parallel with Williamson who captained New Zealand at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup.
Lellman said making the squad had been a goal "for the last few years" and he was looking forward to testing himself against the best under-19 players in the world.
"I'm pretty excited but at the same time you have to take it with a grain of salt and not get too carried away, in the same way that if you didn't make it you wouldn't want to get too upset.
"It's so awesome to have the opportunity, it's a bit surreal to know we'll be playing against the best cricketers of our age group worldwide. You're only going to learn from it and it's only going to help your game moving forward so I'm really looking forward to it."
He said to make the most of the opportunity he had to "try to stay present".
"I don't want to get too caught up with the significance looking forward or what might come of it, I just need to keep doing what I'd be doing if it was a club match or a school match and give myself the best chance."
Ben Pomare has made the New Zealand Under-19 Cricket World Cup Squad. Photo / File
When asked why his old primary school had produced so many good cricketers, Lellman said it was hard to say.
"I guess having the nets helps, I know Kane was in those all the time. It's pretty much just growing up in Tauranga we're definitely privileged to have the kind of upbringing where we can play cricket in good facilities.
"It's quite cool for me and Ben to have come all the way from the same primary, it seems so long ago now. He went to Tauranga Boys' College and I went to Aquinas College but we've sort of come back and played for a lot of the same rep teams together."
Pomare said he was most looking forward to the opportunity to play against different styles and improve himself.
"It's a big learning experience, it's a pretty good level of cricket to play and I think it's all about taking whatever you can from it to help you get to the next level. It's a really exciting opportunity.
"We've got a pretty strong team, we've been training together throughout winter and we've had a bit of experience playing together now so we're a pretty close group."
Before his rise to Black Caps captain, Kane Williamson was just another Tauranga kid who loved playing cricket. Photo / File
He said the heat in South Africa as well as having little time for rest between games would be the biggest challenge.
"It's a pretty tight schedule, we've only got a game or two between games. It will be a good way to see how our fitness levels are and whether we can execute on the field."
The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup runs from January 17 to February 9 next year. New Zealand are in Group A alongside India, Japan and Sri Lanka.
New Zealand ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup squad: Jesse Tashkoff - captain (Wellington), Adithya Ashok (Auckland), Kristian Clarke (Northern Districts), Hayden Dickson (Northern Districts), Joey Field (Central Districts), David Hancock (Northern Districts), Simon Keene (Auckland), Fergus Lellman (Northern Districts), Nicholas Lidstone (Canterbury), Rhys Mariu (Canterbury), William O'Rourke (Auckland), Ben Pomare (Northern Districts), Quinn Sunde (Auckland), Beckham Wheeler-Greenall (Otago), Oliver White (Northern Districts).
Standby Players: Angus Sidey (Canterbury), Ryan Jackson (Wellington), Devan Vishvaka (Wellington), Lucas Dasent (Auckland), Tom Dunlop (Canterbury).
