Jake Weatherald on his journey, Australian Test ambitions and how he's taken his game to a new level

News.com.au

a day ago

He's 30 years of age and has been around Australian cricket for nearly a decade – but Jake Weatherald feels he's closer than ever to living out his dream.
It was this feeling and a mountain of runs in last summer's Sheffield Shield which led him to India's spin friendly conditions.
It's been a long and arduous road for the left-handed opener but he has since emerged from left-field as one of the batters nipping at the heels of the Australian top six.
Weatherald is part of a budding group taking on Sri Lanka in a series of matches in the Northern Territory which starts on Friday.
Prior to the Aussie A series – and in hope of a greater nod – Weatherald took himself to the subcontinent, to train and acclimatise to the unique conditions.
It was there he prepared himself in 'body and mind' for the proposition of playing for Australia.
'I'm always looking to develop; it's sort of a curse and a blessing at the same time,' Weatherald said.
'I felt as though the way I played pace bowling was really good this year … If I do the right things I am confident I can face high quality bowling and score from it, playing spin was an area I was never really able to give a lot too.
'The opportunity to practice against spin bowling was a big draw to go over to India but also to develop a method that would be good in spinning conditions.
'So if I do go away and play an A series in India, or a Test match, I am not just sitting there going, 'I've never been here before, I have no experience in spinning conditions'.
'It was to ready my body and mind to have all bases covered if there ever was an opportunity.'
Weatherald topped the Shield run charts last summer and hit them at the second-best strike of any other recognised batter.
He credits his career-best form to 'a combination of things' – but orders experience and mental clarity above all else.
That progression, Weatherald says, has allowed him to understand his game and become comfortable with the risk of getting out.
'As a cricketer you're sort of daunted and restricted by getting out,' he said.
'I think what experience has given me is if you do shut down and don't look to put pressure on good bowling, especially how the wickets have come in Australia.
'They've come quite conducive to new ball bowling and bowling in general, if you're not willing to put pressure on bowling you're just going to find a way to get out.
'If I'm able to even score off good balls I feel as though the bowlers think, 'My margin for error is really small here'.
'It's keeping it a little bit simple, always looking to score in my areas but also if the day is on where I am scoring quickly not shutting myself down and going, 'Oh, I shouldn't be scoring this quickly, I've got to bat for long periods of time'.
'If the opportunity is there, I am going to take it – no matter if it's the first ball of the game or if it takes me 30 balls to score, my mindset is the same.'
Weatherald has taken the road less travelled to Australia A selection.
He was out of the South Australian setup, prioritising his mental health, before taking in a sea change in Tasmania.
Amid those ups and downs, Weatherald says he has always held ambitions to play for Australia.
'I think cricketers are rated on how they play Test cricket, I've always been driven to play as much red-ball cricket as I possibly can and just had to figure out a way of doing that,' he said.
'It's a hard battle to find the balance between being a white-ball cricketer or red-ball cricketer and then the expectation of being successful, playing for Australia.
'It's self-sabotaging at times, you don't want to be too focused on the end point when if you're not good enough at the starting point you're not going to get there.
'For me, it was: 'Let's focus on what I can control and that's the way I train, the way I go about my game. From there hopefully everything else takes care of itself, if I don't play for Australia or don't go on to do anything else, that's fine, at least I tried the right things.'
Weatherald is watching the Aussies closely and is buoyed by the opportunities presented to those performing.
He concedes a lost must go right for him to earn one more promotion – but is confident he can take that chance if it's ever offered.
'Most would be lying if they said it wasn't on their mind, especially with all the stuff going on in the Australian team, there's opportunities being provided to those who are doing well,' he said.
'I am not sure what the future holds, I've still got to take a lot more opportunities but from a belief point of view I believe I am good enough to play.
'At the same time I have to prove that with performances in the Australia A stuff and have to have a bit of luck as well, other players might have to miss out for me to come in.
'Everything has to sort of work out, move the right pieces at the right time, but to be this close is an amazing feeling anyway to be suggested I could be around that mark.'