KYLE Gardiner’s cricket aspirations are whirring as much as one of the Rockingham-Mandurah youngster’s leg spinners.
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The 16-year-old from Kwinana has been on a merry-go-round of late taking some significant steps forward.
He celebrated his inclusion in Western Australia’s under 17s team for the National Championships in Adelaide from January 13-23 with a WACA first grade debut.
He followed that up with a baggy maroon as the latest Mariner debutant in the round eight match against Willetton.
Rockingham-Mandurah director of cricket Craig Stanners said Gardiner’s performances had forced the club to alter the cautious path they had mapped out for him at the beginning of the season.
“In pre-season, he impressed ‘BD’ (club captain-coach Brendon Diamanti) and at the start of this year his bowling has been fantastic,” Stanners said.
The plan was to start Gardiner in the thirds before an introduction to second grade at the back end of the 2013/14 season.
But his talent was too good to hide.
“It is a rapid rise but not one that has surprised us because he is a great trainer and a great listener,” Stanners said.
In October, he was plying the most difficult trade in the game with the club’s under 17s and third grade sides.
By November, it became clear he wouldn’t be in second grade long when he trapped 10 wickets in two matches.
The Mariners ‘leggie’ handled another rise in class as he snared 5/28 on his WACA Twenty20 debut against defending champions Melville.
WACA development coach and former West Australian batsman Wayne Andrews and talent co-ordinator Lindsay Flinn could not ignore Gardiner’s start to 2013/14, with 31 wickets across junior and senior cricket at an average of 14.94.
Described as a “highly regarded talent” in the announcement of the 13-man squad, the Rockingham-Mandurah spinner will play an important role on wickets that should be to his liking.
Representing Kwinana, then Baldivis in the Peel Junior Cricket Association, Gardiner started as an under 13s player at Rockingham-Mandurah in 2009/10.
He has continued to develop his game at the club and is now taking his first sure steps into senior cricket.
Under 17s coach Scott Goodrick said he immediately saw a very good player in Gardiner.
“The thing with Kyle is he is confident and has always had the confidence to bowl his leg spinners,” he said.
“He has just improved gradually over the years but ever since he has been going to the WACA, it has really helped his game.”
Goodrick echoed Stanners’ sentiments about his willingness to learn and seek advice from his coaches.
“He is happy to try something new, he came down one day and started bowling wrong’uns. I said ‘when did you learn that’ and he said ‘I just thought I’d give it a go’,” he said.
“He just works hard, is always smiling and he loves the game.”
