Solid hand-eye coordination, an attacking game style and being absolutely mad about cricket seems to be a winning combination for South Mandurah Junior Cricket Club star Wian Kruger, who became his club’s first ever 1000-run batsman over the weekend.
The 13-year-old took to the turf needing eight runs to get to the four-figure mark, and just squeaked by with a 10-run performance lifting him to a whopping total of 1002 in his young stint with South Mandurah.
It was a nervous wait to surpass the milestone for the gun junior, who was out on a duck the week before in a Don Bradman-like scenario.
But Wian was completely humble after becoming the first junior Falcon to record the thou, saying it was simply “nice to hit a few runs for the club.”
“I was pretty happy with it, but yeah, nice to get some runs for the club,” he said.
“I didn’t know I was going for it, I found out after the game and it was pretty cool.”
Wian has been lauded by the South Mandurah club for his massive achievement, and will now be able to enjoy seeing his name on their walls after being presented with a plaque to mark the milestone.
The young gun took off on his cricketing journey in South Mandurah’s under 9s team, and enjoyed a stellar season last year in the under 12s.
Now in the club’s under 14s, he is also playing district cricket for Rockingham-Mandurah, batting at fourth in the order.
Overall, Wian juggles more than 20 hours a week in the nets and on the field.
His dream is to one day follow in the footsteps of his heroes in the South African international side, particularly his idol AB de Villiers.
“He’s obsessed with his cricket – he loves any sport he plays but he is especially mad about his cricket,” Wian’s mother Arinda said.
“He watches all the Big Bash games, never misses his training sessions – he is just so committed to the sport.”
He always listens, he’s a really great kid to have around the team and he brings a great attitude to the games.
- Coach Steve Thomas
Coach Steve Thomas, who has mentored Wian for three seasons, said he was one of the most coachable players he had come across.
“He always listens, he’s a really great kid to have around the team and he brings a great attitude to the games,” he said.
Wian will have to continue his good form if he is to keep his record out of the clutches of his younger brother Waldo, who hit 57 runs a fortnight ago.
But for now he will continue to chase milestones, this time with the ball in hand, as he needs just five more wickets to reach the 50 mark.