The chance to represent you country is a massive honour and something to be treasured.
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But for Brock Larance, the secret to performing well for your country is simple.
Don’t think about it.
Larance is currently in Melbourne with the Australian under 16s side with the first of six matches against the Pakistan national team to be played on Tuesday.
“I just try not to think about it too much,” Larance said of the enormity of what he has achieved.
“If I do that I’ll just play rubbish. I’ve just got to trust my natural instincts, play cricket, and enjoy it.”
Australia plays five youth one-day internationals against the best juniors in Pakistan before rounding out the series at the state-of-the-art Junction Oval complex with a Twenty20 match that is certain to entertain.
I’ve just got to trust my natural instincts, play cricket, and enjoy it.
- Brock Larance
The national side was selected following the 2016 School Sport Australia 15 & Under Boys National Championship, with the majority of the squad forming the Cricket Australia XI that competed at the Cricket Australia Under 17 National Championships in October.
Larance played at the carnival under the tutelage of former Australian quick Ryan Harris and belted 60 from 45 balls in one of his side’s wins.
At Melbourne now, his coach is Dan Marsh, a former Tasmanian player who has coached the likes of Ricky Ponting, Tim Paine and Matthew Wade.
“It’s good to get the exposure to this different kind of cricket,” Larance said.
“It’s going to be very different. But it’s good to get in and meet the boys and I just want to have fun, that’s the main thing.”
In terms of the opposition for this series, Larance is not sure what Pakistan will serve up.
But he knows they will be a class outfit.
A country renowned for unearthing young talents, hopes will be high this current squad features the next Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar or Saeed Anwar.
“It’s going to be up there and this will be the best cricket I’ve played to date,” Larance said of the standard.
“It’s going to be a really good challenge.”
Larance, at just 16, is coming off his second straight season where he finished as the leading run-scorer in the RSL-Whitney Cup while he also represented Dubbo and the Orana Outlaws on the senior scene.
An aggressive top-order batsman and more than handy off-spin bowler, Larance said he expects to be batting in the top five each day while he is also more than likely to get through some overs in the middle stages of matches.
Following tomorrow’s opening game, Australia plays Pakistan on April, 19, 21, 24 and 26, with the Twenty20 youth international on April 27.
Following that, Larance is looking forward to “soaking up some rest” and playing a bit of soccer before pre-season academy sessions start from July.