(Photo: Supplied)
Teague Wyllie like any other cricket-mad kid, started by hitting balls in his backyard, but the teenage sensation has fast become one of the most promising talents in the country.
He has burst onto the scene and continues to make a name for himself at the top level for Western Australia, he also recently represented Australia A.
While he has a plethora of talent, it is his hard work and mature mindset which sets him apart from other young cricketers and gives him an edge over his competitors.
“On my day, I’m good enough to perform at this level … I know I can perform if my routines are right,” he said.
Having won two Sheffield Shield Titles at the age of just 19 and made a name for himself representing Australia at the Under-19 World Cup last year, there are no limits on what the young man can achieve over the next five or ten years
The top order batsman last year became the youngest Sheffield Shield centurion since Ricky Ponting (1992-93) when he hit 104 against New South Wales in just his third career First Class match.
Wyllie describes himself as a “country boy” who was born and raised in Mandurah, Western Australia. Cricket is a big part of the Wyllie family, with the local A grade competition named the Wyllie Cup after Teague’s father, John. While his older sister, Georgia is also an impressive athlete and recently won WA’s Rising Star Award for her own cricketing feats.
Wyllie said being around cricket from a young age helped spark the passion and love for cricket from an early age, a passion which was nurtured by his father.
“I reckon it’s pretty much in our blood to play cricket and it’s something I’ve been passionate about ever since I was a young pup,” Wyllie said.
“(My dad) is a pretty influential figure on who I am, he used to throw me hours and hours of cricket balls … he’s a very old school guy (with the mindset of) bat all day, dig in.”
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Growing up, Wyllie never loved school and always dreamt of a place he’d rather be, the cricket nets, hitting ball after ball for hours on end. The youngster started playing senior cricket at the age of nine and had a compulsive love for the game, using every spare minute he had to improve his game.
“I’ve just always loved hitting balls and to be fair, my parents used to think it was a bit obsessive, my love for the sport, I used to have days off school, and I’d just go and hit cricket balls all day,” Wyllie laughed.
Wyllie understands that while cricket is an incredibly physical game, the mental side of the game is just as important and having a focussed, confident mindset helps him perform.
“I’ve just kind of adopted this mindset, whatever happens, happens, you can’t change it. I can only control what I can control, which is trying to get into good positions and have that muscle memory that I’ve trained for the last 15 years,” he said.
Whether Wyllie is facing a local bowler in his league back home, or one of the fastest in the country, his mindset stays the same.
“I love facing guys who are quick and the guys who are good … I know I’m ready for that level, it’s just a matter of going out there and showing it at the end of the day,” he said.
Wyllie recalled Western Australia’s drought-breaking Sheffield Shield Title against Victoria last year as a highlight, getting to share a special moment with his dad.
“That whole final, it’s a bit of a blur … it was just the toughest game of cricket that I’ve ever played in my life,” he said.
“After we won the shield final, I was walking down the race and gave him a hug, he had his glasses on as he had a few tears and that means the world.”
Wyllie (back left) is very humble and mature for his age, and quick to look past some of his individual accolades to chat about team success. He is pictured above winning his second Shield title with his WA teammates earlier this year.
(Photo: Western Australian Cricket Association)
Wyllie has since added another title to the list of his achievements just a few months ago and has solidified his batting position at number three for Western Australia. But he isn’t finished yet, the youngster is just getting started and has hopes of one day getting presented with a baggy green.
“My ultimate dream is to play test cricket for my country, that’s something that I’ve always aspired to, I feel like that’s the pinnacle of cricket,” Wyllie said.
“All I’m trying to focus on now is the next game of cricket and going out there and making runs … at the end of the day that’s the aspiration, to get a baggy green and play test cricket.”
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