Ross Kendall
Bangalow’s Lewin Maladay is well on his way to realising his dream of playing international and professional cricket at the highest level after being selected to play in the Australian U/19 side in a home series against Sri Lanka.
‘It’s very exciting to represent my country. I’m very honoured,’ the young wicket-keeper/batsman said from Hobart, where his side had a draw against Sri Lanka in a four-day game.
Lewin moved to Bangalow when he was three years old and easily took to cricket. He played for the local side as well as Byron Bay and Lennox Head cricket clubs. He also played for his school, St John’s College Woodlawn in Lismore, as well as Far North Coast representative sides.
It was a ‘fantastic accident’ that set up Lewin as a wicket keeper/batsman, he said.
He used to be a pace bowler but had a few back problems when he was in the U/14s. At that time in a school tournament his side didn’t have a wicket-keeper so he stepped into the role, and now finds himself playing in an Australian team.
‘It is my number-one goal to be a professional cricketer. Being selected for the U/19s goes a long way to realising that dream,’ he said.
The northern rivers’ most recent Australian cricketer, Adam Gilchrist, was also a wicket-keeper/batsman.
Lewin didn’t really follow Gilchrist when he played, as he was too young, but he has had the opportunity to meet him since then, and was able to take on some good advice.
In the first game of Sri Lanka’s tour against Australia Lewin didn’t get to bat in the first innings and scored 17 off 20 balls chasing quick runs in the second innings. He also took two catches.
Australia won the following one-day game convincingly. Lewin scored nine off 15 balls (again chasing quick runs) and again took two catches.
Lewin is currently living and working in Sydney after deferring his studies to concentrate on cricket. He plays grade cricket with the University of New South Wales.
