Benalla junior Xavier De Fazio impressed for Greenvale in the Victorian Premier Cricket under-16 Dowling Shield recently, turning in a number of impressive performances as a bottom-age player.
Every January, Victoria’s best underage cricketers are pitted against each other in the under-16 Dowling Shield competition, aligning the brightest young talent across the state with Premier Cricket clubs for a three-week tournament.
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While the Greenvale Kangaroos won’t be featuring further as finals get underway this week, having been bundled out after the group stage, it was still a tournament to remember for Benalla’s Xavier De Fazio, who has been earmarked as one to watch for the future following his performances over the past few weeks.
Already having made his A grade debut with the Bushrangers in the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association at just 14 years of age, De Fazio was selected to represent Greenvale as a bittom-age player in the prestigious tournament after impressing during a rigorous trials period, beating out over 80 other invitees to be named in the final squad.
“It was pretty exciting (to get the call to play), it was a bit of a surprise,” he said.
“(The trial) was quite challenging, you know, with all the other really skilled players, but yeah, I found my way through and just (feel like I) did pretty well.”
Bowling left arm orthodox, which was influenced by Bushrangers coach Darren Skelton, De Fazio featured in six of Greenvale’s seven Dowling Shield outings, gaining confidence and form as the tournament progressed.
Despite the Kangaroos only claiming the one win, which came against Carlton in their opening outing, the young tweaker managed to find wickets in four of his matches, snaring eight scalps across those games at a mightily impressive average of 14.75.
“It was a really good experience, actually,” he said.
“I learned a fair bit as well, playing with really high-level players, so, yeah, it was good.”
The junior Bushranger showed his class with a haul of three against Dandenong, the equal-most for his side, but it was his performance against Fitzroy-Doncaster that earned plaudits from the coaches at Greenvale.
Xavier De Fazio in action for Greenvale against Dandenong in the Dowling Shield.
With the Kangaroos having collapsed with the bat to post a meagre total of 54, De Fazio was given the unenviable task of trying to defend it with the ball, which he did with aplomb, bowling 3.5 overs for a return of 2-9, and was duly awarded ‘the socks’ as his side’s best player, helping to prolong what was an almost inevitable loss.
“It was quite challenging with only 50 on the board,” he said of the match-up against the Lions.
“But I just had the mindset going in, and I thought I might be able to bowl pretty well here, just try to take a few wickets, restrain their runs.
“It was quite good to get the socks, and the coaches gave me some good feedback about how I bowled really well and just, yeah, told me to keep going, keep bowling well, and (gave me) a few tips.”
The taste of high-level competition has whet the young gun’s appetite, with the need to be at your best at all times a welcome challenge, and one that he is already hoping to tackle again next year.
“It was a very different (experience), there was not much room for mistakes,” he said.
“You had to be basically perfect, so yeah, it was a lot different to playing in Benalla, which was good, a bit more challenging, because every mistake counts.”
While it was an entirely different experience to playing for the Bushrangers, it is at Benalla that the cricket-mad youngster finds the most support as he strives to reach the upper echelons of the sport.
A regular in the A grade side this season, De Fazio has welcomed the challenge of playing against grown men, and has found a mentor in skipper Brayden Stepien, who has backed in the young gun to showcase his skill despite his tender age.
“That's also quite challenging as well playing there with (the Bushrangers), it’s a pretty high standard as well, so lots of fun,” he said.
“They give me heaps of support there as well, which is good, ’Stepo’ (Brayden Stepien) the captain, he probably gives me the most support when I'm playing, he gives me a few over to bowl and plenty of encouragement.
“He gives me, yeah, really positive advice about my bowling and stuff and how I can be a better up and coming player, and gives me a bit of confidence.”
Despite his weekend almost totally consumed by cricket, given he also plays with Benalla’s under-16 side every Saturday, there is no dulling De Fazio’s enthusiasm for the game, with the star spinner determined to become the best player he possibly can be.
“(My goal) is just to really work on my batting a lot and try to be the best batter (I can be),” he said.
“I never get sick of it, I just love playing as much cricket as I can.”
