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By Stephen Brown
 Cameron
White who's action is similar in style to Anil Kumble's, made
his debut as 17 year old for Victoria in 2000/01, the wily leg
spinner was a just a schoolboy from country Victoria. In his
debut season he took 4/65 in the Pura Cup and 5/55 in the ACB
Cup ( National Second Xl competition). National selectors saw
this and earmarked the 17 year old White and he was chosen in
the national under 19 squad and gained a scholarship at the
Australian Cricket academy. Before the 2001/02 season White
toured with The academy to New Zealand and starred as an all
rounder, including a highest score of 75 and taking 6 for 43. He
also starred for Victoria in the Institute Challenge taking 11
wickets at 12.27 his best being 4/29, he also scored 57 as his
highest score a good lead up for White and it was promising that
the 2001/02 season would be even more brighter.
The 2001/02 season was a productive season for White he not only
had a triumphant Youth World Cup but caught
the eye of the national selectors. White had a
modest Pura cup and ING Cup season highlighted by a score of 91
and 3 for 97 .He was chosen for the Prime
Ministers xl and starred for them bowling 7 overs and taking
2/42, in a loss to New Zealand. His season was cut short so he
could take part in Australia's triumphant Youth World Cup side
which he captained. Whilst his bowling did not shine through at
the World Cup his batting certainly did and he headed the
international batting average scoring 423 runs at 70.5 with a
highest score of 156*. After playing a starring role in the
Youth World Cup ,White again starred for the prime Ministers XI
against the ATSIC XI bowling 10 over and taking 2 for 44, he
then toured India with the Australian academy scoring 42 and
79*, and taking a best bowling effort of 4/58. White again
returned to play the Institute series and took 9 wickets at
17.22, his best bowling was 4/25, a good warm up got the 2002/03
season.
The 20002/03 season gave Cameron a full season and White played
9 Pura Cup games taking 28 wickets at 25.03, with 6/66 being his
best figures. His batting figures were modest and he averaged
20.08 with a highest score of 56. His ING cup season was
extremely disappointing and his best performances were 42 and 2
for 34, however he scored his maiden century 100* in the ACB cup
competition. It was for his potential that White was chosen for
Australia World Cup squad in 2003, replacing the hapless Stewart
MacGill ,although he was not chosen in the final 15,This did
however earmark White as a future international one day player
White then took part in the Institute Challenge and he captained
the Victorian side, White score 307 runs at 51.16 his highest
score of 89, and took 7 wickets at 24.57, his best figures being
3/27. This promising performance in the Institute Challenge
hinted that there was bigger things in store for whole for the
2003/04 season.
The 2003/04 season saw Cameron
White named as the captain of the ING cup side ,and he took
Victoria from last placed the year before to 3rd position and
they were close to qualifying for Ing final. He also captained
the Pura cup side when Darren Berry was unavailable due to
injury. Cameron had a encouraging all round season batting at 7
White scored 581 runs at 36.31 with 78 being his highest score
and White took 30 wickets at 36.83 with his best bowling being 4
for 27. In the Ing cup White took 10 wickets at 36.60, his best
bowling being 3/25 and his best score being 37. Again the
selectors rewarded White and he was picked to play for Australia
A against the touring Indians, he also played for Australia A
against Zimbabwe and bowled 8 overs and took 2 for 28. He also
scored 39 and 39 against the Indian side for Victoria and took
4/50 off 18 overs against the Indians. This solid season
culminated in White being chosen as the 2nd spinner for the
Zimbabwe tour which was called off, he came into the side to
replace Stewie Macgill who withdrew from the side, White did
play against Zimbabwe A and took 1 wicket for not many runs
.Presently White is with the Australian squad in Northern
Australia and is acting as a back up to the injury prone Shane
Warne.
The doors are opening for Cameron White and he is a willing
apprentice, further representative games await White next season
and the young 20 year old is tipped to be named Victoria's state
captain. Do not be surprised if Cameron White is Australia's'
major spinner for the 2007 World cup, and that one day he takes
over from Warne when he retires. Whites leg spinning skill as
well as his all round and leadership skills mark White as a
talented champion in the future, there are many wraps on this
young player who could one day fill the berth in the national
team not only as its leg spinner but all rounder.
The future awaits all is well.
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