Djali Bloomfield still remembers the days he spent watching Jason Gillespie take off his baggy green and charge into bowl.
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It was during a golden era for Australian cricket and Bloomfield was years away from being recognised as one of the finest indigenous players in the country as he is today.
Now he will get a chance to pick Gillespie's brains after he was named coach of the Prime Minister's XI for a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval on October 24.
"When I was growing up as a kid, he was a part of that heyday in Australian cricket where they never seemed to lose," the Weston Creek Molonglo fast bowler said.
"He was running around with Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee, it was a pretty strong bowling attack.
"Even though I am only going to be around for a day or two with the group, there'll be a couple of things I'll be able to get some ideas around. He ended up getting over 250 Test wickets which is obviously an awesome achievement in itself.
"Then with all the coaching he has been doing around the world over the past few years, I'm sure he has got plenty of knowledge he would be able to pass on."
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While 71-Test veteran Gillespie watches from the sidelines, it will be down to a pair of former Australian representatives to decide when to inject Bloomfield into the attack.
Prime Minister's XI co-captain Peter Siddle has heard of the 27-year-old, heard he "bowls fast and bowls some good yorkers". So too has Dan Christian.
Not a bad tool to have up your sleeve against an international team on what they call a batsman's paradise, eh? Better, "it sounds perfect for the Twenty20 game".
And it may be the start of something special. Siddle has seen what this fixture can do for one's career having won a Big Bash title alongside Jono Dean at the Adelaide Strikers, whose career took off following a half-century against the West Indies in 2013.
"That's the great opportunity with matches like these," Siddle said.
"You're playing against good opposition, so if he does well there could be an opportunity anywhere, in state cricket or even in the Big Bash.
"In the Twenty20 format now, there is a lot of cricket played around the country and around the world, little opportunities like this can open doors.
"Hopefully I can give him a few tips and if he performs well here, you never know what opportunities may arise."
PRIME MINISTER'S XI
Thursday, October 24: Twenty20 tour match - Prime Minister's XI v Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, 7.10pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
Prime Minister's XI squad: Peter Siddle (c), Dan Christian (c), Chris Lynn, Jason Sangha, Fawad Ahmed, Daniel Fallins, Djali Bloomfield, Ben Cutting, Jordan Silk, Chris Green, Harry Nielsen, Dan Leerdam (12th man). Coach: Jason Gillespie.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports journalist for The Canberra Times.
