A Premier Cricket career spanning 22 years has drawn to a close, with Melbourne Cricket Club captain and Australian international, Cameron White announcing his retirement.
It draws the curtain on a playing career in the Victoria’s top grade of club cricket which began in the 1999/20 season and gave him the springboard to play four Tests for Australia, plus assume captaincy positions for Victoria, the Australian Men’s ODI (one match) and T20 (six matches) sides, the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, plus the Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
Hailing from Bairnsdale in East Gippsland, a then-17-year-old White burst onto the scene for Dandenong Cricket Club. His second season (2000/01) saw him amass two centuries, a hat-trick and a call up to the Victorian team.
Over time, White established himself as a stalwart in the first-class and List ‘A’ arenas in both Australia and England, and a move closer to the city saw White join Richmond from the 2005/06 season, before joining Melbourne in 2016-17, captaining the side for 30 games across five seasons. In a COVID-reduced 2019/20 Victorian Premier Cricket season, the grand final was scrapped and Melbourne’s 1st XI was awarded the premiership as the highest ranked side.
For the Demons, he scored 697 runs at an average of 34.85, with five half-centuries (his highest score, 85 not out) and took 13 wickets at 27.15. His reliable hands took 22 catches in those 30 games.
White’s Premier Cricket career totalled 123 matches, 3826 runs, with five centuries and 23 half-centuries. With the ball, he took 138 wickets at an average of 22.90, and best figures of 7/132.
MCC Men’s Premier Cricket coach Ben Vague told Leader Newspapers White’s contribution to the club was immense.
“He had a profound impact on the playing group, in particular the firsts,’’ Vague said.
“He’s without doubt the best cricket brain I’ve come across in my time, and he’s helped our players develop their games significantly.
“Fergus O’Neill is probably a great example of someone who in such a short period of Cameron working with him has had real growth with his cricket.
“It’s going to be hard to replace him, impossible to replace him, but it does create opportunity for players he’d helped develop.’’
White, himself these days is now enjoying the tranquility of life in Gippsland, when not in Melbourne.
“I hadn’t caught up with my old man since the start of the last lockdown so I popped home for a couple of days and snuck away into the bush,” he said.
“Doing kid drop offs and swimming lessons and Aussie Hoops and all that – it’s a bit different but something I’m really enjoying.
“In terms of what’s ahead, I’m committed to the Adelaide Strikers for the next couple of years as an assistant coach and I’m doing some work with the Victorian Emerging Players Squad, including the Under 19 and Under 17 guys - so I’ll fill in the winter with more than enough stuff to do.
“It’s great to see some Demons in these squads; there’s plenty for us to look forward to.”
White said he’d loved his years at the MCC.
“One thing I’ve really enjoyed about my time at Melbourne has been being back involved in the club environment. You get to meet a bunch of new people and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed. The conditions and facilities are top notch and I love trying to help players improve.
“The club is run pretty professionally and there’s a lot of young talent coming through the place and Michael (Sholly, Chairman of Selectors) and Andrew (Kent, Chairman of Premier Cricket Committee) structure things so that every player has the chance to perform and achieve higher honours, as well as team success.
“There’s a lot of thought that goes into selection and sides aren’t picked just to get the points on a weekend; the bigger picture comes into play as well.”
White was grateful for the role Premier cricket played in his career, kick-starting an impressive resume on the International circuit.
“It’s been hugely important. It gave me a kick-start and my opportunity in the game. Coming from the country as a 14 or 15 year-old for Hatch (Shield) and then starting at Dandenong as a 16 year-old, it was the pathway after junior cricket and gave me the chance to make a living out of the game,” he said.
“I’m grateful that I was then able to get a game alongside players like Ponting and Gilchrist and Symonds and Hayden and McGrath.
“I didn’t do a lot in some of those games but to earn a game in those sides…I guess that’s a feather in my cap and sits with the team success I was able to be a part of throughout my career, especially with Victoria.”
White said it was nice to finish his playing career where it all started – in club cricket. And he holds high hopes for what lies ahead for Melbourne.
“(Premier Cricket) gave me the opportunity to transition out of playing cricket professionally for the best part of 20 years,” White said.
“I loved being able to give a bit back to the competition where it all started and I’m grateful to the MCC and also the ACA (Australian Cricketers’ Association) to be able to do this through the support of their Premier Cricket Program.
“Blake Thomson has been doing the job for a couple of years and is still only young at 23.
“Fergus O’Neill has broken through to get a Rookie contract with Victoria and that’s exciting for him and the club, and then there’s a whole host of talented players coming through the ranks.
“Guys like Campbell Kellaway, Kobe Herft and Xander Buxton have all shown promise so hopefully they can convert that into sustained performances.
“Jack Prestwidge bowls at 140 kilometres an hour and can bat and field pretty well; there’s not many in the comp who can do that, and then you’ve got strong club performers like Jackson Koop, Kieran Elliott and Kyle Williamson.”
And he is unlikely to be a stranger at the Albert.
“I told Benny (Vague) that I’d be happy to come down for a couple of sessions so hopefully I’ll be there at some stage during the pre-season, chucking a few balls and stuffing around,” he said.
“My love for the game will always be there, whether I’m playing or not – and that’s why I want to stay involved in the game through coaching. You still get to feel the competitive side of it and I can try to pass on some knowledge and help people become better cricketers.”
White joins Bridie Chesterfield, Max Tucker, Sam Brewin, Patrick Smith and Peter Petricola as this season’s retirees from the MCC.
Cameron Leon White – Playing Career (All Levels)
Victorian Premier CricketTeams: Dandenong, Richmond, Melbourne
Matches: 123
Bat –
Runs: 3,826
Average: 31.11
HS: 229*
100s: 5
50s: 22
Bowl –
Wickets: 138
Average: 22.90
Best: 5/13
5WI: 4
First Class
Teams: Victoria, Northamptonshire (UK), Somerset (UK), Australia A Men’s
Matches: 177
Bat –
Runs: 10,537
Average: 39.91
HS: 260*
100s: 22
50s: 55
Bowl –
Wickets: 195
Average: 41.37
Best: 6-66
5WI: 3
List A
Teams: Victoria, Northamptonshire (UK), Somerset (UK), Australia A Men’s
Matches: 269
Bat –
Runs: 7,703
Average: 37.57
HS: 165
100s:13
50s: 45
Bowl –
Wickets: 104
Average: 35.85
Best: 4-15
T20 Domestic
Teams: Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades, Adelaide Strikers, Deccan Chargers (India), Sunrisers Hyderabad (India), Royal Challengers Bangalore (India), Victoria, Somerset, Northamptonshire
Matches: 240
Bat –
Runs: 5,469
Average: 30.72
HS: 141*
100s: 2
50s: 35
Bowl –
Wickets: 26
Average: 27.23
Best: 4-10
4WI: 1
T20 International – Australia
Matches: 47
Bat –
Runs: 984
Average: 32.79
HS: 85*
50s: 5
Bowl –
Wickets: 1
Average: 51.00
Best: 1-11
One Day International – Australia
Matches: 91
Bat –
Runs: 2,072
Average: 33.96
HS: 105
100s: 2
50s: 11
Bowl –
Wickets: 12
Average: 29.25
Best: 3-5
Test – Australia
Matches: 4
Bat –
Runs: 146
Average: 29.20
HS: 46
Bowl –
Wickets: 5
Average: 68.40
Best: 2-71