Doran continues carefully planned rise

If you listen to the experts, there are big things around the corner for New South Wales and Sydney Thunder prodigy Jake Doran.

The 18-year-old’s pathway from talented junior to the Baggy Green has been methodically planned, with last night's Prime Minister’s XI clash against the touring England one-day outfit the latest checkpoint.

In that match, he made an assured 37 from 44 balls as the home side failed to chase down England's mammoth 6-391. 

Doran scored 37 for the PM's XI against England 

Doran has been a regular opponent for visiting countries, featuring against England at Alice Springs in 2013, South Africa in a T20 in November and India in a two-day warm-up match in Adelaide last month.

The left-hander was Australia’s leading run-scorer in the U19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates almost a year ago, and has been upgraded from a Thunder rookie to a full squad member this summer.

And it’s been with the KFC T20 Big Bash League franchise where champion batsman and Thunder skipper Mike Hussey has seen the raw talent Doran possesses up close.

“Great young kid. Fantastic work ethic. Really good respect for the game,” Hussey told cricket.com.au when he was asked to sum up Doran.

“He’s highly regarded as a future Australian player.

“I hope that doesn’t put too much pressure on him. He’s a brilliant talent.

“We’ve got him at the Thunder, and we’re hoping he’ll play a huge role in the future for us. We see him as a real future leader for the club.

“At this stage he’s right at the very start of his cricketing journey.

“I’m sure there’s going to be ups and downs throughout his career, but what I like about him is he’s got a great work ethic, he’s a great character and he’s willing to learn and he wants to put in the hard work.”

While his talent with bat in hand has never been questioned, it’s the wisdom he’s shown beyond his years that separates Doran from his peers.

For a young man who only last month became eligible to vote, consume alcohol and enter licenced establishments without the need of fake identification, it’s Doran’s mental toughness and game sense that impresses Hussey the most.

“He’s really smart. He knows when to attack, when to run the ball, he runs well between the wickets – he’s a smart cricketer,” said Hussey.

“His skills are really good as well, and he’ll get better and better and that’s the exciting thing.

“What a lot of players at that age probably don’t have are the mental capabilities; it takes a long time to learn that stuff.

“Where I feel Jake’s already well advanced in that area. He’s quite a smart, savvy player.”

Doran has been a cricket sponge this summer with the Thunder, thirsty for as much knowledge as his teammates are willing to provide.

Sharing a dressing room with players the calibre of Hussey, England ODI captain Eoin Morgan and South African legend Jacques Kallis, Doran has made it no secret who his favourite unofficial tutor is.

“That’s what I’m trying to do, go around and talk to as many people as I can and get their ideas and put it all together in one,” Doran told cricket.com.au.

“This year being around with the Thunder, with Kallis there, sitting next to him in the changeroom, I don’t know if he gets frustrated with the little questions I ask him, but it’s definitely helping a long way. 

“He’s a very quiet man, so when you ask a question it needs to be a good one. He’s been great. He’s been around the boys a lot and he has a joke around.

“He’s the one (from whom) I learned to let yourself get in.

“(He) perfectly showed in the first game he played of the Big Bash this year. His strike rate wasn’t up there, and he took his time and at the end he kept putting them over the fence.

“That’s where he taught me to give yourself a chance and all the rest will take care of itself.”

The innings Doran refers to is Kallis’s 97 not out against the Brisbane Heat at Stadium Australia late last year.

The 39-year-old’s fifty came off 37 balls, before he unleashed to score his next 46 runs from only 18 deliveries.

Kallis’s presence has not only influenced young Doran, but the entire Thunder roster.

“Jacques has been fantastic around the group. He’s been really relaxed, really calm and shown that you can relax and enjoy the game and go out there and play your best cricket,” said injured Thunder captain Hussey.

“He’s really shown that it’s important to stay relaxed, to enjoy the game, to not put too much pressure on yourself, just go out there and just play and have a bit of a laugh and a bit of a joke.

“Sometimes in this game we get too stressed, we put too much pressure on ourselves, we try so hard and that can have a detrimental effect on your performance.”

So just how far can Doran go? Well, if Hussey’s 79-Test career is anything to go by, Australian fans will be watching a lot of the Thunder rookie in a Baggy Green cap in the not-too-distant future.

“He’s a lot better at that age than I was,” Hussey said. “He’s well advanced from where I was.

“That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’s going to playing for Australia for 10 years. There’s a lot of hard work that goes in after that.”