New Blue seeing red in bid to realise multi-format ambition

Australia's most in-form domestic one-day bowler hopes a cross-country move will help him become a red-ball force as well after being cut by his home state at the end of last season.

Having overcome seven back stress fractures since the age of 15 to break into Western Australia's dominant men's team in 2024, fast bowler Bryce Jackson quickly became one of their most important 50-over players across the ensuing summers.

The Albany-born right-armer captured a state List A record 6-31 in just his second match and has been the One-Day Cup competition's most prolific wicket-taker over the past two seasons with 27 scalps.

But not even a third four-wicket haul in his last match for WA in February could prevent the 26-year-old from being squeezed off their contract list, with the state needing to accommodate the returns of spearheads Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris from national deals.

Jackson said the WA hierarchy had been keen for him to stay in Perth as an uncontracted player, but with a one-day strike rate of just 22 balls per wicket from his 14 matches, it wasn't long before NSW came calling with an offer the Australia A representative couldn't refuse.

"I'd love to still be there (in WA)," he told cricket.com.au. "I've got no bad blood against them, and I understand they were put in a position where they had to make a hard decision … with the Lance and Jhye situation.

"Being a full-time athlete and being able to invest my time in training was a better option for me and NSW were able to give me that opportunity.

"It's exciting as well with the calibre they have and then also being able to learn off any of the Aussie guys that do come back, that was an extra little thing I could also tap into while being here.

"I got to introduce myself and have a little chat with those guys – Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon … while they were training to get ready for the (Bangladesh) Test series – and they seemed really down-to-earth people, approachable and always willing to give advice.

"I've come from a very successful program in WA into another successful program … I feel like there are a lot of similarities in how they go about it."

After packing up his Nissan Patrol and heading across the Nullarbor with partner Danni and their two-year-old Golden Retriever Nala, Jackson arrived at their new home in western Sydney determined to prove he's "not a one-trick pony".

"The goal for me this year is to be a multi-format player," he said.

"I do love playing with the red ball, I love the longevity, the contests and the history of it. It's something that I couldn't walk away from having not given it a go.

"My ambition for this season is to push for selection in the (NSW) Sheffield Shield team and put my name up in lights a little bit to say, 'Hey look, I can do this as well, not just one-day cricket'."

Having remained injury free for the best part of three years through a carefully managed white-ball introduction to professional cricket, Jackson has spent much of his first two months at the Blues' Cricket Central headquarters in the gym building up the strength required for the demands of first-class cricket.

Over the next week he plans to add red-ball loading to his training schedule, which involves bowling on back-to-back days to gauge how his body responds to the increased workloads associated with the longer format.

Jackson has suffered fractures in each of his L3, L4 and L5 vertebrae during his rise to the top level, alongside other setbacks including a torn rotator cuff and lateral tendon injury. Not once, however, did the Melville Cricket Club product, who moved to the WA capital aged 17, consider giving in.

"Coming from a country town (about 400km south of Perth), we sacrificed a lot as a family – living away from home, a lot of long drives in the car," Jackson said.

"I kind of look back on that and just went, 'I can't really just leave it all for nothing'; I didn't want to walk away not knowing what could have happened.

"Then when I was in the system (with a WA contract from 2021-22), it was just the drive to get to playing and represent my state.

"At the time we were very successful, and I wanted that success as much as anyone. Watching the guys win back-to-back years, I wanted that achievement as well to be able to say that I've won a tournament and I've represented my state the best I can and just make my family and friends proud.

"Taking six-for (in his second game for WA against South Australia at Cricket Central in 2024) was a really surreal moment for me … I had some tears in the eyes just knowing how much I'd been through.

"At the moment my body is in a good spot; I'm just trying to bank on every year that I have to get better and better, and who knows where it'll take me.

"Now having the opportunity to represent NSW as well as WA, there's excitement for the group that we have and what we can do this season."

One of the biggest adjustments for Jackson – an outdoors enthusiast with passions for biking, camping and recently farming through his partner's family – has been acclimatising to the hustle and bustle of Australia's largest city.

He now spends more time sitting in traffic despite his proximity to the Blues' training base, and navigating the city's toll roads has been an added challenge.

"This is a whole new experience for me," Jackson laughs. "Going from a country town to Perth was a big step in itself (transitioning) to the city life, and then from Perth to Sydney is just another step up."

The change of environment is providing fresh perspectives on the field too.

"Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis, they're two guys that have represented Australia who I'll try to learn as much as I can from," he said.

"Then you've got Liam Hatcher coming off a good year and Ryan Hadley as well, so I'm just looking to learn as much as I can.

"The red ball side of things is uncharted territory but having that experience of the guys to fall back on when I need advice or help with anything, it gives me comfort that I'll be able to do that transition if an opportunity is provided for me."