Vics' teen leggie a cricket and footy whiz kid

Twenty-eight years ago a Victorian leg-spinner announced himself to the world at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground and on Saturday another one might have done the same.

Wil Parker, the 17-year-old Victorian leggie making his first-class debut, turned the Marsh Sheffield Shield match against NSW with a gripping spell late yesterday evening just like his idol Shane Warne did so many times during his prolific career.

First, he broke the Blues' 102-run third-wicket partnership by outfoxing Kurtis Patterson, who was out both caught behind and stumped, on 54 for his maiden first-class wicket.

Then, in his next over, he had allrounder Moises Henriques bizarrely caught for 49 by Victorian captain Peter Handscomb at first slip after the batter's bottom edge thudded into thigh and ballooned skyward for an easy catch.

"How weird was that? I've haven't had a wicket like that," Parker told reporters after play.

"I didn't think I got the (first) wicket because Gotchy's (gloveman Seb Gotch) reaction seemed as if he missed it but then he ended up taking the catch which was pretty special.

"And Kurtis Patterson not a bad wicket to get first up. Over the moon."

So naturally, like any leg-spinner in the post-Warne era, comparisons were immediately made between the youngster and the legendary Australian tweaker.

But unlike most cases in the 13 years since Warne retired from Test cricket as the format's leading wicket-taker, the parallels really pop out.

Warne made his Test debut at the SCG, Parker his first-class debut; both generate serious revs on the ball due to a strong action; they each sport thick blond locks; and both have a love for Aussie Rules football.

However, while Warne's teenage pursuit of an AFL career with St Kilda never kicked on, Parker is a genuine prospect.

Last year on AFL grand final day at the MCG, Parker played in the Under 17 All Stars exhibition match before Richmond and Greater Western Sydney competed for the flag later that afternoon.

Parker plays Aussies Rules for NAB League side Eastern Ranges, cricket for Monash Tigers in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition and has Year 12 studies to complete to boot.

Wherever he can he squeezes in footy and cricket training between hitting the books, but he knows a time will soon come when he must make a choice between the red Kookaburra and the red Sherrin.

"At the moment I'm trying to take each season as it goes," said Parker, who is fan of the Sydney Swans to make his SCG debut that extra bit special. 

"At the moment it's cricket season, I'm loving cricket and when it's footy season I love footy.

"Obviously, there's going to be a time I'm going to have to make a decision but that's not just yet.

"Representing my state at the SCG is pretty special so I'm just trying to enjoy that as much as I can."

Parker is in the same boat as teammate Will Sutherland, himself a former rising star of both Aussie Rules and cricket.

But Sutherland, whose father James played state cricket for Victoria before serving as Cricket Australia's CEO for more than a decade, and whose sister Annabel recently made her T20 debut for Australia, told Parker he felt he was always destined to play cricket.

What could sway Parker towards cricket could be chatting with his idol Warne, who he has never met, or Australia's greatest Test off-spinner of all time and his Shield opponent Nathan Lyon.

On his wall at home, Parker had a poster of Australia's victorious 2013-14 Ashes side of which Lyon was a part, and the rookie would love to talk spin with the 96-Test veteran after his first Shield match is over.

"That would be something special, to sit down with him," Parker said.

"(Friday) was pretty special to just sit back and watch him from the changerooms.

"Didn't get a chance to face him – that would have been pretty cool.

"But he's a world-class bowler, one of the best spinners in world cricket and just to watch how he sums up conditions and adapts his bowling and backs his skills to get wickets.

"Just to watch that was pretty special."