Jackson juggernaut: Euroa cricket prodigy is making waves for St Kilda CC this summer

This summer Jackson has emerged as one to watch for cricket lovers as he has begun opening both the bowling and batting for the Magpies in A-grade.

When speaking to the cricket prodigy, the first thing that comes across is his confidence in his ability.

To be clear, not arrogance, but rather that self-assured belief in his own game that you see in young superstars at the professional level such as Nick Daicos for Collingwood in the AFL or Sam Konstas for Australia’s Test cricket side.

Jackson’s confidence can be in part credited to the fact that he has been playing A-grade for Euroa since he was 14, a moment which the young gun said was a dream come true.

“It was pretty intimidating (debuting at) 14, I think I had played one B-grade game up until that point,” Jackson said.

“(Andrew Squires) and Scott (Hamilton) gave me the opportunity and it had been something I had dreamed about since watching dad play A-grade for Euroa.

“To get my baggy black and to go out there, I think I only bowled about three overs or something like that, but being out there having a bat, it showed me there is a lot more improving and a lot more to do over the years.

“I really did love the contest and loved playing at the best level there is.”

Jackson’s competitiveness has shone through at every level he has played.

Having impressed across the years for the region’s junior representative side Northern Rivers, Jackson was invited to join the Shane Warne Academy - a winter training program for the St Kilda Cricket Club - in 2024.

At those first training sessions in St Kilda, Jackson immediately noticed the standard had gone up a notch as some of his teammates changed from country cricketers to junior state players.

As the sessions wore on, Jackson’s self-belief shone through and he is now leading St Kilda’s under-18 side for wickets taken this season with 10 at an average of 11.5.

Jackson said his competitive spirit has allowed him to thrive against some of the best junior cricketers in the state.

“I wouldn’t swear, but I have got a bit of dirt in me,” he said.

“I love a contest and I don’t give up, doesn’t matter who I am playing against.

“I’m not a fast bowler, I am a medium-fast bowler but swing and accuracy are usually my main points.

“With the bat, I love playing through the V - I wouldn’t say I am an aggressive batter, although aggressive is what I am trying to work on, but I have a good foundation.”

Back home, the Magpies have had another difficult season in A-grade.

Winning only one game from 10 matches is tough for any club.

Jackson likes to use the fact he and his teammates - who are mainly aged between 14-21 - are underdogs in every game as motivation.

When an opening batter position came available this summer, the middle-late order batsman was quick to throw his baggy black cap in the ring.

“With my batting (positional switch), that was something just out of the blue,” he said.

“They were asking about opening the batting and I just put my hand up because I have always been taught if there is an opportunity to go up the order and to bat up, always take it and (I have) had a couple of good innings with it.”

Jackson’s open-minded and hard-working nature came to the fore during his time at St Kilda.

At under-18 trainings and games senior players at the club were quick to notice his nose to the grindstone approach.

The young gun said after a chat with his dad Tim - who he assists on the farm to help cover the costs of driving to and from Melbourne - he was invited to train with the seniors and debut in fourth grade.

“I used to think 18s was an incredible and great standard, but then you go down to seniors training," he said.

"I love it because I am a workaholic, I am very determined in what I do.

“I usually get there an hour early and there are already 10 or 15 blokes there.

“They open up the turf nets an hour and a half before training, so you have a hit before training, a hit during training and then a hit after training.”

St Kilda Cricket Club is the perfect place for any talented junior to learn their craft.

The First XI team features the likes of Australian Test players Peter Handscomb and Marcus Harris, Victorian players Harry Dixon and Jonathan Merlo and former state cricketers Adam Crosthwaite and Blake Macdonald.

With this level of pedigree handing down advice to Jackson, it is easy to understand why his aspirations are set high.

“I want to push up the grades as much as I can in the next four to five years at St Kilda,” he said.

“In a couple years from now, I want to try and make the Vic Country under-19s team.”

Jackson was eager to thank his parents Tim and Christine for the time and effort they continue to pour into his future.

While his folks support him off the field, Jackson said he has started working with Jason Cox, a cricket strength and conditioning coach at High-Performance Cricket, to help him improve his impact on the field.

“I started (the program at) the end of winter, that has dramatically changed the shape of me and the way I have grown - I used to be not very quick,” he said.

“(Cox) coaching me online has helped me a lot doing plyometrics.

“I might look like an absolute idiot if people look across and see what I am doing (at the gym), but it is more for cricket, I am not trying to be a bodybuilder I am trying to be a cricketer.”