Connor Cook says he is looking forward to his first overseas trip when he travels to Dubai to play in the Australian under 16 cricket team.
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Cook was selected to be part of the team in March after an outstanding performance at the national titles in Maroochydore.
Dubai is hosting a 14 day international youth series, where Cook will play five ODIs and one T20 against Pakistan.
Cook said he is feeling pretty confident in the lead up to the series and is hoping the team can win it.
Recently Cook travelled to Narrabri to play at the NSW Country Under 18 Carnival with the North Coast team.
Cook said unfortunately the team only notched up one win against Illawarra, after being defeated by Newcastle, Central Coast and the Riverina.
Cook is hoping to perform better in Dubai.
“We were a bit unlucky at the carnival,” he said.
“You can’t control everything.”
Cook said he is excited to see what another country is like, having never travelled out of Australia before.
He has formed close relationships with his team mates.
“We skipped the getting to know each other stage and went straight to being mates,” Cook said.
Cook has been closely following the Boxing Day test and said he hopes the Australians can pick up the pace when it’s their turn to bat.
Cook said his role model Nathan Lyon has been holding up his title as the ‘best spinner in Australia’.
He hopes to one day be on the Australian team and soak up the Boxing Day atmosphere on the pitch.
In September, Cook became the first current Hastings cricketer to represent Australia when he competed in Queensland at the under-17 national titles.
It has been a whirlwind 12-month period for the Camden Haven High School student whose selection in the NSW All-Schools side last December started the ball rolling.
He admitted he sometimes still needed to pinch himself to believe it wasn’t a dream.
Over Christmas and New Year Cook has been enjoying some down time with family and friends.
