CONNOR Cook will always remember his first wicket as an international cricketer.
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But sitting on a roller-coaster that went from zero to 240 kilometres an hour in less than five seconds is his lasting memory from a 17-day tour of the United Arab Emirates.
The teenager said the 16-hour flight with the Australian under-16 cricket side was well worth it when the team visited Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.
“The theme park was the best part; it’s the world’s fastest roller coaster which was unreal and one of the best days of my life,” he said.
When it was time to come home, Cook would have had an impressive list of items he had ticked off.
The Port Macquarie Pirate headed over to the United Arab Emirates with an open mind, hoping to make an impression on the international stage.
He learned quickly the step up to the international level is a significant one.
He went wicketless in Australia’s opening match of their five-match one-day international series with Pakistan and then sat out the next one.
The third one-dayer was where he shone, taking his first two wickets in the green and gold as the Aussies kept the series alive.
They ultimately lost the series in the fifth and deciding match off the last ball.
“They needed one off the last which just cleared the in-field so that was an intense finish to a good series,” Cook said.
He will always remember his first wicket – a return catch from a full toss that turned match three.
“The amount of bloody good balls I bowled and didn’t get any reward; it was the worst ball I bowled all tournament,” Cook said.
The young off-spinner had to adapt on the run in conditions that were challenging for bowlers.
“I went over there expecting turning decks, but they were just roads so it turned into having an economical goal rather than taking wickets,” he said.
“It was unreal … good to play on different wickets and play in a different country.
“I feel like I didn’t bowl as well as I’d have liked. I didn’t take many wickets but built pressure from an end.”
Cook said the highlights of the tour came off the field when the team experienced the Middle Eastern culture.
“It’s a surreal place,” Cook said.
“We went on the Dubai desert tour and went four-wheel driving on the sand dunes and then had a ride on the camels.
“We went and watched belly dancers as well which was pretty interesting.
“I just really had a good time with good mates and formed some lifelong friendships.”
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