“Tax accountants don’t celebrate when they do their tax return”: Sam Whiteman explains Teague Wyllie subdued celebration after maiden first-class century

Teague Wyllie subdued celebration: The rookie Western Australian batter scored a match-winning century at the WACA.

All of 18, Western Australia batter Teague Wyllie is making the news for all the right reasons. Having made his first-class debut earlier this year, Wyllie became the youngest batter to score a century in the Sheffield Shield since former Australia captain Ricky Ponting after crossing the three-figure mark in the recently concluded match against New South Wales in Perth.

Coming in to bat with his team struggling at 39/3 in the 26th over, Wyllie held one end safe amid wickets falling at regular intervals from the other end. Reduced to 100/6 in the 61st over, Western Australia managed to gain a 78-run first-innings lead after scoring 258 in 105 overs only and only because of Wyllie’s grit and determination.

Playing only his third first-class match, Wyllie scored a disciplined 104 (204) with the help of 15 fours. Becoming a primary catalyst in an 8-wicket victory, Wyllie’s knock aided efforts of pacer Lance Morris across both the innings.

Sam Whiteman explains Teague Wyllie subdued celebration after maiden first-class century

Wyllie, who idolizes former India captain Rahul Dravid, is mature way above his age according to Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman.

A chief reason behind Whiteman’s assessment of Wyllie is the latter not opting to celebrate a maiden first-class century like any other batter of his age would do. Wyllie didn’t take off his helmet after scoring a hundred to avoid unnecessary attention by doing the same.

“He [Teague Wyllie] said ‘tax accountants don’t celebrate when they do their tax return so I shouldn’t celebrate scoring a hundred’. He loves batting and is an impressive young man. He feels like he’s 28,” Whiteman told ESPNcricinfo after Sheffield Shield 2022-23 Match 1 at the WACA.

Having shortlisted a goal in “Test cricket”, Wyllie has portrayed numerous hints of him having it in him to succeed in cricket’s ancestral format. Although a three-match sample size is quite small to form any type of conclusion, Wyllie will have to build on this initial limelight to press a case for national selection in the subsequent years.