“It’s not just my runs”: Blake Cattle’s century is a family story

Australian under-19 batsman Blake Cattle scored a century in Rajkot, India, turning the moment into a family milestone as his parents and brothers watched from the stands.

Updated : Sep 27, 2026 19:42 IST , RAJKOT - 3 MINS READ

Coming in at a time when Australia had slipped to 27 for 3, 17-year-old Blake Cattle scored 102 (198b, 7x4).  | Photo Credit: SHAYAN ACHARYA

Blake Cattle had plenty to celebrate after scoring a century in India. But for the Australian under-19 batter, the innings was about more than the runs.

Cattle’s parents were watching from the stands, just as they have through much of his journey back home in Wollongong. His father has thrown him “millions of balls” at the nets. His mother has driven him to games and training. His brothers have bowled to him and competed with him at the nets.

“They’ve put a lot of hard work into me,” Cattle told Sportstar on Sunday.

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That journey has taken him from Keira Cricket Club through the Illawarra ranks and then to New South Wales.

Now, he is in India, representing Australia u-19. “It means a fair bit to be able to come out here and represent not only my family but my regions,” he said.

The century came in conditions that were not easy at the start. The ball stayed low and Cattle knew that going back could be dangerous. So he chose to play straighter, get himself in and build from there.

“The ball was staying quite low early, so I felt the danger was going back. The mindset was to get yourself in, play in the ‘V’, and then keep going and building,” he said.

By then, Australia had lost three early wickets, but Cattle and Zed Hollick decided to stay at the crease for as long as they could.

“We thought if we batted long enough, it would get easier and easier,” the 17-year-old said.

The century gave Australia something to bowl at, but Cattle was left disappointed by the way the innings eventually ended. Australia lost its last six wickets for 43 runs, and he felt he could have taken greater responsibility, since he was already accustomed to the conditions.

“Probably I should have gone on with it myself. I should have taken the responsibility to keep going, but it’s over now,” he said.

What mattered to him, though, went beyond the runs. Having his parents on the tour has made India feel a little less distant from home.

“Knowing you have that support behind you, even if you fail, they’re still going to be there for you. It’s just really good, I think.”

For Cattle, that is what the journey has been about. The runs are his, but the journey to get here has never been his alone.

Published on Sep 27, 2026

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