New skipper Hunt out to break Redbacks Shield drought

Three summers ago Henry Hunt was churning out runs in Sydney grade cricket unsure of where the game would take him.

Despite consecutive seasons of posting more than 1,000 runs, the right-hander was overlooked for a contract in his native state and was forced to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

"To be honest, I didn't really know where my cricket was leading me," the 25-year-old told cricket.com.au earlier this season.

"I always had aspirations to be a professional cricketer, but in terms of how and where I'd end up, I'd never really put those eggs in the one basket to play for New South Wales.

"Any opportunity you'd get anywhere, in a high-performance system as a contracted player, you're always going to take."

It was South Australia that came knocking with a rookie deal for the 2019-20 season, and now, less than three years later, they've also entrusted him to lead the side for the remainder of the season with regular captain Travis Head and his deputy Alex Carey away on Australia's tour of Pakistan.

In those three seasons Hunt has quickly established himself as one of the premier opening batters in the Marsh Sheffield Shield competition with five centuries and six fifties catapulting him into the Australia A team to face the England Lions last December.

South Australia isn't afraid to appoint a captain with one eye to the future, just ask 21-year-old Head.

But the reality is, with 27 first-class matches under his belt when he became the state's youngest ever captain in February 2015, Head still had more experience than the man who will assume the reins on an interim basis on Wednesday – Brisbane weather permitting.

It was some of those same qualities that they saw in Head – his "standing among the other players" and being held in "high regard by his peers" that South Australian Cricket Association chair of selectors James Pyke said led to the "natural progression" of Hunt being appointed as captain with just 23 matches of first-class experience.

For Hunt though – who has only won two Shield matches in his time with the Redbacks – the objective remains the same as it did last game.

"I'd like to start winning some games for South Australia and hopefully (this) week we can kick it off with a Shield win, our first one for the season," he said on Sunday.

"I don't think too much changes for me, my role is still to score runs and get us off to a good start at the top of the order.

"I'll just try and do my best and lead by example, that's probably the leader that I see myself as.

"At the end of the day it's just another game of cricket, I've just probably got a little bit more responsibility this time."

And if he is to lead South Australia to victory in their Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland at the Gabba beginning on Wednesday, he will break a 16-match drought that stretches back to February 17, 2020.

Along with his Australia A honours, it's also been a breakout white-ball season for Hunt with the opener making both his List A and T20 debuts this season.

"It's been a crazy few months, I've just tried to really enjoy my cricket this year, I've had a lot of fun and yeah, all the boxes have been ticked personally," he said.

"I loved every minute of it (the Marsh Cup and KFC BBL) and hopefully I can continue to improve myself in white-ball and red-ball as well and hopefully contribute to some wins for South Australia.

"To come over here a few years ago and make my way through the pathway and then to be named skipper, I'm really honoured to be thought as in that way amongst the squad.

"We've got some really good senior players – Jake Weatherald, Harry Nielsen, Jake Lehmann who I'll be bouncing off throughout the next couple of weeks."

South Australia's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the Gabba from March 2-5 will be streamed live and free on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.