Bunbury’s Jayden Goodwin on Shield debut, watching WA win and Sam Whiteman’s influence on his young career

West Australian cricket’s son-of-a-gun Jayden Goodwin has made the sobering admission he didn’t play “to the best of my abilities” in his first two first-class games, but has vowed to continue to learn from mentor and Sheffield Shield final hero Sam Whiteman. The pair, who hail from the same country cricket club in Bunbury, are yet to play a game together, with Goodwin replacing Whiteman in the WA side for two games before the Big Bash League break. Whiteman would go on to score a match-winning second innings hundred and dominate the final as the State broke a 23-year drought in the famous competition, while Goodwin watched on. “There was an opportunity for me to play and I didn’t play to the best of my abilities,” Goodwin admitted. “Sam Whiteman came back and kept going with his amazing season and that unfortunately meant I was out of the team. “But unfortunate things happen — I got COVID, and that is just how the rest of my season went.” Goodwin scored 10 and six on debut against Queensland at the GABBA, riding out a challenging Mark Stekete opening spell, before scores of four and 22 against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena. He would make a second Premier Cricket ton for the season when he returned for Subiaco-Floreat, but couldn’t force his way back into the four-day team as Whiteman and former test opener Cameron Bancroft dominated at the top of the order. He missed the Lions’ one-day grand final win against Mt Lawley at the WACA as part of his COVID lay-off, but was a part of the side that won the two-day title with a thrilling one-run first-innings triumph over South Perth. He said watching Whiteman dominate last week’s Shield final and WA completing its first ever clean sweep of the men’s domestic trophies would be a driving factor when he returns next summer. “I think for any sportsman, any cricketer — even if you are just a fan — you see them win a Shield like that and go ‘wow’ I’d love to be a part of a big win like that,” Goodwin said. “Whitey is a massive influence on me. I have looked up to him coming from Bunbury. “Shaun Marsh is one of the best batters ever from WA and I got to play alongside him and work with him all pre-season, and even Cameron Bancroft, he has played for Australia as a Test opener — they have all been great influences and are all great guys as well.”