Collingwood youngster Harry DeMattia scores century playing local cricket for Sorrento

Collingwood youngster Harry DeMattia has hit a century playing local cricket with Sorrento over the weekend.

The 2023 draftee was initially heading down to Portsea Recreation Reserve to watch his best mate, Kai Marshall, in the club’s thirds.

But when the president of the club — who is his cousin, Ben — asked the question, DeMattia was ready.

“I was originally just going down to watch and then Ben told me that they were one short in the morning. I kind of just brought my whites and the kit in the back just in case,” the 19-year-old told SEN on Monday morning.

“About 20 minutes before the game starts, he wins the toss and we’re batting.

“I thought I’d chuck the pads on for the first time in.... I hadn’t hit a cricket ball in almost two years, so it was good fun.”

He made 116 not out before being retired by his cousin.

“I was on 93 at drinks and then Ben said he’ll retire me after the ton,” DeMattia said.

“I got there and then I had a bit of fun for the next 16 runs and then I saw him walking over towards the scorers and I knew he was going to pull me off at the end of that over.”

The hard-running winger/half back top scored comfortably in his side’s score of 6-301, while his mate Kai was next best with 60, giving the pair a lot of time in the middle together.

As a junior, DeMattia had to choose between footy and cricket, and could have pursued either as a career.

He played for Australia in the under-19s and was even called upon by the Aussie Test team to be a sub fielder during the 2022 Boxing Day Test.

But for now, he’s going back to focusing on footy, with Collingwood’s first to fourth-year players going back to training on Monday.

“I might play another game over the Chrissy break with dad and Kai again,” DeMattia said.

“I’m not even sure what grade it was to be honest.

“I did go back to the club after the game, but the ones were playing away so they weren’t back there.”

So last minute was the call-up over the weekend DeMattia had to register with the league to play just hours before the first ball.

But in a nod to an infamous story of yesteryear, he was named on the scorecard as Fill-in.

In 2019, then Collingwood midfielder Brayden Sier was sprung playing Monday night basketball for a team in the Diamond Valley Basketball Association under the pseudonym Phill Inn.

DeMattia said he enjoyed playing without the pressure of the high-performance environments he’s so used to.

“What I was saying to Kai and a few of the others on the way down there, I got to play just with freedom and have fun, not worry about the result, getting dropped next week or making runs and all that stuff,” he said.

“It was good to get out there and just enjoy playing cricket.

“At the end of the over, I got to go chat with Kai and whoever else I was batting with, the young bloke, Chase, as well, and just talk about cricket but talk about other things (as well). It’s kind of like playing golf — just enjoying yourself.”