FTGDCA: 13-year-old Thomas Mills-Downie blasts unbeaten century at senior level

Thirteen-year-old Thomas Mills-Downie romped to an unbeaten century in Ferntree Gully’s Fifth XI on Saturday, sending the local history buffs scratching their heads.

The right-hander drove 100 not out off 115 balls, including 15 fours and two sixes, reaching the milestone batting opposite his father Danny Downie in the Ferntree Gully District bout with Belgrave’s Third XI.

Danny, who put on 67 runs, said his son’s triple-figure treat had built from the first week of the two-day match as he edged towards an elusive half-century in the team made up of father-sons.

“He was 45 not out in the first week … I was hoping he would make his first 50 because he had never made one before in all his cricket so far,” Danny said.

“He’s turned his first 50 into a bloody ton!

“It was pretty surreal being at the other end … it was bloody fantastic and I’m really proud of him.”

Ferntree Gully president Leigh Thompson believes Thomas could well have written himself into the history books.

“We have a lot of great history and records, but we don’t have records of ages (to have hit) centuries, but we reckon there’s every chance he’s the youngest to make a ton at open-age level at our club,” he said.

“To make a ton at any senior level at 13 is pretty amazing.”

Thomas captains the club’s top under-14 side on a Friday night, plays in the under-16 team on a Saturday morning and features in the Fifth XI father-son team in the afternoon.

The 13-year-old continues a longstanding family connection to the club, which merged with the neighbouring Ferntree Gully Blue Birds in 2005.

Danny, an ex-Blue Bird, commutes weekly from Gippsland town Gormandale to play for Ferntree Gully, while Thomas’ grandfather also played at the former club and now makes the trek from country Victoria to watch his grandson.

“He drives three-and-a-half hours every weekend to watch Thomas play, and he pretty much hasn’t missed a game,” Danny said.

“He was a very proud grandpa on the weekend.”

Thompson revealed a further twist to the weekend’s tale.

“Earlier in the year against the same side, Belgrave, at Belgrave, Danny made a century – so both of them made a century against the same opposition at the same ground.”

Originally published as FTGDCA: 13-year-old Thomas Mills-Downie blasts unbeaten century at senior level