Cricket: Miller chases state contract

WENDOUREE premiership player Sam Miller is eyeing a move to Adelaide in a bid to play first-class cricket.Miller believes relocating from Canberra, where he played the past two seasons with the ACT Comets in the Futures League, is the best way to secure a state contract with the South Australian Cricket Association.The 23-year-old top-order batsman told The Courier he had been in talks with a couple of states since his breakthrough year with the Comets, where he was the competition’s leading run-scorer, but felt a move to Adelaide was the right one.While yet to sign a deal, Miller expects to join South Australian Grade Cricket League club Prospect in 2011-12.“Even the place, Adelaide itself, is a nice place,” Miller, who has been back in Ballarat for the past couple of weeks, said.“In the Futures League I made some runs there, that’s always handy and I’ve got some good mates that are there.”Miller hopes a successful season at grade level could thrust him into South Australian selectors’ eyes.“I’d take an offer, pretty much,” he said.“The club I’m going to, South Australian Cricket Association said if you make runs there they’re likely to give you a good look in and a good go. Hopefully I can have a good start and hopefully that can help my chances as well.“Through the year you are playing at a higher standard (than grade cricket in Canberra) all the way through.‘‘There are a lot more teams in Adelaide, and a lot of new faces, so it’s a new challenge again.”Miller admitted while he’d love to play for Victoria, he believed the pathway through the Bushrangers was too tough.The former Red Caps star enjoyed a great season with the Comets in 2010-11, belting two centuries and almost 600 runs at an average of 59.30.His efforts helped lead the team to Futures League glory, which it secured with a final-round win over Victoria.But Miller’s biggest highlight was his surprise call-up to the Australian Prime Minister’s XI that played England in January.He also dominated at grade level for club side North Canberra-Gungahlin.