Not that he hasn’t worked hard to get there - being selected as opening batter for the Australian under 16s boys’ cricket team is not an easy feat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Fifteen-year-old Houlahan has played cricket since age five and made his way up through the ranks in both the school and Moree town competitions.
He has been captain of the St Philomena’s school cricket team for the past two years and has spent the past two to three years playing in the A grade town competition.
This year he travelled to Hobart to compete in the NSW Schoolboys’ under 15s team.
The NSW side played 50-over games against each of the other states over five days and came out undefeated.
The Australian side was picked straight after the final.
Unfortunately Houlahan wasn’t picked straight away but he definitely stuck in the selectors’ minds.
When some of the other boys pulled out of the team School Sport Australia secretary for cricket, Ian Landy, called Houlahan’s family to let him know he was in the team.
“I’m pretty stoked; I think it is a pretty good effort for a kid from Moree,” Houlahan said.
Now Houlahan is preparing for the trip of a lifetime to Dubai with the rest of the squad in October this year.
During the two to three weeks he is in Dubai Houlahan will play five 50-over games and three 20/20 matches as part of the Australian team.
Houlahan says he is trying to keep his training simple.
“I train a bit with Dad in the cricket nets at the back of our house; any cricket that you are playing will definitely help.
“Last week I got back from Sydney where I was training for the NSW under 17s development team.
“From that I was picked for the under 17s NSW academy squad.”
While in Sydney Houlahan played on the Country team for the Country verses City match and was top scorer with 47 runs.
With this exciting opportunity of playing for Australia on the horizon Houlahan knows the stakes are high.
“There’s all the right people watching and if you do something right you have a good chance of furthering your career.”