More time at the batting crease than he got at last year’s championships in Newcastle.
After a late call-up to the Victorian country side last year, Mueller missed out on playing the first two games and appeared in only five of the nine games in the series.
On two or three occasions he batted under instructions ‘‘to go for the runs hard’’ due to the situation.
His top score was 26 batting down the list, but he made a huge impression in the field, taking the carnival’s Fielder of the Series award with his well-known athleticism.
‘‘I’m probably going to bat six or seven in this team, but I haven’t been told anything about the batting order at this stage,’’ Mueller said.
‘‘To be honest, I’d jump at the chance to even open the innings, but we’ll have to wait and see.’’
The Kyabram Cricket Club skipper is having a sublime season with the bat in Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield competition, making 600 runs at a better than Bradman average of 100.
His mind-boggling runs tally contains three centuries, including one knock of 150 against Waaia two weeks ago at the halfway mark of the season.
Former Cricket Shepparton president David D’Elia believes Mueller would be the first Cricket Shepparton batsman to make 1000 runs in a season if his form holds in the second half of the season.
‘‘I’v e been connected with Cricket Shepparton for the last 27 years and no batsman has made 1000 runs in a season in my time and probably never,’’ he said.
‘’Brad Lowe and Rohan Larkin I’m sure have made 800 runs in a season, but not a 1000.’’
The Australian Country Cricket Championship series will comprise five one day (50 overs) games and four T20 clashes.
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