FOR Bendigo's James Seymour he could think of no better place to score his maiden first-class century for Victoria than the MCG.
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Seymour savoured a moment to cherish last Friday when in just his third Sheffield Shield match for Victoria he peeled off 105 in the first innings to help put his side on the path to what became a crushing 174-run win over New South Wales.
Last month Seymour told the Bendigo Advertiser of his desire to "try to take any opportunity that I can get" and that's exactly what the left-handed opener did with his day one century.
"It's something that I will always be proud of even if I don't play another game or make another hundred... at least I can say I've made a first-class hundred," Seymour said on Wednesday.
"And to do it on the MCG is really special. I know there weren't a lot of fans there, but the MCG still has a buzz about it.
"I know that I'm on the fringe of the squad and no certainty to get a game every week, so you've got to take your opportunity whenever you can and not take anything for granted.
"I worked really hard to get to first-class level and then you think, am I up to this level. Now I can at least say I've made a Shield hundred and was good enough to do that, which is important to me having pursued it for so long. It was a good reward for all the hard work I've put in over a long period of time."
It was a good reward for all the hard work I've put in over a long period of time
- James Seymour
Seymour's 105 came off 220 balls and featured 19 boundaries on a day in which Victoria was sent in and New South Wales boasted an attack that included Nathan Lyon, Trent Copeland, who suffered an early leg injury, and Sean Abbott, who have all played international cricket for Australia.
The 29-year-old, who first played senior cricket as a teenager at Bendigo in the BDCA, brought up his century in the 74th over when he pushed Lyon behind point for a single.
It was a gritty innings from Seymour, who absorbed plenty of blows to the body and several blows to the helmet during a knock in which he shared in a 191-run partnership for the third wicket with Nic Maddinson (128), who also made a century.
"Early on in the first session I just wanted to absorb the pressure and get through to lunch," Seymour said.
"In the first Shield match at Drummoyne (also agaisnt NSW) the other week I got out right on lunch on the first day, so I wanted to tick that off as the first goal... just get through to lunch.
"I made a couple of adjustments from the Drummoyne game. I studied the footage and thought I'd be targeted from around the wicket, so I shifted a bit more leg side of the ball and pre-moved to be able to stand up a bit taller and straighter to be able to hit back down the ground a bit more.
"It was pleasing that I was able to adjust to counteract their plans a bit.
"Obviously Copeland getting injured was fairly significant. He would have been a handful to play on that wicket.
"Nathan Lyon (399 Test wickets) is obviously a quality bowler and I felt I played him pretty well defensively. He doesn't give you too many bad balls, so I was pleased with that.
"When I got to 99 I wanted to really stay calm and make sure I didn't stuff it up and have any regrets. I was able to stay composed and when I got to 100 I was able to keep fairly calm."
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