Ashes: How Ashton Agar, the cricketer formerly known as 'Bambi', became Australia's hero AROUND Richmond Cricket Club he was simply "Bambi." The 15-year-old Ashton Agar, already well over six foot, would stumble around Punt Rd Oval all arms and legs in 2009, much to the mirth of his Tiger teammates. Less than four years on, those giggles have been replaced by pride as that once-gangly colt developed into a graceful thoroughbred in a baggy green, leading to last night's astonishing near-ton on his Ashes debut. "He was just tripping over himself running around, his body hadn't grown into those legs and he was just like a young deer," then Richmond coach Jarrad Loughman said yesterday. It took Agar, days after his 16th birthday, just three matches to notch his maiden second XI half-century in October 2009; and the following match he was run out for 85 and took 4-31 in 23 overs that smacked of a veteran's guile. The next Sunday, Agar uprooted two of the powerhouse Melbourne Cricket Club's finest batsmen on first XI debut and the secret was out. Ashton Agar in action for WA earlier this year. Picture: Adam Armstrong "Even then his control was exceptional," Loughman said. He is a natural competitor, is very intelligent and just soaked up info. Despite suffering stress fractures to his back that derailed his 2010-11 season, Agar's talents hadn't escaped Cricket Victoria and he was firmly on the Bushrangers' radar before the national under-19 championship last year. Now 193cm, Agar had caught the eye of no less an expert than national talent manager Greg Chappell. The Australian batting legend was taken by the youngster's height, bowling trajectory and ability to put enough revolutions on the ball to make it dip and deceive batsmen in flight. Even then, though, the dilemma that ultimately sent Agar west to live out his cricketing dream had begun to rear its head with leg-spinner James Muirhead taking 16 wickets compared to his seven during the carnival. At the same time, Victoria's spin production line hit overdrive and Agar found himself towards the back of a pack with Muirhead, Ryder Medal winner Clive Rose, soon-to-be Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and recent arrival Fawad Ahmed in a slow-bowling crush. And all of them were behind the key to the equation, Agar's fellow left-armer Jon Holland, who'd been earmarked by Cricket Australia as the national team's next spinner. Victorian talent manager Andrew Lynch said the Bushrangers "really wanted" to keep Agar, but when Western Australia came knocking with an extended rookie contract, it was too much to match. "We offered him a really good contract relative to what he'd done and what the team required," Lynch said. But in the cricket landscape these days, it's all about opportunity and he saw that if he could beat (another former Victorian spinner) Michael Beer in Perth, that was where his best chance would come (to play first-class cricket). Victorian coach Greg Shipperd said CA's push to make Holland - who subsequently suffered a shoulder injury that required a reconstruction and cost him season 2012-13 - had forced the Bushrangers' hand. "It's a great tribute to the development programs we have in place that Victoria has become something of a Mecca for bowling, spin bowling in particular," Shipperd said. I did a guest coaching with the under-19s and it was the first time I'd seen him in a competitive situation and you could tell he had a fantastic energy. But obviously with (CA) giving 'Dutchy' a really strong recommendation, there's a pecking order behind that and at that time, the other states put two and two together and he got an offer that we just couldn't match. We'd obviously still love to have him around, he's a huge talent, but by the same token, we're confident that Fawad, 'Dutchy' and James can achieve for us next season. You just can't have 'em all. As Lunch was called, test debutant Ashton Agar walks off to a standing ovation after he became the first test debutant to score 50 runs batting from 11th. Victoria's enforced loss soon became WA's gain. Then Warriors talent manager Doug Harris, at Chappell's urging, laid out a path that became Agar's clearest option as he put on hold Deakin University law studies to shift to Perth. "Here's a guy who's six foot four, can bat and field well and we had a dearth of younger options coming through over here _ he was just a standout option," Harris said. Ashton is a very intelligent young man, his parents were very supportive of his desire to develop his career. There's no doubt he wanted to stay in Victoria if he'd had the chance, but he's got a strong desire to make the most of his abilities, wherever that takes him in his career. 19 year old debutant Ashton Agar brings up his 50 and in doing so becomes the first person to score 50 on debut batting from 11th. It's not great for Victoria, but the way we need to think about these things is that it's best for Australia. The only way to find our next champions is you've gotta let `em experience cricket at the highest possible level. When `Beery' got injured (in January), we exposed Agar to the next level and he took it in his stride and that's the type of man he is. If you keep playing good kids at first XI level, that's what they'll become - very good first XI players. But we thought this kid has a bit about him and he seems like he's capable mentally, as well as physically, of taking that next big step. He didn't look overawed at all (on day one at Trent Bridge) and I think the more he plays, the better he'll get. Ashton might be the first Agar to make the leap from McKinnon to the national stage, but possibly not the last. Brother Will, 17, in his most recent competitive hit with Richmond's third XI last summer notched an impressive 82 - his nuggety left-handed style impressing many. Wes, 16 and physically more like Ashton, is a medium-pace bowling all-rounder. You can bet that the Bushrangers won't want to let another Agar fly the coup.