Charlie Anderson is a rising name in Indigenous cricket but yet to be heard of beyond academy staff, a band of selectors and of course, his mob.

The young paceman has shared a dressing room with Test batting great Steve Smith, partnered Test captain Pat Cummins with the new ball, and shared a handshake with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

It all comes after a handful of appearances in the spotlight over the past 12 months, the latest playing in back-to-back matches against the touring England Lions for a Cricket Australia XI.

"It's all incredible," Anderson told National Indigenous Times at Allan Border Field.

"That is pretty much the only word I could use to sum it up. Just pretty incredible."

The Gamilaraay man is still feeling his way at the top level amid a number of spirited head-to-head contests against a series of Test and one-day international cricketers.

His rise comes with the support of some seasoned campaigners.

Former Test batter Peter Handscomb is his latest mentor, leading one of the recent Cricket Australia sides while giving the rookie, who is yet to debut at Sheffield Shield level, some advice.

"There's amazing players out there in both teams," Anderson said, "so it's pretty cool to not only play against them, but learn off the blokes that I am playing with."

Anderson took 2-51 (10), following it up with 3-31 (9.4) to pick up his fair share of scalps in a seven-wicket victory against the young stars of English county cricket last month.

He claimed 2-45 (12) days later, however appeared to be under-bowled in the next innings, walking off the ground with 1-27 (6) as the tourists hung on to survive the final 45 balls nine wickets down, escaping with a draw.

It's a learning curve of how red-ball cricket moves in swings and roundabouts.

"One of the biggest learnings from this CA XI is four-day cricket – just everything about it," Anderson said.

Anderson's patience for a fast bowler having not had an opportunity to bowl at the tense end of the match remained clear, the 20-year-old grateful for the experience.

"I have gone okay so far, but it definitely makes it a lot easier when you have experienced guys around you," Anderson says.

"In that first game, I had guys like Cameron Gannon, Gabe Bell, who have also played this (second) game as well.

"Bowling alongside those types of guys makes it so much easier on your mind because you can now see what they're doing, how they set up batsman, and it lifts you from the other end."

Almost 12 months ago, Anderson was a member of Australia's under-19 World Cup-winning squad, taking 1-42 in the final to steady the Australians to a 17-run win.

He finished the Cup with six wickets at 21 runs apiece while going for just 4.45 runs per over.

Next summer, Anderson rose to the occasion in domestic cricket for New South Wales when Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were unavailable.

The call-up less than an hour before the first ball was unexpected. The Northern Districts Cricket Club local was supposed to be in Melbourne to just travel and experience a day out with the Blues team.

Anderson was soon readying to be tested by one of his two Cricket Australia XI skippers, Handscomb, not to mention seasoned hard-hitting batters, Matthew Short and Glenn Maxwell.

At just 19 years of age at the time of his List A debut, Anderson dismisses two of Victoria's stars, snaring another of their top six by day's end.

Two and a half months later, Anderson found Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling out his name at the selection table.

"Ever since I could remember, all I wanted was to play Test cricket for Australia," he says.

"It's still my ultimate dream."

Soon after Anderson was running in to bowl to Indian captain Rohit Sharma and star opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Anderson did his growing reputation no harm, removing both men from the crease to finish with 2-30 (6).

"I find it really important to find myself in these recent teams," Anderson says.

"It is definitely a big motivation, I guess, to make it all the way one day onto the highest level and to get a taste of what it is definitely like to reach a goal and dream for the future.

"The under-19 team experience was just in incredible, the shock of playing for the state, and then the PMs XI and the CA XI were just another incredible experiences."

Anderson had conversations with Gulidjan quick Scott Boland and Australia's first male Aboriginal test cricketer, Jason Gillespie, speaking highly of their brotherhood.

"One-hundred per cent, they're encouraging," Anderson says.

"Who doesn't want to be Scotty Boland and what's he done the last few years? He's always someone any young cricketer can look up to regardless if you're Indigenous. He's especially special to our Indigenous community.

"I know a few boys who absolutely love (what he's done) because he's connected to us. He's definitely an idol, just as Gillespie was earlier. They're both awesome for me."

While Anderson admits he flirted with Aussie Rules while living in the heartland of both rugby codes, there has only been the one path that ever mattered.

"Look, I have always loved cricket from the start," he says.

"I have played as long as I can remember. I always had dad, my brother, occasionally my sisters, all out in the backyard playing cricket as much as I could.

"To be honest, while I always loved my sport, played a little bit of AFL, I swam a little bit, played a bit of soccer too at a really young age, but it was always cricket for me.

"It's the only sport I love."