He's the son of a Zimbabwean tobacco farmer poised for a shock Test call-up for Australia and Hilton William Raymond Cartwright couldn't be prouder.
"Even just the thought that you're in the squad to get a Baggy Green, you can't think of anything much better than that," said Cartwright, who moved to Australia at 11 after growing up idolising South African great Jacques Kallis.
"My goal at the start of the summer was to hopefully get a game for the Aussie A team after the quad series and I did that and I was rapt.
"So to be where I am now is somewhere I definitely never expected."
The 24-year-old is being groomed to replace WA teammate Mitch Marsh as Australia's next allrounder and set to earn his national debut against Pakistan at the SCG on Tuesday.
Cartwright has averaged a modest 74.75 with the ball during the first half of the Sheffield Shield season but believes he's ready to serve as Australia's third - or fourth - seamer, depending on how many spinners selectors opt for.
"I probably see myself as a batting all-rounder (but) I can definitely contribute overs during a game," he said.
"That's always been a part of my game. The bowling's been there. I've just been trying to get it to work as close to (as good) as my batting."
"I'm preparing myself for that. So if they say I'm going to be the third seamer, I'm preparing to have that opportunity to contribute 10, 15 overs, whatever it may be, to hopefully try and cement my spot."
He credits former Test quick Ryan Harris and high performance bowling coach Troy Cooley for transforming him into a Test contender.
"I've done a lot of work in the last 12 months," Cartwright said.
"The off-season up in Brisbane really helped me. I didn't really have a (run-up). I just ran off the mark that worked for me once back at school cricket and I sort of kept that mark.
"I worked a lot with Troy Cooley and Ryan Harris and they got a lot of structure behind my run-up and did a little bit of technical work as well and that's really helped me sort of flow into the season."
