South West Cricket selectors have released a 14-man squad to contest the provincial grade of the five-day tournament from February 18 to 22.
SOUTH West Cricket will put faith in potentially four debutants when it starts its David-versus-Goliath Melbourne Country Week (MCW) campaign next month.
Selectors have released a 14-man squad to contest the provincial grade of the five-day tournament from February 18 to 22.
Pomborneit all-rounders Grant Place and Stephen Walters will make their debuts in Melbourne, two of five Bulls players in the squad.
Terang recruit Liam Geary and Noorat paceman Stephen Staunton are also in line to represent the association for the first time but are yet to confirm their availability.
Other members were part of the squad which defeated Bairnsdale to win division two last year.
They are: Steven Castle (captain), Craig Sargeant, Steven O’Neill (Pomborneit), Todd Lamont, Josh Barr, Clinton Baker (Mortlake), Simon Baker, Fraser Lucas (Bookaar), Ben Grinter (Terang) and Travis Brown (Heytesbury Rebels).
South West will take on Ballarat, Bendigo, Sale-Maffra and Murray Valley in its four preliminary matches. It has avoided reigning champion Geelong.
The provincial campaign marks the latest chapter in a stunning rise to the elite competition of country Victorian representative cricket.
South West was languishing in division four half a decade ago before claiming three titles in four years.
The run started in 2009 with victory against Horsham in division four, before it followed up with the division three title 12 months later, against Wangaratta.
The Castle-led squad placed third in 2011 at its first shot in division two but combined stellar cricket with a healthy dose of luck to win the title last February.
Meanwhile, Warrnambool and District will have another training session tonight as it continues building towards its MCW division two campaign. Selectors are likely to cut the training squad after two practice matches in coming weeks.
The Mick Rantall-coached squad will take on Mount Gambier and District in the annual Cross-Border Cup at Penola this weekend.
Another practice match, against Hamilton and District, is also in the pipeline.
Warrnambool will take on Traralgon, Yarra Valley, Hamilton and West Gippsland in Melbourne.
Grassmere heads north next week for Bendigo Country Week, contesting division three from January 21 to 25.
It will take on Red Cliffs, Maryborough, Northern District Colts and Northern United.
