STATE training commitments have robbed Warrnambool and District Cricket Association of three stars for the Western Waves Festival of Cricket.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Nestles pair Cam Williams and Brett Eldridge and Allansford paceman Ben Boyd will miss the Twenty20 tournament next month due to Victoria Country trials.
Dennington skipper Dustin Drew is also an omission from the 25-member squad announced yesterday, due to his recovery from knee surgery.
But WDCA selector Ray Drew played up the calibre of cricketers chosen to trial for representative duty.
Drew said there had been an emphasis on giving young cricketers opportunities, with the knowledge Melbourne Country Week loomed in February. “This is only a Twenty20 competition, whereas Melbourne Country Week is 50 overs. But it gives you a bit of a look at the pressure they can take,” he said.
Drew said the squad would train at Jones Oval on Sunday, from 10am. Selectors will cut it next week, before the November 8 and 9 tournament.
Warrnambool and District is in division one, along with Hamilton and District and host Wimmera-Mallee 1.
WDCA squad: Nathan Murphy (Brierly-Christ Church, captain); Geoff Williams, Glenn Hannah (Nestles); Damon Delaney, Ranil Rasanga, Jason Mungean (Nirranda); Kyle Humphrys (Russells Creek), Gault McCluggage, Kyall Timms, Matt Brophy, Nick Maddison (Allansford); Josh Stapleton, Andy Rishton (Merrivale); Nick King, Ben Rantall, Jack Lee (Dennington); Tharanga Fernando, Mark Murphy (East Warrnambool-YCW); Ben Threlfall (West Warrnambool); Nick Butters, Hank Schlaghecke, Hamish Withers (Woodford); Joe Higgins, Tom Bowman (Wesley-CBC); Aaron Williams (Port Fairy).
Grassmere Cricket Association has also unveiled its training squad for the Festival of Cricket, naming 24 players from all eight A grade clubs.
The GCA will contest division two against Wimmera-Mallee 2, South West, West Wimmera and Casterton and District.
The association has enjoyed renewed interest in representative cricket in recent years on the back of Bendigo Country Week success.
It has entered the Festival of Cricket for the first time in years, having successfully staged a domestic Twenty20 tournament last summer.
Training is at Wangoom on October 29 and November 5. Selectors will cut the squad after the second session.
GCA squad: Chris Bant, Tom Mahony, James McKinnon, Paddy Mahony, Tom Wright, Nathan Shand, Tim Bryce (Panmure); Kevin McElgunn, Daniel Jones, Brendan Chatfield, Brayden Buchanan, Joel Henry (Killarney); Richard McKellar, Bernie Harris, Luke Ryan, Sam McKinnon (Purnim); Brett Tory, Shamus O’Beirne, Naresh Kumar (Wangoom), Murray Habel, Ben Julius (Hawkesdale), Kevin Watts (Yambuk), Chris Lenehan (Grassmere), Phil Edwards (Mailors Flat).