WARRNAMBOOL and District Cricket Association coach Ray Drew is quietly confident he has a squad capable of making an impact in its return to Melbourne country week’s elite grade.
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The association this week released its initial 32-man training squad, featuring the majority of the group which went undefeated through last summer’s division two competition.
“We’ve lost Nicholas King from last year’s squad, but we’ve got a great mix,” Drew said.
“We’ve included young players that have showed a bit of promise in the Twenty20 and the Western Waves.
“They’re in the training squad to gain some experience.
“Overall, we’re pretty happy with the players we’ve got this year.
“We haven’t got a real out-and-out quick bowler, but they’re all medium pace to fast.
“We’ve got a well-balanced bowling line-up … (and) we’re quietly confident we’ve got the batsmen there who can handle the provincial grade.”
The squad will feature a few players familiar with the top-level provincial grade at country week like Brett Eldridge, Jason Mungean, Kyle Humphrys and Ben Boyd.
Some were in the side which was relegated from the elite grade in 2010.
Since then, the WDCA has played in three losing finals in division two, before finally triumphing against Ballarat earlier this year.
The WDCA squad will have its first training run next Wednesday, December 2, ahead of practice matches against Colac in December and January.
The initial WDCA country week squad is: Ben Boyd, Matt Brophy, Ryan McCluggage, Harrison Bond, Nathan Murphy, Rehan Hassan, Mark Murphy, Josh Stapleton, Coby Dudman, Jeremy Burgess, Steven Plant, Brett Eldridge, Cameron Williams, Geoff Williams, Kyle Humphrys, Matt Price, Jason Mungean, Brodie Couch, Aaron Williams, Brad Parsons, Sam Younghusband, Charlie Locke, Matthew Petherick, Ben Evans, Tom Bowman, Ben Threlfall, Ben Parker, Nick Butters, Kory Howlett, Hank Schlaghecke, Connor Richardson and Tyler Fowler.
The Western Waves have also announced their under 18 pathways squad.
The team will take part in a camp next month, which will include a match against the touring Indian schoolboys cricket squad, ahead of the state championships from January 11-15.
The Waves’ under 18 squad is: Travis Parsons, Lachie Wareham, Angus Boyd, Tyler Fowler, Jack Atkins, Liam Brown, Callum McIlveen, Dylan Magee, Sam Younghusband, Harry Bond, Nick King, Mitch Lang, Charlie Locke.
