CRICKET Victoria state championships only wrapped up last week but Western Waves selectors are already looking to the future.
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The Waves will have six junior sides take on their Barwon Rocket counterparts in 50-over practice matches in Geelong on February 9.
The matches will give selectors a chance to look at young players who were on the fringe of selection for the 2013-14 summer.
Western Waves region manager Stephen Field said selectors picked the sides based on performances at three Country Week tournaments this month.
“There are a few kids in there who are members of the Western Waves already. They’re there for a bit of leadership,” he said.
“But all the other players had been nominated for the junior Country Weeks. It is the first time we’ve done this.
“Barwon used to play these games against the Central Highlands region and Central Highlands went away from that model, they’re using something else.
“For us, it fitted in really nicely because we had all the same age groups who had just played at the Country Weeks.”
Field said selectors wanted to see players who were genuinely interested in representing the Waves in action.
“Some kids we haven’t seen at all, particularly in the younger age groups. We want to know how well they can play,” he said.
“Other kids we might’ve seen in and out of the pathway squads, so it’s about whether they’ve shown some improvement.
“But the main thing is to give these kids some encouragement that they’re in the mix, that they are talented cricketers in the region.”
Field said emerging cricketers should not get down on themselves if they missed state championships selection.
THE SQUADS
Under 17s: Josh Hutt, Nathan Sparling, Tyson Gordon, Tom McDonald, Jack Osborne, Justin Fedley, Riley Owen, Joel Tully, Dan Clark, Joel Moriarty, Matt Hoy and Duncan Cameron. Coach: Mick Rantall.
Under 16s: Brad Hunt, Eddie Landwehr, Jack Landwehr, Aaron Jenkins, Jack Clifford, Jarrod Petherick, Tom Bensch, Callum McIlveen, Jono Benallack, Charlie Lee, Keegan Bilson, Harrison Bond. Coach: Steve Mirtschin.
Under 15s: Riley Pickering, Isaac McPherson, Charlie Locke, Daniel Richardson, Liam Leith, Jason Pitt, Josh Hickey, Hamish Huffadine, Mitch Lang, James Cullinane, Jack Atkins, Lachie Wareham. Coach: John Houston.
Under 14s: Joe Reid, James Edmonds, James Chappell, Keelan Westerland, Wil Fleming, Matthew Kemp, Demby McKenzie, Jed Henderson, Tynan Shannon, Tobi Cook, Sam Vivian, Connor Umbers, Nash Kitt. Coach: Simon Fleming.
Under 13s: Tom Letts, Harry Cashin, Thomas Niewerk, Dominic Bandara, Oliver Stansfield, Zavier Mungean, Sam Lambevski, Jacob Brooks, Alex Jennings, Josh Mawson, Tom Jackson, Ben Atkins. Coach: Jayaweera Bandara.
Under 12/13s: Isaac Wareham, Jackson Couch, Bailey Jenkinson, Josh Bibby, Kyle Smitten, Harry Hogan, Mitch Martin, Mitch Hann, Hamish Gleeson, Henry Capewell, Dillon Carlin, Nathan Richardson. Coach: Gordon McLeod.