Allansford-Panmure cricketer Noah Greene selected in Geelong's Dowling Shield squad

The Dowling shield, an under 17 competition between Victoria's premier cricket clubs, features some of the best under-age prospects in the state and 16-year-old Greene is thrilled to be involved.

"It should be unreal just getting into the premier system and just seeing what it's all about really," he said.

"Premier cricket's where you've got to go once you're over 18 so it's unreal to have a club already there to go."

Geelong's first match of the competition is on January 8.

At the senior level, the batting all-rounder intends to make his lower-grade debut with the Cats at some stage this season.

It's a matter of 'if' not 'when' he transitions to full-time senior cricket in Melbourne, with Greene weighing up his options.

"As soon as I'm 18 I'm ready to go," he said. "The decision I've got to make is whether or not I play half a season here next year and go up when I'm 18 (in January 2024), or just wait another year and (play) when I'm 19.

"As soon as I can pretty much do it really I'm keen to get down there and give it a crack."

Greene earned his spot with Geelong off the back of his time in the Vic Country under 17 male emerging players squad earlier this year. He travelled to Melbourne every two weeks for two months as part of the program and learned a lot in the elite environment.

The squad also played three matches against its metro counterparts, with the Warrnambool teenager striking an impressive 22 not-out against Metro Blue. He didn't feel out of place at the level but noticed the difference between standards there and in local cricket.

"Down here a spinner will bowl six balls at you and you get one that's looped up and a half-tracker," he said.

"Down there it's just quick on a length and you've got to find different ways to score. It's a different game really I reckon. In that squad everyone was pretty much just a gun."

Last month Greene returned to Allansford-Panmure to be with friends after starting the season with Russells Creek. The top-order bat made a strong start to the under 17 season and found some division one form earlier this month when he scored 44 for Allansford-Panmure against Brierly-Christ Church.

The Gators sit sixth on the ladder after five matches.

Meanwhile, six south-west cricketers were named in squads for the Marg Jennings Cup - the female equivalent of the Dowling Shield but for under 18s - which gets under way on December 21.

Annabelle Glossop (Nestles), Charlotte Poyner (Brierly-Christ Church), Grace Schrama (Allansford-Panmure), Ruby Couch (Nestles) and Zara Kelly (Allansford-Panmure) have been selected for Geelong while Hannah Rooke (Brierly-Christ Church) has been picked for Essendon Maribyrnong Park.

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