A pair of cricketers from the Goulburn Valley have donned the Big V at this year’s Australian Country Championships.
Kyabram star Kyle Mueller and Puckapunyal’s Madison Albers have made their respective debuts for Victoria Country at the week-long tournament held in Newcastle.
Mueller, one the premier players in Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield, suited up in the navy blue and white last Friday in Victoria’s two-wicket win over ACT in round three.
Albers, an Essendon-Maribyrnong and Seymour District Cricket Association star bowler, has spearheaded Victoria’s pace attack.
From seven appearances Albers has picked up eight wickets, including a starring effort in round five’s loss to Queensland.
Albers was Victoria’s standout performer in defeat and chalked up 5-21 off four overs.
For Mueller, the Kyabram star’s opportunities have been limited at the national event.
The destructive and eye-catching middle-order batter has only managed three innings to date - with his best knocking coming on Monday when he blasted a quick-fire 26 runs off 28 deliveries.
Mueller crunched two boundaries and one six in his knock at number eight as Victoria piled on 8-247 against South Australia Country.
Originally selected as an emergency in November, Mueller was elevated to the squad on the eve of the tournament.
It is a sort of homecoming for one of the GV’s most talented sporting talents.
The 26-year-old captained Victoria at junior level more than a decade ago and in that series he made more runs than any other batter.
Speaking to the Kyabram Free Press recently, Mueller hoped to soak up the experience of returning to the state scene.
‘‘Yes, it’s good to get the call-up and will be a good experience, so I’m really looking forward to it,’’ Mueller said.
Mueller’s continued his impressive form from the 2022-23 Haisman Shield season with 469 runs so far this campaign.
Mueller and his teammates feature two more times ahead of finals action on Thursday with the men’s outfit on top of the standings.
Albers and the women’s squad sit in third spot ahead of their final two matches.