Some of the region’s brightest talents will take on cricketers from across Victoria in January with Junior Country Week returning for 2023.
Announcing the squads on Sunday, Cricket Shepparton will be represented by seven teams in the tournament, with squads set to play in under-13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 age groups in Bendigo and across northern Victoria.
Pencilled in to be played from January 3-6 the tournament is sure to provide plenty of action and with the squads now out, Cricket Shepparton junior co-ordinator Peter Holland said it was exciting to have the event return.
“It’s been a bit of work to get it to where it is, we had a lot of kids put their name forward and clubs put their names forward to try out,” Holland said.
“We had a great Wangaratta Challenge and that sort of prepared us for the series against the Northern Rivers teams in January.”
While Bendigo is set to host the event, games will be held across the region, with the Murray Valley, Goulburn Murray and Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve all set to feature.
A pathway to further representative cricket, Holland said Country Week was about enjoyment and cricketing development.
“From Country Week they do pick the Northern Rivers squads for future years,” he said.
“So a good performance at that puts you in good stead to move forward in that pathway with Cricket Victoria.”
With more than 80 juniors set to pull on the Cricket Shepparton shirt across the four days, some of the region’s future stars are sure to be putting their best foot forward.
Junior Country Week squads
Under-17 Girls
Alyce O'Connell, Ava Woods, Bella Woods (vc), Charli Nicholson, Ebony Sleeth, Eloise Walker, Emilia Gall, Maggie Eggleston, Mia Earl (c), Phobe Hunter, Poppy Vandermeer, Tasmyn Hutchins, Taylor Groves
Under-16
Andre Gagliardi, Ashton Young (c), Ethan Beck, Mitchell Walters, Nate Earl, Noah Muir, Oscar Lambourn, Rory Duffy, Ryan Ash, Sam Holland, Sammy O'Brien (vc), Will Trower. Coach: Chris Earl
Under-15
Aden Schreck, Archie Wilson, Baxter Plunkett, Caleb Aitken, Faigyn Southwell, Hayden Kruise, Jake Davidson, Kaleb Gilmour, Leo Murphy, Rayyan Mirza, Walter Jackson (c), Zavier Davidson (vc). Coach: Shane Davidson
Under-14
Alex Robertson, Archie Harrison, Balraj Singh, Bayden Hutchins (c), Ben O'Connell, Ethan Saxon, Flyn O'Brien, Jack Walters, Kyren Dawson (vc), Nash Siermans, Oscar Buckland, Thomas Hudson. Coach: Steve Morris
Under-13 A
Austen Hogeboom (vc), Cooper Goodall, Dayne Wilson, Gus Byrne, Jack Mahoney, James Mawson (c), Lloyd Akers, Nate Yze, Oliver Wilson, Ryan Ezard, Toby Keady, Xavier Waters. Coach: Peter Hogeboom
Under-13 B
Aston Campbell, Bailey Chenery (vc ), Bohdi Lee, Callan O'Dwyer, Callum Thornton, Jackson Crouch, Levi Berry, Noah Hawker, Noah Sabri, Tait Buckland (c), Tyson Glover, Usman Hassan. Coach: Chris Crouch
Under-13 B Green
Blake Bunfield, Cameron Liddell, Charlie McDonald, Dylan Child, Gus Willoughby, Jimmy Blekic (c), Max Willoughby, Nate Malcolm, Patrick Murphy, Ryder Dudgeon (vc), Tate Thorn, Ty Davidson. Coach: Glen Davidson