The junior cricket season is about to take full flight with the first representative squad announcements filtering through.
Northern Rivers have set out their initial squads for inter-regional action as part of the annual Cricket Victoria Country Cup.
Cricket Shepparton juniors are well-represented in the Rivers’ 13-player under-16 boys squad, with four youngsters qualifying for the team led by head coach Greg Lyon in search of back-to-back titles.
Each of the four hails from a different club, with Central Park-St Brendan’s fielding Gus Byrne, Northerners sending Bayden Hutchins and Old Students represented by Ben O’Brien, while Max Bicknell flies the Karramomus flag.
District female talent was not overlooked either after the under-15 girls team was released, with Georgia Leonard of Kyabram receiving the nod.
While both carnivals will run most of their operations from Monday, December 16 to Thursday, December 19, each campaign will kick off with a nearest neighbour clash for all six regions on Sunday, December 8.
Both contingents will be following the river all the way to Swan Hill to play Mallee Murray Suns before the boys’ tournament is completed in the Albury-Wodonga area and the girls set up camp for their remaining fixtures at Hamilton.
Lyon laid out the selection process, lauding the enthusiastic environment which awaits those who came through for a place in the final side.
“It’s always a difficult one. We start off with about 35 and then just try to go through our normal trial process,” Lyon said.
“We try to cut it down to anywhere between 20 and 24 — we had 21 this year — and then we were able to choose who we feel will be quite competitive for the Country Cup.
“We absolutely loved it in Albury last year and I don’t feel that this year should be any different.
“What I’ve found with representative stuff is you have kids who want to be there and want to be participating; it’s not as if mum and dad are making them play.”
Northern Rivers under-16 boys squad
Eamon Austin (Bendigo United), Max Bicknell (Karramomus), Gus Byrne (Central Park-St Brendan’s), Wil Harrison (Kyabram Fire Brigade), Bayden Hutchins (Northerners), Rory Kennedy (Yea), Lachlan McKay (Kangaroo Flat), Jake Mulqueen (Golden Square), Ben O’Brien (Old Students), Thomas Seipolt (Strathdale-Maristians), Edison Waghorn (Yea), Noah Willits (Bendigo United), Jonty Yates (Strathfieldsaye)
Naturally as kids progress through the age ranks, it’s rare that you’re preparing to come up against the same core of juniors twice at these carnivals.
Nonetheless, Lyon has full faith in the boys selected.
“I think the talent we’re seeing, even from the initial group of 35, is pretty good,” Lyon said.
“We’ve got one boy who was bottom-age last year and I think there are three this year.
“You’re really not sure what you’re coming up against most years, but I think we’ve got good depth and talent in our squad.
“This is the part of the pathway where we hope to instil more knowledge before they try to move on to the Vic Country under-17 side.”
Northern Rivers under-15 girls squad
Sienna Barnett (Golden Square), Rehmi Burke (Maiden Gully Marist), Eliyah Daneen (Strathdale-Maristians), Harriet East (Rochester), Georgia Hancock (Kangaroo Flat), Georgia Leonard (Kyabram), Cadence Major (Rochester), Emma McCann (Strathdale-Maristians), Sophie McDonald (Kyabram Fire Brigade), Yakira McKenzie (Golden Square), Chloe Moyle (Echuca), D’Lilah Shatwell (Golden Square), Macey White (Eaglehawk)