DUBBO continues to reaffirm its status as one of the region's leading producers of indoor cricket talent after a host of youngsters impressed at the recent Australian Championships at Adelaide.
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Fifteen local indoor players ranging from the under-13s through to the under-17s, made the trip to South Australia during the school holidays and represented the NSW Cyclones.
Wade Burrowes starred for the NSW under-17s side and capped off the tournament by being named player of the series as well as being named as part of the Australian Allstars squad.
Burrowes, who performed well with the ball all week, and his under-17s side finished the group stage in second but were knocked out at the semi-final stage.
Despite the disappointment of not winning the title the hugely talented all-rounder said it was an honour to receive the accolades.
"We beat every team at least once, we had the team to win the competition but we just couldn't pull it off," he said.
"I didn't play as well as I hoped to but it was still good enough for the selectors to praise me.
"It was good and it was a surprise because I wasn't really hoping for it or expecting much so then to be called up was a shock and the Australian team is good too with (fellow NSW players) Tom Scoble and Kurt Prosper."
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It was also a big week for 13-year-old Emma Hughes with the skilled junior a part of the NSW under-17s girls side which was crowned national champions.
Hughes' efforts were even more eye-catching due to the fact she was up to four years younger than some players taking part, but she was pleased with her game as she more than held her own in the title winning squad.
"I got to learn the game a lot more than just playing here locally. I was one of the youngest and it was fun, it was easier to learn from people who are older than me and they had more experience so they taught me what to do at times," she said.
"I think the more you play, you get better and I started OK, I got good scores in batting and I was pretty good in my bowling and at the end of the week I was given the coach's award."
Tom Coady, Mack Shipp, Mitchell Lincoln, Pat Nelson and Anthony Atlee were part of the under-13s boys team which finished fifth. The first day of a competition was a special one for Atlee as he celebrated his ninth birthday by opening the batting and not getting out once in his skin.
Ben Wheeler, Thomas Graham, Tom Atlee, Charlie Kempston and Tom Nelson were part of the under-15s side which also finished fifth while Tom Barber, Adlai Shipp and Marty Jeffrey were the other Dubbo players to join Burrowes in the 17s.
Burrowes and Hughes were the standouts in the Dubbo contingent and the action doesn't stop there for either of them.
Burrowes' Australian team is just a merit squad and won't play any competitive matches while he is on the road again next week to play for the NSW under-20s side.
"I'm going to Melbourne with the NSW under-20s Blues and if I go well there I go to New Zealand," he said.
"But it will be a strong tournament and I think I'll be lucky to make the team."
Hughes meanwhile is already preparing for a busy summer of outdoor cricket action.
"I've got to go away for outdoor, to Wagga and Bathurst with the NSW Western team," she said.