A WEEK after the new-look surface at Dubbo Sports World got its first major test, players from across the NSW Country and ACT areas will descend upon Dubbo this weekend for the annual Country v ACT clash.
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This year NSW Country Cyclones have has also selected a 'shadow' team in the 13-and-under and 15-and-under grades to compete in this tournament, with players who were close for selection in the Cyclones team making up these teams.
This initiative has come through participation numbers going through the roof in recent years and the ability to give more quality players exposure at high levels of competition.
This has increased the Dubbo youngsters opportunities with the Cyclones and Cyclones shadow teams being inundated with Dubbo players.
This tournament will be used as an opportunity for the Cyclones teams to prepare for the upcoming Cricket Australia Junior National Tournament to be held in Dubbo in the first week in July, while the weekend presents as a great exposure to higher levels of competition for the shadow teams.
In the 13-and-under boys Tom Coady, Hugh Ridley, Jack Benias and Patrick Nelson were rewarded with places in the NSW Country Cyclones team, while Anthony Atlee and Preston Beauchamp were both selected in the NSW Cyclones Shadow team.
In the 15-and-under boys Tom Atlee and Thomas Nelson will return for their third year in this grade.
The basis of this team has been around for those three years and with the boys growing in confidence and skill all the time, there is great anticipation with this team.
Mitchell Lincoln will also feature in this team as a younger player forcing his way up the grades with some solid performances.
Both Atlee and Nelson are coming off strong years in outdoor, playing leading roles for their respective clubs in the first grade competition.
Nelson was named Whitney Cup rookie of the year, in a season where he scored 350-plus runs, including a maiden century.
Aeddan Todhunter and Rhys Beauchamp have both been selected in the shadow team, and should take a lot from the experience and continue to grow in confidence.
In the 17-and-under boys, Henry Railz, Adlai Shipp and Mitch Russo will all be members of a strong Cyclones team.
Railz also had a strong year in the Whitney Cup, playing in a Souths Hornets team that came close to pulling off a Whitney Cup win.
The 14-and-under and 17-and-under girls will play as a combined grade at the Country v ACT weekend.
The 14s grade is in its first year and will enable the younger girls to enjoy indoor cricket at a higher level and create a pathway for players into the 17s.
Dubbo girls Molly Nelson (14-and-under) and Emma Hughes (17-and-under) were selected in their respective teams.
It caps off a remarkable year for Hughes, whose cricket has come on in leaps in bounds in the outdoor format, culminating in selection in the under-15s Australian squad.
She has been a member of the NSW Cyclones 17s team for the past two years as a younger player, and has won the National Tournament back to back.
She should relish the chance to be one of the experienced players this time around and given her achievements over the outdoor season should be a key player in the line-up.
