Three of Dubbo’s brightest talents will feature on the big stage next week when taking part in high profile tournaments in Queensland.
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Marty Jeffrey will play for NSW side in two Australian All-Schools matches against Queensland while Henry Railz and fellow young gun Brock Larance will feature at the Cricket Australia Under 17s National Championships.
Railz will play for ACT/NSW Country while Larance will have the honour of wearing the green and gold of his country.
The hard-hitting Dubbo CYMS talent will play for the Australian under 16s side, which was granted an invite to compete at the Cricket Australia Under 17s National Championships.
For some, the cricket season hasn’t even properly started but Larance has been already been making headlines as this opportunity to play on the national stage comes on the back off his naming in the Cricket Australia 2017 Pathways Rookie Squad.
The Pathways Rookies is a group of the most promising young players in the country and Larance is the only country-based NSW players to make the 53-strong list.
"The Pathways Rookie Squad is an important part of the overall Pathways Program, in helping to identify these players, and to ensure we give them every opportunity at a state or national level to continue their development as cricketers and young men,” Cricket Australia's National Talent Manager, Greg Chappell said.
All players named in the squad are eligible for the Under 17 National Championships.
Following the championships, a select group from within the program will be named to take part in Cricket Australia's Rookie Camp in early 2018.
The Championships start from Monday at Brisbane, and while that is being played out Jeffrey will be in action for NSW against Queensland at Caloundra.
Jeffrey and his side will play a day-night fixture on Monday before playing a three-day match against the Queenslanders at Noosa.
“Sport has always been a big part of school so to finish like this will be good and it will be a trip I remember,” he said.
“It will be good to play some high-level cricket but at the same time it’s school cricket so it’s a bit more relaxed so it’s really the perfect way to start the season.
Someone all too used to playing at a high level, Jeffrey knows the two games in Queensland will be challenging but at the same time the school cricket matches don’t have the same intensity as others he’s taken part in.
“It’s mostly the same players but the coaches are teachers rather than first-class players so there’s not as strict guidelines and roles to play under and it’s a bit hard because you don’t get much time to train together,” he said.
“But at the same time, it is those same guys you play with and against so it’s a good standard.”
Jeffrey added it is all another learning experience, with Monday set to be the first genuine day-night fixture he has played while it also marks the first time he will be tested in a three-day format.
“It will be good to see those differences,” he said.
Jeffrey, who is also preparing for the HSC, confirmed he will start the season with RSL-Colts locally before looking to make the move to Sydney grade cricket in the New Year.
While the Colts teenager is enjoying some cricket which is slightly relaxed, Larance and Railz will be tested at the very top level.
Taking on the best young cricketers across the country, Larance is expected to be a key figure with the bat for the Australian under 16s outfit while Railz’s all-round talents will be vital to ACT/NSW Country.
Larance and the Australian under 16s start their campaign on Monday against Victoria Metro while Railz and the ACT/NSW Country outfit begins its tournament against South Australia.