Country NSW has a proud history when it comes to developing elite talent and hopes are high this week's Youth Championships ensure that continues long into the future.
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The facilities at Dubbo have received high praise during the staging of the championships' under 14s Thunder Conference matches this week and the under 15s and under 13s are up next, with games being played from Wednesday through to Friday.
This season marks the first edition of the NSW Youth Championships, something designed to streamline the junior program in both the city and the country while also acting as a prelude to January's Bradman and Kookaburra Cups.
"It's broadening the talent pool in the younger age groups and provides opportunity regardless of where you live," Senior Manager of the Cricket NSW Pathways, Mark Cameron, said at the Lady Cutler grounds on Tuesday.
"You name it and we've got kids coming from those areas, which means you don't have to live in a major city any more to make it in cricket.
"That's something country cricket has been really strong at, producing great Australian players and I'm hoping this can be a catalyst for the re-invigoration of country cricket."
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The first five rounds of the under 14s division were played out in Dubbo, with four Twenty20 matches followed by a 50-over game on Tuesday.
Far West, the hosts and a side loaded with Dubbo youngsters, won again on Tuesday to continue its strong start to the campaign.
After dropping its first game, Far West scored four wins on the bounce to head into the final two rounds a genuine contender.
Patty Cant starred in Tuesday's crushing 131-run win over CAW Murray.
You don't have to live in a major city any more to make it in cricket.
- Mark Cameron
Cant made 68 as his side piled on 8/268 before he snagged 4/21 with the ball to cap a fine all-round performance.
Daniel Smith (70) also starred in the win and the side's efforts, combined with the development programs being put in place by Greg Rummans and the newly-launched Western Zone Academy have caught the eye.
"The Far West team has been really competitive," Cameron said.
"They've got good coaches and it's really pleasing to see Greg Rummans oversee it as an academy coach and have that talent identification and coaching point of view.
"Western Zone and the Far West has done some really good stuff lately."
Cameron also had praise for the region's facilities as Lady Cutler hosted the four under 14s games matches from Sunday through to Tuesday, while the Victoria Park ovals as well as grounds in Wellington get in on the act from Wednesday.
"If you get the best players coached by the best coaches and you find the best facilities, which we've been lucky to find in Dubbo because these are the best certainly in country NSW, players get better," Cameron said.
"That's highlighted everywhere around the country. That's the whole premise but at the same time the actual goal is to inspire this kids to love cricket for a very, very long time.
"So by the time they're 50 they're still involved in this great game, whether its' administrating, umpiring, coaching, or watching. I'm not too fussed, but as long as they're involved in cricket I'm happy."
That whole-game view is something Cameron and Cricket NSW is focused on.
That's why the week at Dubbo just hasn't been about uncovering new talent or taking young players to the next level.
"We've found a couple of umpires we believe have got potential to move forward, we've found a couple of coaches we think have got potential as well, and we've found a few players who we'd never heard of who have come out of the woodwork," he said.
"Some even come from very small towns and they've put their hands up for higher honours. It's been really positive."
The Far West 14s were one of three sides - the others being the Illawarra Highlanders and ACT/Southern District Barons, who won four from five games at Dubbo.
Far West will have sides in action in both the under 13s and under 15s from Wednesday.
Both meet the Illawarra Highlanders first up, with the 13s playing at Lady Cutler 2 and the 15s at No. 1 Oval.