Western Zone coach Greg Rummans has named a star-studded side to travel to Wagga Wagga for stage one of the Bradman Cup in just three weeks time.
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The 13-player under 16s Western squad was announced on Tuesday afternoon and Rummans said it was a challenging experience for the selectors.
"It wasn't hard to put the team together but it was really challenging," he said
"You had to think about the blokes you left out.
"Whereas in previous years we've looked at who we were going to put in.
"We sort of named four emergencies which don't usually do but that was our respect to their efforts."
Among those selected was Condobolin product and RSL Colts all-rounder Riley Keen who will be vice-captain of the side but Rummans believes there is another product from the town to watch out for.
"Riley is pretty classy player but he has got plenty around him," he said.
"His Condobolin mate Ryan Goodsell, that has to be the best opening bowling combination to come out of Condo.
"Hopefully Ryan can go a bit further, it would be awesome if the two of them could kick on."
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The squad is stacked throughout with plenty batting and bowling depth with Rummans eager to see how the squad performs when they head to Wagga Wagga in early January for one 50-over contest and two Twenty20 fixtures.
"There's some good batsman there like Charlie Tink, Harry Roscarel and Fletcher Hyde," he said.
"Riley [Keen] can play that all-rounder role.
"The bowling stocks are also pretty strong."
Of the 13-players, Rummans admitted the majority of the team have been in and around first-grade squads in Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst so far this season.
"A lot of the kids are playing first-grade," he said.
"There's a lot of kids who are playing senior cricket in this team.
"We've got six Green Shield players which is the most we've ever had.
"It's very positive."
Rummans believes the squad can win it all but knows it will come down to how well the team combines during the two-day carnival.
"If they can all gel together which I think they will," he said.
"Angus Cornish is a kid with really huge character and other kids are sort of drawn to him so he will be our captain.
"If the kids can run off Gus and Riley they should have a good tournament."
While the priority for the players is currently Western Zone, Rummans is hopeful some of the players impress talent scouts enough to make further representative teams throughout the season.
"With this group of kids, there are some good characters in there and they should get on pretty well," he said.
"Hopefully for them, they can have a successful two carnivals with Wagga and Lake Macquarie in January.
"We'll see how many we can get in higher teams.
"That would be gold if we could get half a dozen picked in the next representative team or more."
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