Wellington’s best young cricketers – and coaches – will pit their skills against the state’s best when the region hosts the “festival of cricket” that is the State Challenge.
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Dubbo juniors will join the Riverina’s best on the Country Thunder South West under 13s and under 14s sides, while for the first time the future of the women’s game will be on show with the girls under 13s division to be played at Wellington.
Cricket NSW coaching and talent specialist Greg McLay is mentoring the under 14 boys alongside Richie Richardson, and said it was excellent to welcome a girls division to the carnival for the first time.
“This is the festival of cricket … all the kids look forward to it and why shouldn’t the girls be a part of that?” McLay said.
“The women’s game is growing exponentially, and again for a lot of the girls it’s their first experience in the pathway for Cricket NSW.
“It’s an opportunity for country girls and boys to benchmark their skills against the best in the state, and it gives them that sense of belonging to know ‘hang on – I can actually do this and this is a really viable pathway for me to put my energy and resources into’.”
The State Challenge kicks off on Monday, January 21, with McLay’s Country Thunder South West under 14s to face Metro Sixers North East at Lady Cutler Park 1.
The Country Thunder South West under 14s – coached by Dubbo’s Greg Rummans and Riverina’s Craig Footman – will also start their campaign against Metro Sixers North East at Victoria Park No 2 Oval.
“It’s great for Dubbo, it brings a lot of people to town … they bring mum, dad, brother, sister along and probably grandparents as well so it’s a boost for the local motels, hotels, pubs, clubs and restaurants,” Rummans said.
“But it’s a good opportunity for local players to see what’s out there and take that back to their cricket councils and hopfeully it rubs off on a few more players.”
The Country Thunder girls will open their inaugural State Challenge campaign against Metro Thunder at Wellington’s Bicentennial Park.
The girls’ competition will wrap up on Tuesday, while the boys’ carnival runs until Thursday.
McLay said hosting the carnival in the region was “a bit of a no brainer”.
“This is the entry level for a lot of kids in the NSW pathway so it’s really important that the experience they have, the facilities, the opposition and the way the competition is organised reflects the importance of that pathway.”
Under 13 boys: Gus Cornish ©, Harry Roscarel, Fletcher Hyde, Tyson Deebank, Riley Keen, Ty Sissian (Western), Veni Sharma, Shaun Smith, Caleb Walker, Sam Drew, Lachie Higman, Noah Harper and Jordan Rhodes (Riverina).
Under 14 boys: Anthony Atlee, Rudy Peet, Angus Parsons, Harrison Quinn (Western), Hayden Forner ©, Jake Scott, Ben Signor, Jack Glanvill, Charlie Guymer, Dominic McCrohan, Noah Gaske, Charlie Hillier and Ethan Hanrahan (Riverina).
Country Thunder Girls: Teleitha O’Byrne, Callee Black, Maddison Spence, Charlie O’Byrne (Western), Grace Lyons (ACT/Southern), Lilly Willstrop, Keisha Baldwin, Sophie Taufel, Annalee Watson (Greater Illawarra), Kaitlin Logan, Perri Nash, Alice Caldow and Charlie Lamont (Riverina). Coaches: Rebecca Maher and Carolyn Sheehan.
