THEY'VE proven themselves amongst the best under 15s players in the Central West and now five of the Bathurst District Junior Cricket Association's leading talents will put their skills to the test at a higher level.
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Liam Cain, Mitch Wallace, Eli Morris, Seth Norris and Jayden Spackman have been named in the Central West Cricket Council under 15s side which will contest the Country Youth Championships.
Teams from across the state are split into Thunder and Sixers pools, with Central West in the former pool alongside Western Plains, Murrumbidgee, CAW Murray, a pair of ACT/SD outfits, Illawarra and Greater Southern.
The Bathurst talents will get their first chance to impress for Central West this Sunday with a match against Western Plains in Orange.
Following that will be a four-day carnival in Dubbo from December 19-21.
Bathurst District Junior Cricket Association president Steve Cain is delighted to see such strong Bathurst representation and is confident the five boys will handle the challenges which lie in wait.
"I'm very proud of our lads, they've all worked hard and obviously shown with their dedication that they want to go a bit further with their cricket, all five of them have been trying really hard," Cain said.
"We've got two wicket-keepers in that team, Mitch Wallace one of them.
"Liam is the fast bowler, Seb is a spin bowler and Jayden is a spin bowler as well and Eli, he's a bit of everything really. They all are handy with the bat as well."
Morris (11 wickets) and Spackman (nine) have been in good form in the BDJCA under 15s-opens competition, Norris' efforts at club level include a 4-7, Wallace has hit three half centuries in the under 14s thus far while Cain brings the experience of playing in Bathurst's senior second grade competition for Bathurst Bushrangers.
All five played for Bathurst's under 16s in this season's Central West Cricket Council competition, while Cain, Wallace and Morris played in the under 14s Country Championships last season.
Steve Cain feels that the past experience of the BDJCA trio, as well as some of their current Central West team-mates, will be an asset as they look for a strong showing in the championships.
"I think it will be a competitive side, there are a couple of players there aside from the Bathurst boys who have done it before. There are a couple of Mudgee boys who have played before and Gus Cornish from Orange," he said.
"The core of them have been playing together at this level for awhile and it makes a big difference when you know the other kids.
"Knowing each other, knowing how each other play, I think that's a big bonus for our guys."
To be guided by Bathurst's Clint Bryant and Central West head coach Greg Griffith, the side will play both 40 overs-a-side and Twenty20 format games. As well as trying to help Central West to success, the BDJCA players and their team-mates will attempt to earn selection in the Western-Riverina side to play at the State Challenge.
