A handful of the Dandenong Cricket Club’s most talented youngsters have been named in the final 14-player Country and Metro squads in this year’s Under 17 National Championships, to be held in Mackay, Queensland.
Angus Newman – the younger brother of Victorian rookie Ed – headlines the list of Panthers selected in the Metro squad, with the talented batsman impressing in his first season in Premier Cricket last year, scoring 314 runs at 52.3 mixed between the thirds and the fourths.
Selected in the Country squad, fellow Panthers, Raheel Bostan and Boopa Munasinghe, have also been selected, with the pair also showcasing their talents in club cricket last season.
Bostan in particular made a splash and will be pushing hard for a first XI debut this season, with the young spinner showing excellent signs and even cracking in for four games in the seconds, taking 3/37 against Camberwell Magpies. Munasinghe, a fellow spinner developing in the lower level, is also a player on the rise.
The annual carnival pits the best young talent from each state in a round-robin tournament, with the squads selected after training sessions across winter, with some held at CitiPower Centre.
Cricket Victoria high performance head coach Jarrad Loughman told the Cricket Victoria website that there was plenty of talent to choose from after a grueling trial process.
“It was very pleasing to see so many young cricketers showcasing their talent over the past few months,” Loughman said.
“The squads have been working hard over winter and the breadth of talent that we have seen from both those trailing for Metro and Country has been promising. It shows us that the future of elite Victorian cricket is in a good place.
“Congratulations to all selected. We can’t wait to see them get underway in September.”
The Under 17 National Championships will be held from Monday 30 September to Thursday 10 October, and can be followed live on the MyCricket app and the Cricket Australia Pathway Twitter account.
