By ROY WARD
DANDENONG and former Chadstone resident Jack Taylor got the best possible early Christmas present when he was selected in the Victorian under-19 squad on Friday.
Taylor, who plays for Premier Cricket side Prahran and is a supplementary player for Big Bash side Melbourne Renegades, will take one of the all-rounder positions in the young Bushrangers when they play in the under-19 national championships in Adelaide from January 7-17.
The side will also have to arrange an alternate player for Taylor and batsman Meyrick Buchanan, who is a contracted Renegades player, in case they are selected in the Big Bash side.
Hawthorn-Monash University top-order batsman Liam Tonkin is also in the squad as a bottom-age player.
The team will be coached by former first-class player turned coach Shawn Flegler, and Australian A spinner Jon Holland, currently recovering from a serious shoulder injury, has agreed to join the side as a mentor to the players.
Flegler said his side was ready to make its mark on the championships.
“It’s a fairly well balanced squad,” Flegler said. “The guys have jelled pretty well and they seem like they are fairly close-knit. It will be a good opportunity to have Dutchy [Holland] there as a bit of a mentor, he should be good.”
The championships will include two one-day matches and three two-day matches.
Victorian under-19 squad: Meyrick Buchanan, Barwon Rockets; Scott Dixon, Barwon Rockets; Jack Paynter, Mallee Murray Bulls; Ben Ashkenazi, South East Country Sharks; Sam Kerber, Western Waves; Tom Russ, Inner East Emus; Mark Phelan, Northern Falcons; Pat Ashton, Outer East Eagles; Matthew Fotia, Outer East Eagles; Jack Harper, Outer East Eagles; Lincoln Edwards, Sth East Bayside Breakers; Liam Tonkin, Sth East Bayside Breakers; Jack Taylor, Southern Metro Pioneers.
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