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Rising Australian star switches states

Gifted teenage batsman Jake Doran quits New South Wales to fast-track first-class career with Tasmania

Highly-rated teenage batting sensation Jake Doran has left the NSW Blues after being lured by the opportunity to play regular senior cricket in Tasmania.

Doran is yet to make his first-class debut but has long been a regular in Cricket Australia XIs against touring sides and is highly regarded as a future star.

The 18-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Tigers and Tasmania's Chairman of Selectors Michael Farrell was hopeful the deal would be extended beyond that in the future.

"It's an extremely exciting time for us, we can't wait," Farrell said.

"He's been touted for a long time as one of Australia's best young players, we've been putting a lot of work into it and we're just wrapped.

"I won't go through the terms of the deal, suffice to say we want Jake to play all his cricket for his whole career down here, which we expect to be well over 10 years. So it's a real coup for us. 

"Young sportsmen, particularly cricketers, don't really make these sort of big decisions without having a long-term view in place, which is exactly what he's done."

Doran, who was unable to force his way into NSW's XI this season, said he was sad to leave the Blues, but the opportunity of playing senior cricket was too good to turn down.

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Jake Doran in action for the PM's XI against England // Getty Images

"I wanted to make sure I could start my first-class career and push my case forward," Doran told cricket.com.au.

"Tassie came with a good offer of an opportunity ... it was a hard decision, but I think for me it was a good one and it was exciting.

"It's a sad move in a way.

"I really wanted to stay (at the Blues) and I wanted to spend my time here, but I think for me and my cricket I had to move on to Tassie and I think it's a good move.

"I wasn't anything to do with money or financial stuff; it just came down to opportunity.

"I thought that in the years to come for me to be playing regularly, that's what it came down to."

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Jake Doran will make the move to Tasmania // Getty Images

The Blues had offered Doran a new contract, but the 18-year-old said they had indicated it would take some time before he would force his way into their first XI.

Cricket NSW Chief Executive Andrew Jones said the state was not prepared to move away from a merit-based selection policy to keep the youngster.

"Jake is a highly-rated young player who has an excellent record in NSW youth teams plus a first grade century, a NSW Second XI century and a Sydney Thunder game to his name this year," Jones said in a statement.

"We have invested heavily in Jake’s development and were keen to keep him. We made him an offer based on his age, potential and performances at senior level to date.

"The success of NSW cricket for well over a century has been built entirely on merit-based selection and reward, and our offer was consistent with these principles.

"However we were informed this morning that Jake will not be accepting our terms. He is fully entitled to make that choice and we wish him well."

Doran is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the country, with Cricket Australia's National Talent Manager Greg Chappell likening the young left-hander to Mike Hussey, while Hussey himself has praised the youngster for his work ethic and his leadership qualities.

Quick Single: Hussey has high praise for Doran

Chappell said as early as November 2013 that Doran was ready to make the step up to first-class level.

"I'm a great believer in you play them when they are ready. It wouldn't be beyond him to play first-class cricket," former Test skipper Chappell said at the time.

"If NSW were to pick him, he'd be ready to go. The worst thing you can do for a player is to leave them at a level at which they are already competent for too long."

As a 16-year-old, Doran broke a long-standing record held by Doug Walters as the youngest player to debut in NSW's Second XI, and was on a rookie contract with the state for the 2014-15 season.

He played for Australia in the Under-19 World Cup as a 17-year-old, and was the country's leading run scorer with 249 runs in five matches at 83, including an unbeaten 99 against Bangladesh.

He most recently played in the Prime Minister's XI alongside Chris Rogers, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins against England in January, where he played as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

Highlights of Jake Doran's innings against England

"I think we all realise what a great talent Jake is, and his selection will provide another opportunity for him to continue his development," National Selection Panel chairman Rod Marsh said at the time.

Doran played for a CA XI against the touring Indians this summer in Glenelg and last summer featured in a Chairman's XI as a 16-year-old against the visiting English in Alice Springs during the 2013-14 Ashes series.

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Jake Doran in action for an Australian XI against India // Getty Images

He also made his Big Bash League debut for the Sydney Thunder in January this year, again as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

Despite his ability as a 'keeper, Doran concedes he is unlikely to take the gloves for the Tigers next season.

Tasmania already have Tim Paine, a former Test and ODI wicketkeeper, and Ben Dunk, who was given the gloves for Australia's T20 team earlier this summer, on their roster.

But Doran says he won't neglect his 'keeping even if he doesn't get a chance behind the stumps next season.

"We haven't spoken about that at Tassie yet, but I'd say I'd still work on it and still try to develop my keeping as well," he said.

"With Paine and Dunk there, they know their stuff and to learn off them, I'm still young, I'm only 18 so I've still got a fair bit of time on my hands so I don't have to go rushing into it.

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Doran hit an unbeaten 99 against Bangladesh in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup

"For me it's about learning as much as I can at the moment.

"I feel like I'm a pretty good fielder as well. I've always tried to develop every aspect of my game, whether it be bowling, keeping, fielding and most importantly batting.

"I think it comes down to me working harder at every aspect.

"If I do get that opportunity, it may not be with the gloves, which means my fielding has to be up scratch."

Doran follows in the footsteps of fellow NSW batsmen Michael Bevan and Ed Cowan to take their skills to the apple isle.

The late Phillip Hughes also left NSW to join South Australia in a bid to further his career and play more regular first-class cricket, as did Queensland batsmen Usman Khawaja and Peter Forrest.

Ironically, Cowan's exit from Tasmania and return to Sydney for family reasons helped pave the way for Doran's move south.

"It's fair to say we have to replace someone who brings 800 to 1000 runs (per season)," Farrell said, adding Cowan's departure wasn't the catalyst for Doran's signing.

"We're hoping Jake is capable of that in the years to come, but he'll come down and press his claims like everyone else.

"But Cowan going has certainly left a big hole in our list and we have to rebuild quickly."

Doran will play alongside another highly-rated NSW-born player in Jordan Silk, who moved to Tasmania from Sydney grade cricket and made his first-class debut as a 20-year-old. In his third first-class game, Silk scored a century in the 2013 Sheffield Shield final to help secure victory.

An archive interview with rising Australian star, Jake Doran