Star rookie continues his rapid rise
Doran awarded NSW Blues contract
One of Australia’s brightest young talents has been awarded a NSW Blues rookie contract for the 2014-15 season.
Jake Doran, 17, burst on to the Australian cricket scene in 2013 with selection in the CA Chairman’s XI, Australia’s U19 World Cup squad and a rookie spot with the Sydney Thunder in the KFC T20 Big Bash League.
He also broke Doug Walters’ long standing-record as the youngest player to ever represent NSW 2nd XI when he played against Western Australia in a Toyota Futures League clash in October, scoring 15 and 61 not out.
In November last year, Cricket Australia's national talent manager Greg Chappell likened the young left-handed batsman to cricket great Mike Hussey and said he was ready to take 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 before the Chairman’s XI clash against England last summer.
"If NSW were to pick him, he'd be ready to go.
"Worst thing you can do for a players is to leave them at a level at which they are already competent for too long," Chappell said.
In other news from today’s announcement, Ryan Carters was upgraded to a full State contract after finishing third on the list Bupa Sheffield Shield run scorers in the Blues’ triumphant season.
Chris Tremain was the only notable departure from the star-studded squad after he accepted an offer to join the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers next season.
NSW Blues squad for 2014-15: Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson, Sean Abbott, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters, Trent Copeland, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Scott Henry, Daniel Hughes, Josh Lalor, Nic Maddinson, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Ben Rohrer, Gurinder Sandhu. Rookies: Harry Conway, Jake Doran, Ben Dwarshuis, Patrick Pisel.