Stars from the CA National Champs

The past two months have seen Australia’s best underage players take centre stage across the country to compete in the Cricket Australia National Championships.

More than 200 players descended upon four states to press their claims to national talent scouts who were keenly observing the next crop of Australian cricketers.

Divided into four age groups – under 15 and 18 female / under 17 and 19 male – there were some outstanding individual and team performances in each competition.

The week long tournaments were housed in Newcastle, Adelaide, Ballarat and Hobart with the youths playing on some of Australia’s premier grounds.

The NSW Metropolitan sides were unstoppable, winning all four tournaments – three of them for the second year in a row.

NSW Metropolitan’s Under 18s squad also completed the feat of 11-straight titles for the Betty Butcher Shield.

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NSW Under 18s celebrate their 11th straight title

Cricket Australia’s National Talent Manager Greg Chappell was happy with how the Championships played out and believes there are some potential Australian players in the mix.

“The championships went really well … we select the National U19 World Cup squad next week and it gives us great confidence for the future,” Chappell told cricket.com.au, before adding just how hard the kids would have to work to eventually break into the national squad.

“It’s all part of the journey … success at this level doesn’t guarantee anything and it’s up to the kids, just the same as a not-so-successful tournament doesn’t mean the end of the line.”

The tournament saw NSW Blues and Sydney Thunder batsman Jake Doran play for the Under 19s squad whilst rising Western Australian batsman Jake Carder pummeled a tournament high 366 runs at 73.2.

Not to be outdone, South Australia and Adelaide Strikers supplementary batsman Patrick Page Jnr crafted 391 runs at 78.2 in the U17 competition.

The U18 females were dominated by NSW Metropolitan bowler Lauren Cheatle who picked up 18 wickets at a remarkable 5.2 runs apiece. Another NSW Metropolitan product, U15 Saskia Horley hit 181 runs and took 14 wickets – becoming the highest-ever wicket-taker for the age group in the process.

Cricket NSW General Manager of Team Performance David Moore believes there is a plethora of talent coming through the system.

“Some of our kids are already contracted to the (NSW) Blues and Breakers … in the past, two to seven players have made the national squad,” Moore said.

“We pinpoint the better players through trials and work with the whole person … it’s on- and off-field tuition.”

The tournament has seen players such as Ian Healy, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning dominate the field and make the national side.

Take an in-depth look at some of the names to watch out for this time around and the numbers they produced – numbers that are sure to impress those scouting for Australia’s next talents.

U19 Male

Jake Carder (WA) – An opening batsman with the ability to negate the swinging ball and settle in through the middle overs. A left-hander, Carder had a slow start to the tournament but hit his straps against the ACT/NSW Country side with scores of 34 and 96. After narrowly missing a century, the Fremantle batsman took to the Tasmanians with a monstrous 161 from just 174 balls, an innings that included 25 boundaries. Hitting a purple patch, the 19-year-old hit 63 against the Northern Territory squad that almost clinched the Kookaburra Cup for his state. Carder finished with 366 runs at 73.2.

Luke Bartier (NSW) – Adjudged ‘Cricketer of the Championship’ for his all-round ability, paceman Bartier accumulated 137 runs at 45.7 including a game-saving 80 not out against Queensland. His ability lies with his sheer left-arm pace that accounted for 15 wickets at only 7.5. Bartier also took 6-36 against the South Australians which followed up an impressive 4-8 in the tournament opener against Tasmania. At only 17, the St George player will surely feature again in next year’s championships.

Harmon Sandhu (NSW) – Brother of Australian ODI bowler Gurinder, Harmon possesses the same skills as his Fairfield-Liverpool sibling and showed scouts a glimpse of things to come. Sandhu took 5-15 against South Australia, taking his tally to 11 wickets at 14.5. Also showed class with the bat with a well-crafted 25 when the runs were scarce against the Victorians.

Jake Doran (NSW) – The NSW, Sydney Thunder, Prime Minister’s XI and CA XI wicketkeeper batsman was unavailable for the tournament’s entirety but showed class at the crease with a handy average of 28. A mainstay of the NSW squad and named in the team of the tournament for 2013-14, Doran will no doubt have national duties in his sights.

U18 Female

Sophie Molineux (VIC) – Victoria’s captain had an excellent tournament with the ball, taking her side to the grand final albeit a losing one. Included in the VicSpirit squad for 2014-15 season, the left-arm orthodox bowler picked up 11 wickets at an astonishing 5.7 with best figures of 4-9 against Western Australia. Add that to her 19 wickets at 3.9 in 2013-14 and the national selectors take note. Turning 17 during the tournament, the Dandenong bowler still has a year in the system to impress.

Lauren Cheatle (NSW) – The best strike-rate, the best average and the highest tally of wickets in 2014-15, Cheatle has put her hand up and lived up to the expectations placed on someone who was selected for her state at just 15-years-old. Two four-wicket hauls took her tally up to 18 wickets at 5.3 apiece, adding a wicket ever 13.4 balls. With best figures of 4-6, the Cambelltown bowler will no doubt be at the top of the list of one’s to watch in the next year.

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NSW celebrate their Under 17s success // Getty Images

U17 Male

Patrick Page Jnr (SA) – On a high after being selected as a supplementary batsman for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League when he was just 16, Page cashed in hammering 391 runs at a lazy 78.2. Two hundreds – including a mammoth 170 – and a fifty later, Page Jnr blew the opposition out of the water, claiming the ‘Cricketer of the Championship’ along the way. Page then ventured into U19 territory hitting an additional 162 runs at 23.1. The 17-year-old will be on the watch list of every scout in the country.

Arjun Nair (NSW) – The ultimate player in the U17 tournament, a quality batsman, bowler and fielder, Nair stunned opposition with his bamboozling spin and hard-hitting stroke play. 13 wickets at 20.8 may seem high but Nair bowled more than 20 overs over the tournament average and held batsman at one end whilst the other bowler struck. Played a quality hand at U19 level and will look to get bigger and better.

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The Under 15s combined team of the tournament // Getty Images

U15 Female

Saskia Horley (NSW) – A player who won’t be far off selection for the Southern Stars despite her age, Horley is the ultimate player dominant with both bat and ball. Since starting her underage tenure three years ago with figures of 5-2, the 14-year-old hasn’t looked back and capped off her year being crowned ‘Cricketer of the Championship’.

Fourteen wickets at 8.3 combined with 237 runs at 30.1 is just an indication of what the Gordon Cricket Club girl can do. During the tournament, Saskia also overtook Queensland’s Jemma Barsby as the tournament’s overall leading wicket-taker.

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Saskia Horley was outstanding with bat and ball for NSW Under 15s

Matilda Lugg (ACT) – Two fifties and a hundred says it all – Lugg combined her classy glovework with the ability to hit to all parts. Accumulating 349 runs at 69.8, the Woolgoolga player topped the table with 123 not out against South Australia. An automatic inclusion for the U18 tournament, Lugg followed on with her master class with another 128 runs. Will no doubt feature in next year’s underage tournaments and the Women’s National Cricket League.