Blues name young guns in Shield squad

Boom Blues youngster Jack Edwards is in line to make his JLT Sheffield Shield debut after he was today named in NSW's 12-man squad for their round one clash against South Australia next week.

Edwards was named alongside fellow uncapped teammates Daniel Sams and Jason Sangha in the Blues squad and given his brilliant JLT One-Day Cup campaign the 18-year-old is a strong chance to play at Adelaide Oval.

While the Blues prepare for their match in Adelaide, at Blacktown International Sports Park in Sydney's west, Test duo Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be lining up for NSW Metro in the Toyota Futures League from next Monday.

The four-day fixture against Tasmania will provide the pace pair a chance to closely manage their output as they eye an international return in the Gillette ODI Series against South Africa early next month.

Edwards started his Blues career in the lower order before shifting up to open the batting in the JLT Cup, where he became the youngest player to score a century in the competition with 116 against Queensland at North Sydney Oval.

But with squad member Nick Larkin posting 205 as opener in ACT/NSW Country’s Futures League clash against Queensland, Edwards looks set to occupy a middle-order spot should he get the nod.

"The basic method of my batting will stay the same," Edwards said about potentially moving down the order.

"It's just trusting my defence and making good decisions as much as possible.

"White-ball cricket you can go after it a bit more but red ball I might have to bat a bit more time."

Edwards also has a chance to make his debut alongside right-arm quick and older brother Mickey, with the pair the first male siblings to play for NSW since the Waugh bothers.

Competing for Mickey's spot is left-arm seamer Sams, who is best known for his efforts in limited-overs cricket, but understands what it takes to bowl in four-day cricket.

"One of the biggest things with Shield cricket being a longer form you've just got to try and  execute your skills for a longer period of time," Sams said.

"If you're bowling you're trying to outlast the batter, try to draw a mistake.

"Same kind of thing with the batting, just trying to be better than the bowler."

NSW Blues: Peter Nevill (c & wk), Sean Abbott, Trent Copeland, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Stephen O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha

NSW Metro: Param Uppal (c), Nick Bertus, Harry Conway, Pat Cummins, Daniel Fallins, Ryan Gibson, Chris Green, Ryan Hackney, Josh Hazlewood, Baxter Holt (wk), Daniel Solway, Charlie Stobo