Victorian Under-15 Country and Metro squads

Cricket Victoria today announced two under-15 squads for October's Country v Metro series in Malvern.

Held on October 1 and 2, the series will act as a key selection tool for the Under-15 National Championships, with the squads facing each other in two Twenty20s and a 40-over game.

The Metro side will feature three representatives from last season’s Under-15 Victorian team including Zoe Griffiths, Bella Gietzmann and Jessica Karamoshou while the Country side’s sole returning member is Sophie Van De Heuvel.

Victorian Under-15 coach John Hayes acknowledged that all the girls had impressed at the training sessions and that the selected squads were well-balanced.

“We have selected three left-arm quicks in Emma Leatham, Choney Meemusour and Samantha Ryan who all provide energy, pace and are hard hitting batters which, should see some good variation in both attacks,” Hayes said.

“We also have three spinners, Karamoshou and Erika Quinn who are leg-spinners and Rosie Wynd who bowls some finger spin, so we are looking to see how the girls work in with the quicks.

“We have two talented batting keepers in Nicole Faltum and Griffiths who will go head-to-head, Clem Ryan-Fuller, Kate Douglas, Alana D’Aquino, Dayna Smith and Holly Spencer are all competing with the bat and add to this a number of talented all-rounders in Annabel Sutherland, Van De Heuvel, Teagan Brett, Maddison Baird and Tahlia Simpson to name a few.

“If you then add in Stephanie Lewis, Isabella Weber, Lucy Cripps, Bianca McKay, Gietzmann and Thenushi Perera who are right-arm quicks that bat, it shows that we have a lot of quality options and there are exciting times ahead for female cricket in Victoria.”

In the lead-up to selection of the squads, a combined seven sessions were held between Metro and Country at the MCG where the girls participated in various skill based programs whilst completing individual programs at home and at their local clubs.

“It is important that even if the girls haven’t moved through to this phase that they are prepared for the season ahead and hopefully the girls feel that they have improved their skills and preparation, gaining some extra confidence in their own ability,” Hayes said.

“Some of the families have been travelling up to four and a half hours each way to be at sessions, so I congratulate all the girls and their families on the commitment they have shown to the program.”

The Country and Metro squads will partake in three more training sessions ahead of October’s series before the final squad is selected for the Under-15 National Championships that will be held in Sydney from November 26 to December 3, 2014.

Vic Metro Squad
Zoe Griffiths (Box Hill CC & Inner East Emus)
Bella Gietzmann (Mt Waverley CC & Inner South East Scorpions)
Annabel Sutherland (East Malvern Tooronga CC & Inner South East Scorpions)
Jessica Karamoshou (Coburg CC & North West Wizards)
Erika Quinn (Coburg CC & Inner South East Scorpions)
Thenushi Perera (Hampton Park CC & Southern Pioneers)
Stephanie Lewis (St Francis de Sales CC & North West Wizards)
Emma Leatham (South Morang CC & Northern Falcons)
Alana D’Aquino (Parkdale CC & South East Bayside Breakers)
Isabella Weber (Box Hill CC & Inner South East Scorpions)
Clem Ryan-Fuller (Port Melbourne CC & South East Bayside Breakers)
Holly Spencer (Box Hill CC & Inner East Emus)

Vic Country Squad
Sophie Van De Heuvel (Golden Point CC & Central Highlands)
Tahlia Simpson (Rutherglen CC & North East Knights)
Maddison Baird (New City CC & North East Knights)
Nicole Faltum (Trafalgar CC & Gippsland Pride)
Choney Meemusour (Guilford CC & Central Highlands)
Samantha Ryan (Pines CC & South East Country Sharks)
Teagan Brett (Northerners CC & Northern Rivers)
Dayna Smith (Baden Powell CC & South East Country Sharks)
Lucy Cripps (Baden Powell CC & South East Country Sharks)
Kate Douglas (Bendigo CC & Northern Rivers)
Bianca McKay (Gisborne CC & Central Highlands)
Rosie Wynd (Port Fairy CC & Western Waves)