Next Generation

[BGman]

Pretty good couple weeks for Will Taylor who only just finished his HSC, made NSW 19s and to top off that has now taken a 1st Grade club hat trick in amongst career best figures of 6/26 - a maiden 1st Grade 5 wicket haul. It should be said this is a monumental performance from the just turned 18 year old, stepping up for the Saints bowling outfit in the absence of Francis and O’Riordan. (St George C C )

Will missed the current U19 WC thru injury, hope not back stress. Have not seen him bowl yet but intend seeing above footage. I believe he is a specialist seamer with clever wrist action to be able to stand up the seam at will. Well a hat trick on your PC Firsts debut attests to that.

 

[BGman]

For O and any other interested members. 1h 10m into the video.


Bloody impressive and jeez did his team mates lay on the hero worship.
Will still has a gangly boyish action as he is yet to develop a smoother run to the crease. Even tho his coach says he is a down and out seamer his bucket load shows he is versatile and a genuine wicket taker. Great news for when he is bowling on unseaming surfaces as his career progresses.

 

[9874123]

For O and any other interested members. 1h 10m into the video.


Bloody impressive and jeez did his team mates lay on the hero worshiping.
Will still has a gangly kid action as yet to smoothen his run up but after his delivery stride he was explosive on what looked a mild surface. Even tho his coach says he is a down and out seamer his bucket load showed he is versatile and a genuine wicket taker. Great news for when he is bowling on seam unfriendly tracks as his career progresses.

Looks like a good height too. As you said earlier, I hope he hasn't been out with anything stress related. Would have been nice to have seen him at the u19 world cup but then we wouldn't know much about Byrom.

Very nice average here, although its not a ton of overs. Maybe managing his work load?

 

[Mostyn]

Nice whippy action

 

[cullinan]

I dont particularly want Barton to become express, plenty of potential guys already. After a fit Morris there is Beardman, Vidler or even Lachmund who is no slouch either, to cover that spot.

First time I have seen the other 17 yr old in the team bowl in a white ball game and he sure as hell made the most of his chance after coming in for an injured Taylor.

Lachmund, Barton and Byrom hunted as a pack with every catch they offered gratefully accepted, shell shocking the undefeated Lankans to the core. The true Test will come against India and how the boys handle their disciplined spin. Imho Samuel looked more comfortable than Hogan against the turning ball.

I did say close to express. We can only go on vision to determine speed. Jeez I'd be happy if he concentrated on med fast seam as at the moment I see only Anderson as a specialist seamer among the current next gen bowlers. No doubt several of this emerging crop will be pushing Anderson and co for higher honors over the next two/three yrs..

Are you guys seeing what I am. There is no left armer among all of these young guys playing in Africa, nor was there in the India series at home. Always believed having a lefty in your attacks adds versatility. and a touch of X factor. Still there are two in the current next gens in Liam Haskett and Campbell Thompson and both can bowl hooping swing. In addition there is another lefty swingman on the Second X1 scene in 2.8cm tall Tassie recruit Marcus Bean. I'll be watching this giant guys progress.

I guess you could add in Ollie Patterson to the left armers on the scene. Played Auusie U/19's and for Easterns Suburbs in Sydney PC before being lured north to Qld. Played the T20Max and excelled and was offered a contract with the Heat. Did well with limited opportunities in a few BBL games. Bowls with decent pass and swings the new ball. Is only short so a bit skiddy so needs to rely on other sklills wheh the ball isn't swinging.

Bean is an interesting one - tall and bowls good wheels but is very inconsistent. He is in the pro environment now with Tassie so hopefully a prospect in the making.

 

[cullinan]

An era is about to end for Australian cricket. A spectacular rebirth could follow

The end of this era should not cause concern. Australian cricket remains healthy. An exciting crop of young talent is coming through to form the core of the next great Australian teams.

www.smh.com.au

 

[cullinan]

Another who performed above expectation, both with gloves and the willow, recall he hit the biggest ton among the Aussies. A great prospect, but there are a crop of others that will battle with him for the national gloves in a few yrs time. Guys like Zac Curtain, Alex Lee-Young, Lachlan Aitken, Simon Budge.

Aitken appears on the outer at Queensland - he hasn't been selected in Second XI this season with Isaiah Snell being preferred in all three games.

 

[toml]

Aitken appears on the outer at Queensland - he hasn't been selected in Second XI this season with Isaiah Snell being preferred in all three games.

I don't think his batting has really come on quite like they have wanted it to just yet. Brilliant with the gloves though, so he will be thereabouts once Peirson moves on if his batting picks up

 

[cullinan]

Another budding Tassie all rounder that excites me. Aidan O'Connor. Stats from 13 PC and Second X1 games.
wk: 20 @16.4
best: 3/22
runs: 289 @28
best: 89

I know how much you love your stats, often used to judge a players ability, so I didn't think you would be overly impressed by O'Connor.

In his 4 Shield games he has 3 wickets at 78.66 and 92 runs at 18.40
In his 2 List A game he has 0 wickets and 32 runs at 16

For me, he looks a player of potential and I dont think his first class and List A stats tell the whole story. Think back to Kellaway 3 seasons ago and also now Peake. Stats werent that good early, but obviously players of ability and in the next gen conversation big time.

 

[cullinan]

Another poached quick by those bananabenders. No offense, I blame the useless Blues selectors firstly and then the large talent pool, for any poaching.

I don't think it could be called "poaching" when NSW didnt even think Ollie Patterson was worthy of a place in a 33 man Academy Squad for this season. I'm sure he saw how far down the fast bowling pecking order he was so decided to try his luck elsewhere.

New-Look Blues Academy Announced for 2025/26 | Cricket NSW

Cricket NSW is proud to unveil the newly restructured Blues Academy for the 2025/26 season,...

www.cricketnsw.com.au

Its staggering what is happening in NSW with player identification. A player deemed not good enough to even make a 33 man academy squad in August 2025 then goes onto play BBL a few months later and is a good chance to land a state contract in his adopted state. NSW have recent form as well in the two players they didnt have room for in 24/25 with MacMillan (Tasmania) and Straker (Qld) who both played FC and List A cricket that same season at their new homes.

I can only assume that NSW looks at players differently to the other states? Yes there is a big talent pool in NSW, but they seem to have got these three wrong. Perhaps long term the decisions will be justified, but at this stage they look to be mistakes.

 

[Freezin]

I don't think it could be called "poaching" when NSW didnt even think Ollie Patterson was worthy of a place in a 33 man Academy Squad for this season. I'm sure he saw how far down the fast bowling pecking order he was so decided to try his luck elsewhere.

New-Look Blues Academy Announced for 2025/26 | Cricket NSW

Cricket NSW is proud to unveil the newly restructured Blues Academy for the 2025/26 season,...

www.cricketnsw.com.au

Its staggering what is happening in NSW with player identification. A player deemed not good enough to even make a 33 man academy squad in August 2025 then goes onto play BBL a few months later and is a good chance to land a state contract in his adopted state. NSW have recent form as well in the two players they didnt have room for in 24/25 with MacMillan (Tasmania) and Straker (Qld) who both played FC and List A cricket that same season at their new homes.

I can only assume that NSW looks at players differently to the other states? Yes there is a big talent pool in NSW, but they seem to have got these three wrong. Perhaps long term the decisions will be justified, but at this stage they look to be mistakes.

I guess as long as these mistakes get sweeped up by another state and the mistake gets rightened....then NSW loss and another states gain....and hopefully Australia test wise

 

[cullinan]

They do and did get Macmillan wrong for mine. Presumedly he did not make the 24/25 academy intake, so dont blame him for heading to Tassie. My TAS Cricket member mate tells me TCA talent scouts head first every year to Blues territory in search of our talented rejects. They sure lucked in with Mac as no way given his U19 performances did he not deserve a rookie contract.

There were three that had great performances at U/19 level from NSW in that same group that didnt get rookies. Of the 6 in the Aus U/19 world cup team, they chose Konstas, Hicks and Anderson - they obviously rated those 3 higher than Macmillan, Straker and Singh. Granted its hard to fit them all in and only Singh missed a contract at all.

Interestingly, 3 of those 6 made the Australian 19's in the season before the World Cup as bottom age players (Anderson, Singh, Straker) with Hicks, Konstas and Macmillan missing out on the squad that played England in Brisbane.

As an inteeresting side point, the coach of both of those Aussie U/19 teams and I assume a selector, is also high up in NSW cricket coaching ranks. Perhaps different views between him and the heirarchy?

A forgotten U/19 talent from NSW (think he may have been mentioned earlier in this thread) is Ethan Jamieson. Currently playing for Wests in Sydney PC. He was highly rated as a junior and played in the Australian U/19 series in Brisbane that I mention above. Seems to have somewhat gone off the boil. I'll keep an eye on him as he did hit the ball wall and bowled occassional leggies.

Are there any Victorians on this thread. The Vics seem to have big wraps on fast bowler Austin Anlezark. He is one of the ten contracted to the Melbourne Stars for BBL16 and has played 3 List A games for the Vics this season with 3 wickets at 24 and an economy of 5.21. He was another player in the Aus U/19 in the Brisbane series against England. Liam Blackford (wicket keeper/batter) was also in the Aus U/19 team and scored 93 and 94 in the second XI game v Souht Ausdtralia last week. Anlezark also played in that game and picked up 1-58 from 13 overs.

 

[cullinan]

Not very flash but early days. Not sure Tassie selectors know where he should be in the lineup being an all rounder. Hope and Owen have played that role his season and last, but I rate O'Connor potentially superior to that pair. Probably another club and Seconds season is best for him as he only played the one Seconds match before he was catapulted into shield. Too soon it seems.

I would just play him if they think he has the potential to be a very good FC player. Hope doesnt set the world on fire so I would stick with the young fella and let him know that his selection doesnt rely on his stats, similar to what the Vics do with Kellaway (in previous years) and Peake.

States have to blood youngsters or the competition becomes stagnated with too many older players, and future Australian players are not getting the necessary experience to harden them and prepare them for international duties. Its a difficult task, but I agree with the theme of the Greg Chappel article posted earlier in the week - identify the players who have the skills and almost as importantly, the work ethic and mental toughness to withstand pressure and blood them in the first class system and give them time to develop without checking their average, strike rate, economy etc after every game.

 

[BGman]

Ethan Jamieson. Seems to have somewhat gone off the boil.

He has. Is having a moderate season and that is being generous. One of the better performers in the Aussie leg of the Junior Ashes too with bat and ball. Had hi hopes for him.

I would just play him if they think he has the potential to be a very good FC player.

To my knowledge O'Connor was a Emerging Tiger in '24/5 so TCA does rate him. Agree about Hope, has had ample chances to cement the Tigers all rounder role. Owen looks more suited to white ball. The only other guy that could push O'Connor is Louis Smith, more a pace bowling all rounder and also a past Emerging Tiger. Then again Smith may be picked in the attack if he nails a Tigers contract this yr.

Its a difficult task, but I agree with the theme of the Greg Chappel article posted earlier in the week - identify the players who have the skills and almost as importantly, the work ethic and mental toughness to withstand pressure and blood them in the first class system and give them time to develop without checking their average, strike rate, economy etc after every game.

100 per cent agree with the great Greg Chappell.

I recall Blackford and was impressed but he went off the scene after the Junior Ashes. Vic selectors did not rate him?

 

[cullinan]

You come across as knowledgeable and a tragic same as me cullinan. I was born and bred in the harbor city but in recent yrs I have followed two other states due to a inane Blues selection policy that for yrs neglected young talent, resulting in a substantial drop in players rising to elite cricket. The dark days of a kid sitting on the rookie bench for three yrs then being discarded without a single shield game, has to change. Those running the newly restructured Blues Academy will certainly be aiming for this as it has moved away from age based squads to grouping players by skill type, allowing for more tailored coaching.

Joel Davies is on a fast track at the moment, may jump all the other Asian tour contenders as he looks a genuine batting/slow left arm all rounder and they are as scarce as snow in hell here.

Im a felow cricket tragic and love watching emerging talent develop and actually given a chance. In the social media world where information is so accessible, people are very quick to write off these youngsters after a few bad games and use their poor stats to support their argument of them being no good. We are all somewhat guilty of that, however I prefer when they give the the young fellas time to get established.

Poor stats can be highlighted when using a small sample size (# of games). A batter can get a few dodgy decisions or get out to some absolute seeds. A bowler can have dropped catches, poor umpiring decisions or just bowl well without luck.

Over a larger number of games these things will even out, but we are often quick to write players off, even when we dont watch all of the games. I get that everyone doesnt want to watch Shield games like me and we are all entitled to our unique opinions.

Joel Davies had a great BBL - definitely looks a good white ball prospect. Not sure if his bowling looks like it would be suited to red ball.

 

[cullinan]

I recall Blackford and was impressed but he went off the scene after the Junior Ashes. Vic selectors did not rate him?

I believe Blackford had injuries that kept him out for nearly a full season following the junior ashes a few years ago. Looks like he is playing well now.

 

[toml]

Tom Balkin and Oli Patterson in the Qld squad for tomorrow's one dayer against Victoria

 

[BGman]

A couple of pace bowlers that appear to have flown under the radar since the Aussie leg of the Jr Ashes are Sydneys Luke Callanan and Perths Josh Vernon. Coincidently, Vernon hails from the same small Pilbara region as Mahli Beardman, has a good PC record and has played Second X1 this season

Callanan was a star school sportsman, cricket included. I have footage of him taking apart a fellow college team with three, or was it four, of his 6 poles, clean bowled. After school he decided to settle for cricket and no doubt is pleased he did as it led to him playing for his nation. Callanan too has a fine PC record and he has also played Second X1 this season, so both bowlers are back on the radar.

Rising Vic keeper/batsman Jai Lemire, 22, may be another cricketer vying for the future national gloves as he has impressed me with both his batting and glove work in several Second X1 matches.
Lemire had a stellar '24/25 PC campaign where he scored 1043 runs, inc a double century @41 plus took 38 catches, 2 stumpings, 5 run outs, all of which earned him a full state contract for this season.
Look out Ryan Hicks, Zac Curtain, Alex Lee-Young, Lachlan Aitken. You have company.