Damien Mortimer on the ball for dream tour for Australia

DENHAM Court cricketer Damien Mortimer is eager to slip on the green and gold uniform for Australian.

DENHAM Court cricketer Damien Mortimer is eager to slip on the green and gold uniform after he was selected in the Australian under-19 team to tour New Zealand next month.

The 18-year-old was one of two talented NSW batsmen selected in the 14-man squad from a talent camp at Brisbane's Centre of Excellence earlier this month.

The former St Gregory's College student will travel across the Tasman to play the New Zealand under-19s in a three-day match at the end of March, before three 50-over matches in early April. "It's awesome (to be selected) and a great opportunity for me. I'm looking forward to travelling to New Zealand," he said.

Mortimer said he was looking forward to the training camp. "We're going back to the Centre of Excellence and working with coach Stuart Law and Greg Chappell, so that will be great," he said. Mortimer said he would work hard in New Zealand before the team's tours of Darwin and India later this year.

He attributed his batting finesse to his long-time batting coach Neil D'Costa.

"Neil has coached me since I was 11-years-old and he's improved both my physical and mental game," he said. Mortimer has worked with Campbelltown-Camden District Club first-grade batsmen and enjoyed a personal-best 650 runs this season.