Geelong cricketer Oliver Peake picked in the under-19 national squad for the World Cup

A young Geelong cricketer will spend the festive season tinkering with his game as he looks to take his batting to new heights.

While most people will be finetuning their Christmas shopping lists and holiday plans over the coming weeks, a young Geelong cricketer will be looking for ways to improve his game.

Oliver Peake, 17, son of Geelong and South Barwon legend Clinton, has been named as a non-travelling reserve for the 15-man national squad ahead of the under-19 World Cup in South Africa early next year.

It comes following a particularly solid performance for country Victoria in the under-19 national championships in Albury earlier this month — his second year in a row at the titles despite his young years.

However, Peake was a tad disappointed with his output, despite averaging 47 with three half centuries.

Oliver Peake averaged 47 during the under-19 national championships. Picture: Contributed.

Leaving for Ballarat on January 3 for the under-17 national champs, where he will skipper the country Victorian team, Peake will spend the coming weeks analysing his own game.

“There’s still a few things I want to tidy up before (Ballarat),” he said.

“I’ve got to sit down and reassess my game plan, I normally take pride in that when I do get a start, I normally turn it into a pretty big score.

“Reassess what I’m thinking during those times.

“I’ve got to refresh my mind a little bit (over the holidays), it was quite a big week in Albury ... you get buggered.”

That being said, there were clear highlights for Peake, with a matchwinning 67 against Victoria Metro as he joined fellow Cat Henry Melville (64) in a 97-run stand.

“I love batting with Henry, he gets the way I bat and I get the way he bats,” he said.

“I think we counter balance each other pretty well.”

Peake and Henry Melville opened the batting together against New South Wales Country. Picture: Contributed.

He also made scores of 57 and 59 against South Australia and New South Wales Country respectively, with only one score below 30 from six hits.

However, Peake said an inability to kick on may have cost him national selection for South Africa.

“I had a good tournament, because I made the team of the tournament, but to take that next step I probably had to make a score over 100,” he said.

“I just got myself out a few times when I shouldn’t, I wonder if that could have made a difference.

Peake and his mother Sarah. Picture: Contributed.

“I ran myself out a couple of times and hit a few catches a few times as well.

“If I took that next step, things could have been different.

“Not making the World Cup (team) dampened it a little bit.

“It would have been nice to make it this year.”

Peake will return to Geelong’s first grade team this weekend for a pair of T20 fixtures against Melbourne University and St Kilda, after belting his debut first grade hundred in late October against Greenvale Kangaroos, 110 off just 116 balls

Originally published as Geelong cricketer Oliver Peake picked in the under-19 national squad for the World Cup