Gold Coast Dolphins teen Hugo Burdon named in Cricket Australia’s Pathways Rookie Squad

TEENAGE batsman Hugo Burdon will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Gold Coast Dolphins teammate Xavier Bartlett after earning a place in Cricket Australia’s Pathways Rookie Squad.

TEENAGE batsman Hugo Burdon will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Gold Coast Dolphins teammate Xavier Bartlett after earning a place in Cricket Australia’s Pathways Rookie Squad for 2018-19.

Burdon, 16, is one of 39 players aged 15-17 chosen in the squad, which provides development opportunities for Australia’s next generation of stars.

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The Miami resident is currently captaining Queensland at the national under-17 championships in Brisbane and Mackay.

Launched in 2015, the Pathways Rookie Squad program graduates list includes 19-year-old fast bowler Bartlett, who debuted for Queensland at the JLT One-Day Cup last month.

Gold Coast Dolphins batsman Hugo Burdon. Picture: Jerad Williams

CA pathways manager Graham Manou said Burdon, who has not missed a first grade game for the Dolphins this season after debuting in Round 1, now had a golden chance to build on his promising foundations.

“The CA Pathways Rookie Squad is now entering its fourth season and gives our emerging male players the opportunity to develop both as cricketers and young men,” Manou said.

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“It’s a chance for them to get specialist support at both a state and national level from a skills perspective, and also in areas such as their off-field education. A select group will then take part in a high-performance camp at the National Cricket Centre in 2019.

Delissa Kimmince in action for the Southern Stars in Canberra on Friday night. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

“We’re now starting to see players progressing from this program and representing their state sides, which is really pleasing. This year’s squad – like those in previous years – contains some really exciting young players and we hope this program continues to assist their holistic development.”

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Burdon’s Dolphins clubmate, Delissa Kimmince, was on Tuesday named in Southern Stars squads for this month’s three-match ODI series against Pakistan in Malaysia and the Women’s World T20 in the West Indies from November 9-24.

Her teammates, Georgia Redmayne and Sammy-Jo Johnson, were part of history yesterday when they were named in the first official women’s Australia A touring party.

The side will play three one-dayers and three T20s in Mumbai from October 15.