Kingston Hawthorn to field an under-18 side at Melbourne Country Week

A Victorian Premier Cricket club will field an under-18 team at Melbourne Country Week, solving an issue with the fixture.

Kurt Heigl bowling for Kingston Hawthorn. Picture: Valeriu Campan

There was an opening and the Hawks swooped.

Kingston Hawthorn has taken up the opportunity to field a team at next week’s Melbourne Country Week, helping to eliminate a bye in Division 2.

The Hawks side will be an under-18s combination, but with some older players added.

“We had an odd number of entries,’’ Victorian Country Cricket League secretary Keith Thompson said.

“We reached out to our own associations that didn’t have a team...and all of those efforts fell on deaf ears.

“So then we reached out to other contacts, trying to work out how we get rid of the bye and Kingston Hawthorn have put in a team. That’s how it eventuated.’’

Kingston Hawthorn coach Colin Siller believes his promising crop of youngsters will benefit from going up against older, more seasoned players from the bush in the annual carnival.

Prajay Paramesh batting for Kingston Hawthorn. Picture: Valeriu Campan

First staged in 1922, Melbourne Country Week has long been considered the pinnacle for regionally based Victorian cricketers.

“They’ll come up against a different style and people they don’t know,” Siller said.

“I think it’s a really good thing.

“As l’ve said to them the standard will be really good...it won’t be easy for them for sure.”

The Hawks side will include three players who have played Premier first

XI this season, Prajay Paramesh, Kurt Heigl and Cory Cater.

Paramesh underlined his talent by scoring 103 in Kingston Hawthorn’s second XI earlier in the season, as well as two half tons.

Kingston Hawthorn Country Week squad: Nic Tindall (captain), Hamish McKenzie (wicketkeeper), Charlie Aldridge, Ben Spencer, Prajay Paramesh, Luke Ajani, Sakshm Pathania, Rahul Surendran, Jahan Saidi, Prabhav Mishra, Brad Stow, Kurt Heigl, Max Ralph, Cory Cater.

Fixture:

Division 2:

Monday, February 12: Casey Cardinia v Kingston Hawthorn, at Walter Galt, 10am

Tuesday, February 13: Kingston Hawthorn v Bellarine Peninsula, at Williamstown, 10am

Wednesday, February 14: Maryborough District CA v Kingston Hawthorn, at Essendon, 10am

Thursday, February 15: Kingston Hawthorn v Ballarat, at Moorleigh Community, at 10am

Friday, February 16: Final