Premier Cricket 2019-20: Seven Monash Tigers picked for under-19 national championships
Monash Tigers will be well represented at next month’s under-19 championships, with seven players set to shine on the national stage.
Local Sport
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It’s Young Talent Time at the Monash Tigers.
Coach Shannon Young is overseeing what is considered one of the best grade cricket clubs in Australia for nurturing emerging young talent.
That is evidenced by seven players being selected to represent the Premier Cricket club at next month’s Under-19 National Championships in Perth.
Wil Parker, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Zac Sleeman and Kyle Viccars have received Vic Metro honours, while Jonathon D’Rozario and Yash Pednekar have been selected for Vic Country and Bailey Moon will play in a Cricket Australia XI.
Parker will captain the Vic Metro team.
“It’s no accident that we’ve got seven,” Young said.
Monash has given priority to youth and development in recent years, while making five consecutive finals series.
Young was the mastermind behind the club’s academy, aimed at giving players of the future a taste of Premier Cricket.
A “development squad” plays in the one-day Mercantile Cricket Association competition
and the group is given the opportunity to train with the senior group during the season.
“The academy is not about kids making hundreds and taking five-fas,” Young said.
“It’s about us really seeing how they go about things, teaching them the Richmond (Monash) way and what the expectations and standards are.”
Players are selected on a character, attitude and commitment criteria.
“The cricket skills come secondary,” he said.
Young established the academy when he first arrived at Central Reserve and it’s into its seventh year.
“I’d always had in the back of my mind that development hadn’t quite been what I thought it should be at Premier level,” he said.
“I always thought there had to be a better way to give these kids, first and foremost, an introduction into Premier Cricket, particularly the commitment levels, expectations and standards, but to also allow them to stay at their local club.
“There’s no secret that has been the cornerstone of why we have some of the best young talent getting around.”
Fraser-McGurk is one of the country’s top talents, making his First Class debut for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland last week.
Mitch Perry also made his List A debut on Tuesday, taking the new ball in the 50-over fixture against Queensland.
Parker, Sleeman, Viccars and Moon have made their Premier Cricket First XI debuts and D’Rozario and Pednekar are among the leading performers in the club’s seconds this season.
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Monash is the only club yet to win a game in 2019-20, but Young has other indicators for success.
“Do we want to be winless? No, but we’ve had five pretty good years and we’re pretty confident in two to three years, we’re probably going to have a decade of really good years,” he said.
“I’ve got all this talent at my disposal.
“I’m pretty buoyant about our future.”