The Grampians Cricket Association under-17 team is busy preparing for its first round of the Kirton Shield to be played on Sunday from 10am.
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The team will play its first of a three match series beginning on the turf wicket of Central Park.
The Ballarat Blue team will make its way to Stawell for the first game.
Pomonal’s Ryan Nellthorp will captain the team while Brody Stewart will coach the team.
Nellthorp, who played in his first Kirton Shield competition last season, said the higher level of cricket is exciting to be involved with.
“I’m pretty keen to get out there and have a hit with the boys,” he said.
“I’m a bit nervous but it should be good.”
Youth Club all rounder and Grampians player Bailey Taylor said the Kirton Shield is a good chance to see the different cricket style of other leagues.
“It is a good competition – you can learn a bit and it is good fun,” he said.
Both Taylor and Nellthorp kicked off their season’s last weekend in A Grade, recording wins in the first round.
The Central Park pitch is still in the process of being curated to be ready for Sunday’s game.
Stewart said he believes it will be ready to go by game time.
“It is looking a bit rough at the moment but we will get the guys to keep working on it to be ready,” he said.
“The council have done a good job to get it to this point we just have to finish it off.
“Despite this it will be good to start at home for the first game.”
Stewart said playing teams from bigger leagues is a good chance for his players to develop.
“The other teams always have a fair few players to pick from. We had about 15 try out for our team – they have anywhere upwards of 60.”
The Grampians team will play Castlemaine in its second game on November 5 at Newstead before finishing the pool group play with a match against Gisborne Green on November 19.
The Grampians side failed to win a game in the 2016-17 Kirton Shield.