Pomonal Cricket Club's Bailey Hosemans has taken his cricket career to a new high, earning a place in a representative team for one of the four metropolitan divisions in Melbourne.
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Hosemans, 15, joined Brunswick Cricket Club this season as he worked to develop his skills, playing in the Northern Metro Zone.
Hosemans was selected in the under-15 squad and awarded a chance to play in the J.C. Craig Shield - a round-robin-style series.
Hosemans was named "North Player" of the shield after hitting 255 runs from six matches.
He averaged 64 runs for the series.
He said he initially considered declining the offer to play with Brunswick due to logistics.
"At first I thought it would be too difficult to get to training during the week," he said.
"I then spoke with the coach and negotiated my training schedule at my local club and district."
Hosemans played for Brunswick throughout January as part of the shield and will play his first match for the North Group on February 24.
"It was a very good learning experience for me," he said.
"It was good to see other parts of the state and their standard of competition."
Hosemans, a former Stawell Secondary College student, has moved to school at St Patrick's College in Ballarat.
The year 10 student said it had been a big change for him.
"I will be keeping fit over the winter and when the cricket season starts again, I will ramp up my training," he said.
"I will be travelling home to play in Grampians cricket for the rest of the season but next season I will move to a Ballarat club.
"I haven't decided yet, but I am interested (playing) in a team where I have some friends."
A focus for the young batsman is not only practising his batting skills, but to work on his fielding as well.
"Being a good fielder really does help with your game," he said.
"It also goes a long way in pick selection."
Hosemans said he was not getting ahead of himself, but was hopeful moving to Ballarat was a step in the right direction.
"I'm hoping to go as far as possible with my career," he said.
"I will be trying out for higher competitions in the future.
"In Ballarat and playing in Melbourne, I have more chances of selectors watching me play."
Hosemans said his love for cricket stemmed from a simple element of the game.
"All I know is there is nothing better than the sound of the wood hitting the leather," he said.
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