By MATT NICHOLLS
ARMIDALE’S best and brightest junior cricketers are gearing up for next month’s Walter Taylor Shield carnival.
Now in its 23rd year, Armidale has played host to the best under-15 cricketers in northern NSW and is looking to claim honours on home turf in January.
The four-day carnival starts on 6 January and all matches will be played on turf, with the final to be played at the Sportsground.
Carnival convenor Ian Reeves said he was expecting another year of strong competition.
“We’ve got teams coming from Tamworth, Lismore, Ballina, the Hunter, Hastings, Penrith and West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook,” he said.
“This year we’ve actually got a few 14-year-olds in our side, so it might not be the strongest squad we’ve had on the park, but they are all really talented players.”
In the squad includes Guyra girl Phoebe Stace, who will follow in the footsteps of Georgina Morgan, who played junior representative cricket for Armidale before going on to represent NSW in hockey.
Reeves said there was regional flavour about this year’s Walter Taylor squad, with players coming from Armidale, Guyra and Glen Innes.
“I reckon it’s one of the highlights of any junior cricketer to represent their association in their own backyard,” he said.
“A lot of good cricketers have played in the carnival before and gone on to bigger and betting things.”
