DUNKELD’S Vincent Huf has taken a massive step in his quest to play cricket for Australia, selected in Cricket Australia’s 36-man Under-19 World Cup squad.

The 2022 event will be played in the West Indies and the 17-year-old former Grampians Cricket Club cricketer is among 12 Victorians to make the squad.

The all-rounder said he found out a while ago that he was included in the squad, but the recent official announcement means he can now focus on putting his best foot forward, as the selection process takes shape.

“It is 36-man squad. It has only been officially announced the other day, but they were hoping we could go on camps during winter, so I have known for a while,” Huf said.

“It was going to be during the school holidays then COVID prevented it.

“I think December 4 they are having three one-dayers in Adelaide, I think 20-odd are going down there, but I am on stand-by for that.

“A lot of pace bowlers aren’t going.

“Premier cricket hasn’t got underway in Melbourne yet, so I think they are concerned about the workload.”

Missing the games in South Australia means Huf’s premier cricket performances will be even more important.

It is his first season at Geelong Cricket Club after moving down from the Hamilton and District Cricket Association, and with a delayed start to the season due to COVID and a washout last weekend, Huf has yet to play a premier cricket game and with only two games before the trial games in Adelaide, the pressure is building.

Sharing the squad with 11 other Victorians also helps with Huf friends with many of them.

“I know a fair few of them, there are 12 Victorians in the 36, there are three from Geelong and I know a couple of the others as well,” Huf said.

“It is pretty cool that they are in it as well.”

Huf, who will turn 18 during the world cup, is part of the squad as a bottom-ager, making his selection in the final squad even tougher.

He said he has no expectations and is just excited to get this far.

“I wish the world cup was a year later, I would be a much better chance of getting picked, purely because I would be a top-age player,” he said.

“It is extremely difficult to be selected, especially as a bottom-ager.

“But being in the squad is just a good achievement in itself.

“Especially with COVID and everything, obviously I have missed the last couple of national carnival this year and the one before with dealing with my back injury.

“I have been in the Under-16 squad of 20 back then and this was something I had in my head that I wanted to work towards.”

Making the move from Grampians to Geelong will allow the fast bowler to play at a higher standard.

After a full pre-season, Huf said his body was feeling good and is ready for a big campaign with the Cats.

“I was always going to go down anyway, theoretically you think is it too late to come down,” he said.

“The majority of the other boys are already playing premier cricket.

“The body has been good, I have put in a good pre-season, focusing on my bowling and tweaking my action around that.

“I have been ready to play for a while now.”

The former Monivae College student was named to play in the Cats’ seconds team last week before it was washed out.

He said his goal was to push up into the top grade before the end of the season.

“It is a good starting point and hopefully I can put in some solid performances,” he said.

“I would definitely love to push for a spot in the firsts.

“I just want to perform well and be consistent across the whole season and I want to put the work in with my batting as well, I feel like I am reasonable with the bat.”

Following the trial games in Adelaide, the final world cup squad will be finalized with a group of up to 15 players set to travel for the event.

The squad will leave in early January, following a camp at the Cricket Australia National Cricket Centre in Queensland.

It comes as Australia and New Zealand were initially not going to send teams to the West Indies, but with the COVID situation and quarantine restrictions changing, both nations decided to send teams.

Huf said he has had some conversations with some key personnel during recent months, and said it would be a shock if he did make the final squad.

“Graham Manou is the lead talent person I have had some conversations with, but it is mainly the state coaches we have been working with,” he said.

“All of us Victorians have been disadvantaged so much, when you consider every other state has been playing since October.”

The 17-year-old said selection in the Under-19 squad had been on his radar for a few years after injury prevented him from competing at Under-17 level.

“It has been in my head since I was 16 when I missed out on playing for Australia back then,” Huf said.

“That is the dream to go and play a game for my country.”