LOCAL cricketers are in the midst of the busy junior country week period, with the Under-17s and Under-15s playing last week, while the Under-13s and the Western Victoria Girls Shield being played this week.

It was a tough outing for the oldest junior squad, losing each of the games the team played, but the experience of playing at that level would hold the players in good stead going forward.

Robbie Cook coached the team yet again and with different players showing glimpses throughout the week, it wasn’t left to any specific player to shoulder the lead for the full week of games in Warrnambool.

Two Under-15 teams wore the green and gold up in Horsham, with one team sent as a development squad and the other including mostly top-age players.

Both sides showed how tough the competition was, with wins hard to come by across the week for the association, but one highlight was Hamilton Gold’s Grady Bell, who picked up a five-wicket haul against Horsham in Friday’s carnival finale.

Craig Templeton coached one of the sides and said the week was about giving the players a chance to grow and develop their skills.

“We were just hoping to get the kids to put their best foot forward and give them a chance to shine, and they did that really well,” he said.

“Expectations going up there weren’t high, we were hoping to win a few games if we were lucky, but just hoping they’d extend themselves and give their all.

“There were some that really lifted to the challenge - Myles Alderman did really well, Darcy Milne, Levi Templeton, they all helped lead the group really well on long hot days.”

Learning how to control games and how to work through different scenarios was some of the focus as well.

“The intensity the games are played at, the tactical and thinking part of the game is where the majority of them will grow,” Templeton said.

“The overall standard up there was fantastic, seeing some of the other cricketers around and where they are at, and it is really promising for the game.”

Damien Logan coached the development side and said finding balance and giving the kids the opportunity to be involved was exciting.

“It had a sprinkle of top age kids, but 10 that can go back up there next year,” he said.

“We drew the two best sides, Warrnambool Gold and Mount Gambier.

“I think the kids definitely learnt a lot.”

In Wednesday’s game, it was a tough outing, but Logan was proud of the resilience and focus within the group.

“We were able to bat our overs despite chasing 290, and so I was very proud of their efforts,” he said.

“Whilst you want to win games, at the end of the day, hopefully they would have learnt a lot from the week.

“We were lucky, the first day was washed out then the second day we had a bye, so we only started our week on Wednesday.

“The kids didn’t get the full experience, which is disappointing … but we were able to finish the week with a win against Portland on Friday.”

The Under-13 carnival got underway on Monday, with games continuing on Tuesday, with Hamilton sending a two sides, with Ewan McDonald and Simon Hatherell mentoring the two squads.

The Western Victoria Girls Shield also got underway on Tuesday, with the annual carnival bringing players from all over the western half of the state to Hamilton for the three-day event.

The Hamilton and District Cricket Association has sides in both the Under-16 and Under-18 divisions.

More information in Saturday’s Spec.