Albany bowler plays for chance to tour

Collingwood Park speedster Ben Grey is firmly in the frame to be selected in the WA Country XI side for the upcoming Australian Country Cricket Championships after being called up to play in their last warm-up match this weekend.

The final 13-man touring squad for the championships — to be held in Bendigo, Victoria, from January 5 to 12 — will be named on Monday and Grey is among four players selectors have brought in to face the WA under-19s at Abbott Park on Sunday to help finalise their squad.

Grey has been in impressive form this season, taking seven wickets at an average of 17 in three WA Country Colts games in the WACA One Day League, to go with his four wickets for Park in two Albany Cricket Association A-grade fixtures so far.

WA Country XI chairman of selectors Brendan King said they had been keeping an eye on the local fast bowler.

“He’s in line to go away,” he said.

“We’ve had one game already and we are trialling another four players on Sunday.

“We are looking for one more bowler, so Ben is in the frame for that spot.”

Grey said he was eager to bowl well this weekend against some of the best batsmen in WA.

“I’m in the mix at this stage, so it’s pretty important to bowl well on Sunday because we are on show to the selectors,” the 19-year-old said.

“We will be up against some good opposition.

“This would be the highlight of my career so far, definitely, if I got to play for my State.”

Railways all-rounder Julian Crudeli, who was part of WA’s championship-winning side last year, has been ruled out of selection contention due to a back injury, which has prevented him from bowling.

King said that fellow Albany talent Patrick Butler had been placed on standby for the touring squad after his impressive form for the WA Country Colts and local team North County.

The selectors are waiting on confirmation from preferred spinning all-rounder Reece O’Connell, who King said would be replaced by Butler if he was forced to pull out.

Meanwhile, the ACA have fined Park $200 and stripped them of their percentage points from round 6 against Royals after they failed to fulfil their covers duty.

Park failed to cover the turf wickets the night before round 6 and as a result two A-grade matches had to be shifted to synthetic wickets.

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