Austin Waugh has been chosen in Australia’s 15-player squad for the under-19s World Cup.
Cricket Australia announced the make up of the team for the tournament in New Zealand, starting on January 13, which will be captained by Newcastle product Jason Sangha and features seven players on state rookie contracts.
Sutherland junior Waugh made his first grade debut for the club at the start of the NSW Premier Cricket season and has enjoyed an impressive start in the top grade. He has scored 144 runs at an average of just under 30 and taken seven wickets at just over 23.
Waugh has also scored 235 runs at 47 in the Poidevin-Gray Shield with a highest score of 92 not out against Mosman late last month.
The 17-year-old has also led NSW Metro to the final of the under-19s national championships against the Cricket Australia XI to be played in Hobart today.
Waugh, the son of legendary former Australian Test captain Steve, took 5-27 with his medium pace to restrict Western Australia to 179 in reply to the NSW total of 6-288 in the semi-final on Wednesday.
National talent manager and national selector Greg Chappell said it was an exciting and exceptionally talented squad.
“We’ve got a good spread of skills through the squad. We’re quite strong with our pace bowling, we have good depth with our spin bowling and a number of our top order batsmen all offer viable bowling options, which gives us a lot of flexibility when it comes to team selection,” he said.
“These guys have all had success at underage level in Australia over a number of years and many of them have already had a taste of international under-19 cricket. We’re fortunate that a lot of these players have already played together coming through the underage pathway, which is a great thing.
“We believe this squad has a serious chance of contending for the title at the end of the tournament.”
Australia haven’t won the tournament since 2010 when Mitch Marsh captained a side that included Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa and Nic Maddinson.
Australia has been drawn in pool B and start its World Cup campaign against India at Tauranga Bay Oval on January 14 before matches in Christchurch against Zimbabwe on January 17 and Papua New Guinea on January 19.
Former Australian representatives Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers have been named as coach and assistant coach.
The final will be played on February 3.
Australia under-19s squad
Jason Sangha (c), Will Sutherland (vc), Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Jack Edwards, Zak Evans, Jarrod Freeman, Ryan Hadley, Baxter Holt, Nathan McSweeney, Jonathan Merlo, Lloyd Pope, Jason Ralston, Param Uppal, Austin Waugh