Experienced recruits Heath Pritchard (Darley) and Adam Eddy (North Ballarat) join the likes of English imports Adam Ranson (East Ballarat) and Ryan Plom (North Ballarat) as newcomers in a 42-man squad.

This will ultimately be trimmed to a 14-strong team to contest country week on February 1-5.

The squad features players from all 10 clubs playing the firsts competition, as well as Buninyong and Ballan, which under this season’s new BCA structure are now playing seconds.

Selectors have given Buninyong’s Joel Kitchen the nod along with Noel Heafield and Mick Nolan from Ballan.

Last season’s EJ Cleary Medalist Liam Rigby from Napoleons-Sebastopol has also been selected pending his return from England, where he travelled under a Cricket Willow United Kingdom scholarship.

East Ballarat, Napoleons-Sebastopol and Wendouree have the biggest representation with five players each. Boom team Darley has four.

BCA chairman Rob Florence said a coach was still to be appointed. 

Early preparation will be under the direction of chairman of selectors Mark Van de Heuvel.

Ballarat will play its first representative match against Maryborough in the Kenmac Shield at Maryborough’s Princes Park on Sunday, December 13.

SQUAD

BALLARAT-REDAN: Anthony Taylor, Bobby Hind, Al Edmends

BROWN HILL: Ryan Knowles, Jason Knowles, Alex Code, Tom Bourke-Finn

CORONET CITY: Brad Dunbar, Tom Baker

DARLEY: Heath Pritchard, Harry Killoran, Richard Moore, Brad Barnes

EAST BALLARAT: Brad Whittaker, Charles Murrie, Josh Brown, Adam Ranson, Harli Givvens

BUNINYONG: Joel Kitchen

GOLDEN POINT: Saman Jayantha, Josh White, Dan White, Andy Warwick

MT CLEAR: Nathan Yates, Steve Nicholson, Les Sandwith, Grant Trevenen

NORTH BALLARAT: Adam Eddy, Ryan Plom, Leigh Lorenzen

NAPOLEONS SEBASTOPOL Carmen Mapatuna, Jacob Eyers, Matthew Ringin, Luke Corden, Liam Rigby

WENDOUREE: Cole Roscholler, Heath Pyke, Austen Prendergast, Matt Smith, Liam Brady

BALLAN Noel Heafield, Mick Nolan