CENTRAL Highlands cricket is determined to confirm its reputation as the state’s leading pathways program.Preliminary squads will officially start training across the school holidays to launch their Cricket Victoria state championship campaigns.The Highlanders boasted the strongest boys’ program last summer, finishing runner-up in under-18s, under-14s and third in the under-16 Dowling Shield.September specialist sessions have been scheduled for the under-16 and the bulk of the under-18 boys to fine-tune their skills next week.The group will be broken into pace and spin bowlers and batters.A 28-strong under-14 squad will officially start training a week later at St Patrick’s College. The Highlanders’ under-18 girls were runners-up in the state final on the MCG last summer and are hungry to go one step further this season.They start training in the second week of the school holidays.The Highlanders’ under-16 and under-14 girls will have specialist help to get their seasons underway.Vic Spirit and former Australian women’s cricketers Elise Villani will lead a session at Major League Indoor Sports this school holidays.Long-time Highlanders’ coach Sasha Peers will step up to both the under-18 and under-14 girls with Briony Polkinghorne on Australian duty at the indoor world cup in South Africa.Pathways graduate and Victorian representative player Jess Kile will coach the under-14 girls.Central Highlands Region cricket manager Campbell Waring said there were plenty of new faces in under-14 girls from across Ararat, Lancefield and Woodend.Waring said any girls involved in club cricket were encouraged to join the pathways program.CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CRICKET SQUADSGIRLSUNDER-18Shani Cain (East Ballarat), Sarah Cunningham (Chalambar), Liz Drake (East Ballarat), Grace Hannan (Gisborne), Lauren Quanchi (East Ballarat), Rebecca Sculley (Coronet City), Kate Vanina (Ararat), Breanna Whittaker (East Ballarat), Kristy Begbie (East Ballarat), Abby Cummins (East Ballarat), Summer Dehnert (Ballan), Jenna Fowlie (Bacchus Marsh), Emma Goodchild (Gisborne), Lize-Mari Mitchley (Sunbury), Aimee O’Brien (East Ballarat), Sarah Tatchell (Colts Phelans, East Ballarat), Jess Crack (Skipton), Ashlee Wilkes (East Ballarat), Laura Gilchrist (East Ballarat).UNDER-16Jane Astbury (Tatyoon), Danielle Borrelli (Chalambar), Kate Kile (Maldon), Jess Mundy (Woodend), Tegan O’Dowd (East Ballarat), Jordyn Pearson (Sunbury), Kimi Stevenson (Macedon), Samantha Stevenson (Macedon), Tiffany Boatman (St Andrews), Emily Sculley (Coronet City), Maggie Toohey (East Ballarat), Abby Cummins (East Ballarat), Dannielle Menzies (Darley), Liz Ryan (Gisborne), Brittany Dummett (Carngham), Rebecca Phillips (Chalambar), Eleanor Stewart (Chalambar), Hannah Aston (Gisborne), Paige Bridgman (Gisborne), Rachael Billett (Chalambar), Jenna Bruton (Trentham), Ali Davies (Chalambar), Hannah Wemyss-Sanderson (Mount Clear), Stephanie Macallef (Ballan), Katie Marshall (Gisborne), Georgina Potter (East Ballarat), Sarah Bogale (Tatyoon), Tylah Bruhn (East Ballarat).UNDER-14Kate Curtis (Chalambar), Jacinta Goodger-Chandler (Colts Phelan/East Ballarat), Grace Harrison (Chalambar), Emma Lynch (East Ballarat), Lauren McCarthy (Tatyoon), Madeleine Ogilvie (Golden Point), Jakki Orszaczki (Chalambar), Sophie van de Heuval (Golden Point), Eshe Lane (Gisborne), Shayley Cornwill (MKM), Lily Vincent (Kyneton), Sarah Phillips (Tatyoon), Emily Borrelli (Chalambar), Taylah Borrelli (Chalambar), Melanie Evans (Chalambar), Abby Moar (Chalambar), Kyla Pearce (Chalambar), Bree Wilde (Chalambar), Celeste Davi (Loreto), Georgie Nicholson (Maldon), Chloe Pitts (Maroona), Emily Consiglio (Lancefield), Briana Woodburn (Lancefield), Erinn Luckett (Sunbury), Romy Bogdonavic (Sunbury), Kaitlynn Paterson (Romsey), Madison Chislett (Harcourt), Louisa Brown (Harcourt), Emily Kepsner (Harcourt), Maicie Yensch (Harcourt), Stephanie Hull (Harcourt), Erin Gull (Laaniecoorie-Dunolly), Natasha Thake (Laaniecoorie-Dunolly), Jaymee Crack (Skipton), Greta Stevens (Loreto), Kate Lidgett (East Ballarat), Sian Saddington (Woodend), Caitlyn Drummond (Avoca), Laura Fay (Skipton), Paula Fraser (Skipton), Ruby Clarey-Mann (Woodend), Grace Reaper (New Gisborne), Samantha Attwood (Alfredton), Jessica Bokma (East Ballarat), Teagan Farnsworth (Alfredton), Lillian Hearn (Pleasant St), Lily McLean (Pleasant St).Continued page 31