Maple was one of three Central Highlands region players selected based on performances in club cricket, the Youth Premier League and national championships last season.

William Collins (Romsey) and Reuben Rode (Wallan) also made the cut.

Players have benefited from an extensive online training program in recent weeks that has included presentations from The Resilience Project, current and former Test players and industry experts.

Planning is underway to stage a four-match tournament in country Victoria in late January, should government and health advice allow.

The series would see Victoria field three under-17 teams (country, metropolitan and a Cricket Victoria XI) in a series involving South Australia. The planned tournament would be held in Hamilton and Dunkeld.

With the under-17 national championships on hold, Cricket Victoria has worked closely with the South Australian Cricket Association to provide further match opportunities for the selected players to develop and showcase their talents.

Maple is a son of Western Bulldogs general manager of football Chris and attends Ballarat Grammar.

He enjoyed a handful of first grade games with Wendouree last season while also playing in the club's juniors.

Golden Point's Josh Pegg was named in the Cricket Victoria Under-19 Male Emerging Performance Squad early this week.