A boom NSW Metro batter could still play in this week's Under 19 Male National Championships on the Border, despite making his Sheffield Shield debut on Tuesday.
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In a glowing endorsement of the standard cricket fans will see in Albury-Wodonga and surrounding areas, Sam Konstas debuted for the Blues against Tasmania at the SCG.
He's only just turned 18 and finished school, but batted at No. 3 and made 10 as the home team fell to 3-26 early.
Last season, Konstas broke the record for most first grade runs for Sydney club Sutherland in NSW Premier Cricket, which is a phenomenal achievement and even moreso when you consider former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson and World Cup winner Steve Smith played there.
The Shield match runs until Friday, with a decision on whether the batting prodigy travels to the Border likely later in the week.
But even if Konstas misses the tournament, there's still a host of Australian under 19 representatives.
"There's an opener from Vic Metro called Harry Dixon, who is very close to professional cricket and also had a really good tournament for Australia Under 19s against England earlier in the year," NSW Country coach Dean Burke revealed.
"All the players that played in that Aussie 19s against England will be featuring."
West Australian Corey Wasley was also in that team and he posted a Second XI double century just last month.
And as well as the batting prodigies, there's also a handful who have been clocked at 140km-plus.
"Queensland's Callum Vidler can bowl around that pace and Western Australia has Mahli Beardman, who has played one match for WA in limited overs cricket," Burke outlined.
The week-long carnival starts on Thursday.
Victoria Country will meet NSW Metro at Lavington Sportsground, Vic Metro and Northern Territory are next door on Lavington No. 2, South Australia faces Western Australia at Urana Road Oval, Queensland and NSW Country play at Alexandra Park, while Tasmania and ACT are at Bunton Park.
