Young guns Platt and Shea impress for Riverina

Young High School students Noah Platt and Jack Shea travelled to Bathurst last week to represent Riverina in the NSW Combined High Schools Secondary Boys Cricket Championships. The carnival began with two T20s, with Riverina going down in their matches against Hunter and Sydney East, being beaten by 27 runs in the first game and seven wickets in the second. They improved on Day 2 but ultimately fell short against North West, who made 5/237 in their 50 overs, with Riverina bowled out for 201 in pursuit of the target. The carnival turned around for Riverina at this point, winning a thriller on Day 3 when they defended 228 by bowling Western out for 225. Following on from this performance, they posted 218 against North Coast and bowled them out for 111. Both boys warmed to the task throughout the carnival, with Jack picking up nine wickets and Noah’s all-round abilities acknowledged with a prestigious award. He won the Alan Davidson Trophy for Riverina for his efforts throughout the carnival, where he scored 156 runs and took four wickets, as well as pouching six catches. Both students are in Year 9, and will have plenty more opportunities to represent Riverina in future years. The trip to Bathurst was Jack’s maiden CHS carnival, while Noah has pulled on the Riverina kit each year since starting high school. The boys will return to their weekend commitments playing in Wagga, where Jack made his first grade debut for the Kooringal Colts earlier in the season. Noah plays with the Wagga City Cats and is a regular first grader, and has made a bright start to the season. They will both now prepare to represent Riverina in the Bradman Cup later this month. Further on the horizon for Noah will be the Metro Green Shield competition in Sydney, an Under 16s competition showcasing the best young cricketers in the state. He will represent Sydney Cricket Club when the competition commences in December, and on into January. Young High School has been well represented across the both Championships, with three students travelling to play in the girls carnival in Tamworth late last month.