Baggy Green future on show with NPS

Before he works with Australia's senior squad in South Africa, Ryan Harris has been mentoring the next generation coming through, and has singled out three names he thinks will be future stars.

Harris has been gaining valuable experience for his burgeoning coaching career with the National Performance Squad throughout their winter quadrangular 'A' series in North Queensland.

"They're just young and full of energy. They want to do well and want to learn, that's the best part for me," Harris told cricket.com.au's The Unplayable Podcast this week.

"I think a lot of those guys in that team will push for national honours.

"It's still a little bit down the track for most of the guys, most of them are still trying to get some experience in first-class cricket."

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The NPS are in action for the final time this winter today when they face South Africa A in the playoff. Australia A and India A meet in the quad series final on Sunday. Both matches will be live streamed, available free and globally, on cricket.com.au.

Harris, who will head to South Africa later this month for his first coaching gig at the international level, where he will be the bowling coach working under Assistant Coach David Saker, says he expects plenty from the NPS side to keep the current Australian team on their toes.

This is a little late to pull away ... What do you think, out or dead ball? Live stream: https://t.co/5LDdKGvabL pic.twitter.com/qrr2rx2M67

"The current crop of guys will bounce back in the Test series in Australia," Harris said.

"(But) let's hope that these (NPS) guys and a heap of other guys put pressure on them in the home summer.

"That's what we want and it's healthy for Australian cricket if there's guys making runs and taking wickets."

Harris singled out three young stars from the National Performance Squad who he believes will be pushing hardest for higher honours in the near-term.

They are Western Australians fast bowler David Moody (nephew of former Australia quick Tom), and allrounder Hilton Cartwright, plus Queensland batsman Sam Heazlett.

Image Id: 7132A3B6F66441A495584924F3C5FC03 Image Caption: Cartwright steams in with the ball // Getty

"Those (three) especially have played a little bit for their states and will be pushing definitely in the not-too-distant future," Harris said.

"(Moody) has come a long way in the winter. He's bowling with really good pace. He's still got a little bit to go, still a bit raw but he's had some exposure at Sheffield Shield level for Western Australia last year.

"He's getting better and better with every game."

Cartwright finished the 'A' Series as the NPS's second-leading scorer with 199 runs at 39.80. To that he had added four wickets at 31.75 before South Africa A's innings.

"He's got his body nice and strong and bowling with a bit more consistency and a bit more pace," said Harris. "And his batting, he hits the ball real hard. He's actually opened the batting for us and done really well in most of the games."

The young squad's leading run-scorer was Heazlett, who had made 35 before he was struck down with an injury running a single.

Apart from the triumvirate of talent, Harris has also been impressed with South Australia's David Grant and Victorian Tom O'Donnell, son of former Australia representative Simon.

Of Grant, who Harris expects to make his first-class debut this summer, he said: "He's more of a line-and-length bowler and is really consistent with what he does and swings the ball as well."

And O'Donnell has impressed with his likeness in action to Australia's current spearhead, Mitchell Starc.

"He was a left-arm off-spinner three-and-a-half years ago, before he started bowling quick," Harris said.

"He's got a little way to go, still learning and getting the body used to bowling with some pace but he's come on leaps and bounds over the winter.

"He's got a very, very similar action to Starcy. He's a guy who's still very raw to fast bowling but he's only going to get stronger.

"He was over in Sri Lanka to train with the Australian guys (and) I know Mitch Starc spent a bit of time with him and Tom O'Donnell picked his brains about bowling, about his plans, which is a great thing for a young bowler to experience, to speak to probably the best bowler in the world at the moment."