Young domestic stars headline NP Squad

Queensland's Marnus Labuschagne and South Australia's Alex Carey are among several players with Sheffield Shield experienced to be named in Cricket Australia's 2017 National Performance Squad.  

The 18-man group, named today, also sees Ben McDermott and Jake Doran from Tasmania, and Henry Thornton and Ryan Gibson from New South Wales, alongside a host of talent currently strutting their stuff in the ongoing Australia U19 ODI series against Sri Lanka U19s.

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The squad will spend more than three months at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, under the tutelage of national performance program head coach Troy Cooley and newly appointed high performance coaches Matthew Elliott and Ryan Harris.

Labuschagne, 22, was last year's Matador One-Day Cup Player of the Tournament, while 25-year-old Carey broke the all-time Shield record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a season, claiming 59.

"It's been really pleasing see three players from the 2016 National Performance Squad go on to play international cricket in the past 12 months," said National Talent Manager Greg Chappell.

"In Matthew Renshaw and Hilton Cartwright at Test level, and Sam Heazlett at ODI level, the NPS program is having a real impact in developing Australia's emerging talent into cricketers capable of playing at the game's highest level.

"There is a wealth of talent in this squad, and a nice balance between players with domestic experience pushing to play for Australia in the near future, and players who we believe can make the step up from underage championships, to domestic level and hopefully international cricket over the next couple of years."

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This year – the 30th year of the program – will feature several specialist camps and a tour to the MRF Academy in India.

The program is designed to add to the work done within state systems, and prepare players capable of competing at international level for Australia within the next five years.

The squad's pace bowlers will arrive for a three-week program on May 8, before the full program begins on May 29.

The program begins with a five-day boot camp in the Snowy Mountains, ahead of 'spin camp' (12 June 12-16), the MRF Tour in late July and a 'fielding and wicketkeeping camp' from August 14-20.

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"Our spin camp has been running now for a number of years, and each year I see it getting better," said National Performance Program Head Coach Troy Cooley.

"We have international conditions, international spinners and international coaches coming through as part of that particular program as well.

"With the facilities we have, we can replicate Indian conditions and Australian conditions, and it really is a good opportunity for both batsmen and bowlers to develop their game outdoors in the sun.

"We've done some excellent work with the state talent managers and the national selection panel to select this squad, and we have another talented group of young players."

The program will wrap up with a competition phase, with the National Performance Squad to play a match against the National Indigenous Squad on August 28, Papua New Guinea on September 1 and a number of matches against state sides during September.

2017 National Performance Squad: Alex Carey (SA), Jackson Coleman (Vic), Michael Cormack (SA), Brendan Doggett (Qld), Jake Doran (Tas), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Jordan Gauci (NSW), Ryan Gibson (NSW), Ryan Hadley (NSW), Josh Inglis (WA), Marnus Labuschagne (Qld), Lewin Maladay (NSW), Ben McDermott (Tas), Tom O'Donnell (Vic), Ben Pengelley (SA), Henry Thornton (NSW), Param Uppal (NSW), Mac Wright (Tas)