Club cricket's best to be crowned in Adelaide

A host of KFC BBL stars, some of the country's most promising young talent and even a former Australia ODI batsman will this week compete in a two-day showcase of the best club cricket teams in the country. 

The Fox Cricket National Premier T20 Championships will be held in Adelaide for a second year with inaugural champions Carlton back to defend their crown as one of 10 teams taking part from around the country. 

The winners from each state and territory's Premier T20 tournament, as well as the runners-up from Victoria and NSW, will face-off at Adelaide University and Karen Rolton Ovals on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. 

Last year's tournament went down to the wire, with former Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes allrounder Evan Gulbis sending down a clutch final over to see Carlton take home the silverware. 

The Blues this year boast four players who have played in the Big Bash; captain Gulbis, along with Australia Under-19 captain Mackenzie Harvey, wicketkeeper Brayden Stepien and paceman Cameron Stevenson, all three of whom have all played for the Melbourne Renegades. 

The state's other qualifier, Monash Tigers, feature Victoria young gun Jake Fraser-McGurk and contracted rookie Mitchell Perry, as well as Netherlands wicketkeeper Scott Edwards. 

Teenage leg-spinner Wil Parker, who made his Marsh Sheffield Shield debut for Victoria last month, will not play due to school commitments. 

The two teams representing New South Wales also possess a wealth of experience, with Peter Forrest, who played 15 ODIs for Australia in 2012 and hit a century against Sri Lanka, to lead Hawkesbury. 

Ex-Blues keeper Daniel Smith, who smashed a match-winning 89 from 47 balls in the NSW Premier Cricket T20 final against Hawkesbury, will captain Sydney Cricket Club, who have also included Sydney Sixers off-spinner Ben Manenti. 

Queensland's Valley CC welcome back Lachlan Pfeffer from Sheffield Shield duties, joining fellow Bulls representatives Luke Feldman, Nick Stevens and Andrew Gode. 

Adelaide Uni, who will have the advantage of playing at their home venue, will also be able to call on South Australia swing bowler Nick Winter. 

Lindisfarne have included Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes off-spinner Jarrod Freeman in their squad after emerging as state champions. 

Fremantle (WA), Western District (ACT) and Desert Blaze (NT) will also take part in the tournament. 

All 16 games will be live streamed HERE, including the semi-finals and finals to be played on March 4. 

"Premier Cricket is a vital part of the Australian Cricket Pathway," said Cricket Australia national talent manager Graham Manou. 

"The Fox Cricket National Premier Twenty20 Championships provides a platform to highlight the best of Premier Cricket from across the nation and for players to display their skills on a national stage. 

"Importantly, it is also a way to acknowledge the people who contribute so much to their premier cricket clubs off the field." 

FOX CRICKET NATIONAL PREMIER T20 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS 

Victoria – Carlton Cricket Club and Monash Tigers 

Tasmania – Lindisfarne Cricket Club 

ACT – Western District 

NSW – Hawkesbury Cricket Club and Sydney Cricket Club 

Queensland – Valley District Cricket Club 

Northern Territory – Desert Blaze 

Western Australia – Fremantle Cricket Club 

South Australia – Adelaide University 

SQUADS 

Lindisfarne Cricket Club: Matthew Wilkie, Bryce Alomes, James Bourke, Keegan Oates, Tom McGann, Alex Bevilaqua, Jarrod Freeman, Sam Underhill, Declan Waddington, Daniel Chapman, Anthony Marr, Jackson Grubb, Kieran Gilbert, Oliver Wray, Daniel Morgan. 

Hawkesbury Cricket Club: Peter Forrest, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Ryan Mizzi, Dale McKay, Scott Baldwin, Bilal Qureshi, Jas Cheema, Nazir Shinwari, Austin Philip, Hameed Kherkhah, Bailey Thompson, Aidan Van Den Nieuwboer, Pat Moore, Matthew Frame.  

Valley District Cricket Club: Andrew Gode, Brock McLachlan, Oliver West, Lachlan Pfeffer, Nick Stevens, Jack Beath, Owen Lynch, Josh Neill, Dylan McLachlan, Luke Feldman, Chris Knight, Zanden Jeh, Bill Kruip, Nick McGill.  

Adelaide University Cricket Club: Ben Wakim, Daniel Kerber, Sam Kerber, Campbell Vadlja, Kyle Brazell, Cooper Luke, Nick Winter, Chris Beatty, Zach Schwarz, Bailey Wightman, Eddie Steele, Cameron Edwards, Josiah Grzyb, Liam Greber, Sumeet Jarwal, Sam Darling. 

Carlton Cricket Club: Evan Gulbis, Brayden Stepien, Tom Smyth, Harrison Smyth, Mackenzie Harvey, Nick Ross, Lachlan McKenna, Nikhil Deep Pottabathini, Kyle Scheepers, Cameron Stevenson, Matt Wilson, Eddy O'Sullivan, Aaron Smillie, Matt Culvenor, Jack Mattsson. 

Sydney Cricket Club: Ryan Felsch, Liam Gibson, Daniel Smith, Nick Gubbins, Beau McClintock, Ben Mitchell, Nic Bills, Harry Manenti, Nick Govers, Alex Glendenning, Matt Rodgers, Ben Manenti, AJ Mosca, Craig Di Blasio.  

Fremantle Cricket Club: Brayden Sutton, Edward Byrom, Christopher Davenport, Kaiden Cookson, Joshua Chojnowski, Zachary Ferris, Bayley Holman, Daniel Kennedy, Benjamin Moore, Samuel Greer, Jack Camarda, Guy Barnes, Hudson Toomey, Jarryd McPhee, Alec Green.  

Western District Cricket Club: Blake Dean, Ethan Bartlett, Matthew Condon, Blake Macdonald, Tom Engelbrecht, Scott Murn, Nic Broes, Josh Staines, Joe Cooke, Ben Oakley, Brendan Duffy, Sam Skelly, Josh Corbett, Callum Taylor, Matthew Moxon, Luke Jorgensen, Labib Mahmud, Lachlan Murchie, Jordan Smith, Alex Taylor.  

Monash Cricket Club: Adam Amin, Marcus Berryman, Scott Edwards, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Andrew Humphries, Toby Keast, Reiley Mark, Sam Mills, Krishna Padmanabhan, Jackson Waters, Mitchell Perry, Brendan Rose, Kyle Viccars, Tim Goodman, Jonathan D'Rozario. 

Desert Blaze: Brodie Driscoll-Court, Dean Fry, Jack James, Iszak Milentis, Michael Ninneman, Kierran Voelkl, Matt Hammond, Benjamin Abbott, Corey Kelly, Harry Chamberlain, Daniel Mylius, Jacob Dickman.