Three local young cricketers spent a week in Adelaide representing regional SA in a tournament against their city peers.

In a thrilling week of high-quality cricket, the Country Black team, consisting of three local talents Sam Hunt, Zac Zema, and Jayden Prior, alongside players from various regions including Port Lincoln, the Barossa Valley, and Mount Barker, took on three formidable city teams.

Despite not clinching a victory, the country team left an indelible mark on the competition with their spirited performances.

Coach Chloe McKenzie, who has experience coaching the girls’ Country Cup cricket side and runs the Glenelg academy in the South East, described the challenge as a learning curve, having to coach a group of boys who did not know each other.

However, by the end of the week, the boys had gelled together well.

McKenzie praised the high standard of cricket throughout the week.

“I felt like I got a lot out of it as a coach. It was probably the highest standard of cricket I have coached,” she said.

One of the local players, West Gambier’s Jayden Prior, who captained the team in the first game, demonstrated his leadership abilities while also making a significant contribution with the bat, scoring 30 runs.

Penola’s Zac Zema’s performance was impressive as well, as he notched up several crucial wickets during the week and played a pivotal role in the final match, scoring a crucial 50 runs.

Millicent’s Sam Hunt exhibited his explosive batting abilities by scoring a rapid-fire 30 runs in the first game, but unfortunately, a shoulder injury sidelined him for the rest of the week.

McKenzie expressed her delight in witnessing a player from the team come close to scoring a century.

She said it was “pretty exciting to watch” and was impressed by the supporting acts from other batsmen around him.

Mckenize was also pleased to see some of her Glenelg players perform on a big stage.

“There were a few Glenelg players in that team that I was pleased to see perform really well,” she said.

Despite not securing a win across the three matches, the Country Black team’s performances showcased country SA’s talented players.

McKenzie acknowledged the city teams’ advantage in terms of experience but praised her team for showcasing their capabilities.

“Seeing that our country boys are up to that standard was a highlight,” she said.

“The city boys are probably more used to playing at that level, so they adjusted a bit better, but we got to meet some really talented boys.”

The players selected for the tournament were chosen from their Country Cup performances and training.

The tournament acted as an opportunity for the players to show their talent to state selectors with one of the County Black players being selected for the 18 man squad.

Unfortunately none of the three local players made the cut but may still be selected with the squad not finalised until December.