Australia's development cricket squad to tour India

Melbourne, Oct 10 (IANS): Cricket Australia’s (CA) National Indigenous Development Squad departs for India this week to attend the country’s Global Cricket Schools and play a series of matches against the representative sides.

Selected by former Test and One-Day player Ray Bright, Mark Hanlon and Marcus Rosas at the 2012 Imparja Cup, CA’s national Indigenous tournament, the squad departs for Mumbai before moving on to Pune.

The tour Oct 14-26 will combine cricket development with India’s unique cultural experiences, including a visit to the nation’s largest slum and local orphanages.

Members of the team will also travel to New Delhi to attend the Australian government’s OzFest, a four-month celebration of contemporary Australian culture in 18 Indian cities.

Team captain Josh Lalor, a member of the New South Wales and Perth Scorcher squads, said the team is excited by the opportunity to develop their cricket and take in the uniqueness of India.

“The tour is a fantastic opportunity for members of the squad to come to a vastly different part of the world to develop our cricket and learn from exposure to new cultures,” Lalor said.

“The guys have shown their potential at the Imparja Cup and this tour gives them a chance to further develop their cricket through the day-to-day life of professional cricket.

“Travelling to India goes beyond what we’ll do on-field; the cultural experiences we’ll encounter will develop the group personally and contribute to our overall development.”

Documentary makers JetZak will accompany the team on tour, producing an hour-long documentary to screen on NITV/SBS.

Squad: Ben Abbatangelo (Victoria), Michael Bailey (Western Australia), Dylan Fuller (Northern Territory), John Green (Victoria), Jake Kubinek (Queensland), Josh Lalor (New South Wales), Aaron Muir (New South Wales), Nathan Price (New South Wales), Darcy Short (Northern Territory), Fletcher Stewart (Victoria), Cameron Trask (Queensland), Bohdi Walker (Victoria).