BOTH junior and senior representative teams are looking forward to the upcoming cricket season with high expectations and a strong commitment to the game especially after the successes achieved in the season recently concluded.

The junior teams commenced their season in August when head coach Steve Edwards encouraged all players interested in being involved in representing the Highlands District Cricket Association (HDCA) to attend both net and field sessions.

The final team selections were completed in mid -September and both new and returning players will be presented with their representative attire prior to the commencement of the competition matches.

Trials against Goulburn and South Coast will provide further opportunities for the three disciplines, fielding, bowling and batting, to be fine tuned.

There is additional excitement for those players representing the local association for the first time and the presenting of the 'baggy blue' caps prior to the commencement of the first representative game remains a feature.

One significant development that occurred during the off season was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that established the guidelines for collaboration between Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW and Cricket ACT for season 2014-15 to 2016-17(expiry June 30, 2017).

The intent of the MOU is to deepen the regional partnership, seamlessly aligning cricket and serving the significant population in the ACT/Southern NSW catchment.

Currently the implementation of the MOU is being worked through with regards to player selection and additional competitions.

Junior teams

THE Highlands teams enter the under-12 competition as the reigning premiers as a result of their cricketing achievements over the past two seasons and will be striving to maintain their dominance over 2014-15 opposition.

The under-14 team was knocked out at the final hurdle last season while the under-16 team will be hoping to go one better and qualify for the finals after indifferent performances last season.

Already the players are displaying the determination to ensure that each opposition team will need to be at their best to defeat the HDCA teams.

All team coaches and managers are thanked and form a formidable team, along with families, in supporting the players.

The home and away competition, introduced successfully last season, will again have HDCA teams travelling to play against teams from South Coast, Shoalhaven, Far South Coast, Monaro and Goulburn.

After the demise of Eurobodalla teams at the end of 2012-13 it is disappointing that Crookwell will be unable to enter teams in the Southern Zone junior representative competitions.

Hopefully neighbours Goulburn will be able to assist in ensuring talented players from Crookwell will be provided with the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and abilities.

A decision will be made this week as to whether ACT will provide teams in the junior divisions. The alternative is a bye.

Southern Zone

EACH season, players from the six Southern Zone associations are selected to play in country based competitions.

The under-14 Kookaburra Cup will be conducted by Newcastle from January 5-8, 2015 while the under-16 Bradman Cup will be hosted by Central Northern (Maitland and Singleton) from January 12-15, 2015.

In the past HDCA players have been selected in these teams and it is anticipated that this trend will continue.

Competition for these two teams may be a little more competitive this season with ACT players eligible for selection.

Additionally, the under-14 team may continue to participate in the Graeme Malcolm Shield hosted by the Newcastle Association in January each year.

The under-16 team will undertake a five day tour of the Eastern Riverina and South Western Slopes during January.

Games are organised in Cowra, Temora, West Wyalong and Bathurst. However it is the game against Cootamundra with the winner being presented with the Bradman Letter trophy that possesses special significance.

Jeffrey Cup

AS part of the Jeffrey Cup competition the HDCA team play Far South Coast in the first round on Sunday, October 5. Players under the age of 19 are eligible to be selected in association teams.

After the first round there will be a winner's draw, playing for the Jeffrey Cup, and a loser's draw fighting for supremacy to take home the Templemann/Clarke Shield.

This season the Highlands team enters this competition ranked third as a result of last season's performances and winners of the Templemann/Clarke Shield.

Burns Cup

FOUR teams again have entered the Burns Cup competition played on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26, 2014.

These matches will be hosted by the local association with games at Bradman Oval and Lackey Park.

As occurred last season, HDCA players combined with Goulburn for this open competition.

The second ranked combined team's opposition in the first game is Shoalhaven, ranked third.

As a result of the competition a Southern Zone team will be selected to participate in the NSW Country cricket open championships during November 2014.

Country Shield

IN the state-wide Country Shield competition last season, Robertson-Burrawang Cricket Club, the first grade premiers in the Southern Lands local competition won all their preliminary rounds only to lose to Ballina in the semi- final.

While there were some outstanding individual performances, the team demonstrated their all -round ability.

For the 2014-15 season Hill Top Northern Villages Cricket Club will join Robertson/Burrawang Cricket Club in this competition.

Both teams will be striving to be one of the final four contenders to travel to Tamworth between December 29-30.

Both HDCA teams enter the competition on Sunday, November 16 with Shellharbour hosting Hill Top Northern Villages Cricket Club while Robertson/Burrawang Cricket Club is at home to Warilla Kookaburras.

Women's cricket

THE combined ACT/Southern Zone and Illawarra teams have been selected for the Country Championships to be played at Port Macquarie during early October. Representing HDCA in the under-18 division will be Lauren Cheatle.

As captain of the side, she will be very determined to lead her players to achieve to the best of their abilities.

Lauren captained the NSW under-15 team last season winning the national championships.