The talented pair will head down to Campbelltown this weekend to participate in the NSW U16 State Challenge.

Gwynne will play for the Country Sixers while George will wear the green of the Country Thunder at the four-day challenge, which commences on Sunday with the first of three one-day games.

The two Country sides were selected following the Bradman Cup, where Gwynne and George were two of Central North’s best performers.

George was among the wickets in all four games and was happy with how he bowled over the carnival.

He finished with eight wickets all-up.

“It was good. I started off really well with four on the first day,” he said.

They were the only four wickets Central North took.

He followed up with another two on the second day, and a wicket each of the next two games.

Even still he was “very surprised” to learn of his selection for the State Challenge.

Stepping up from the Kookaburra Cup side last year, he was the bottom age.

A leg-spinner, he bats “a little bit”, although isn’t expecting to get much of a bat for the Thunder.

Not that he can’t handle the willow, scoring 76 for the Tamworth 15s (Gold 16s) against Ballina at the Walter Taylor Shield, and 41 in their final North West Junior Competition game.

“We played in the competition the age above,” he said.

“We only won one game but it was a good experience.”

Locally the Farrer Year 10 student plays for South Tamworth, and had a good season with them, figuring mostly for second grade.

The season hasn’t though been without it’s disappointments.

George was disappointed to miss out on one of the two NSW teams for the just-completed School Sports Association Male 15 & Under National Championships.

But he has been able to spin that into a positive.

“That made me want to work harder,” he said.

Training at the Chaffey Park nets during the week George said he was “absolutely” looking forward to being involved in the Challenge and happy to be in the Thunder.

They will play each of the other three teams, breaking on the Tuesday for a day of seminars and lectures covering nutrition, welfare, organisation/time management between study/cricket commitments.

The players will also be pushing for selection into the U17 Country and Metro squads, which will begin training later in the year.