The selection comes after the 15-year-old fast bowler was named in the ACT/NSW Country squad earlier this year after an an impressive performance at the Cricket NSW Under 16 State Challenge in April.

As a member of the 21-man squad, Montgomery participated in a number of rigorous training sessions, working on skill development and physical fitness at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney with expert coaches, boosting his chances at being chosen to play for ACT/NSW Country at the National Championships.

“Being a part of the squad you get better coaching and things like that,” he said.

“We’ve had two camps, where we’ll go for two days and trained. The last two were at the SCG; the facility is amazing.”

READ MORE:

Montgomery will head back to Sydney this weekend for his last training camp before the Under 17 State Challenge, to be held in Coffs Harbour from August 17 to 19.

The St Philomena’s year 10 student is one of only two Central North players to represent ACT/NSW Country. Montgomery will play in team B and will compete against team A and the two NSW Metro sides during the three-day challenge.

Now that he knows, and is friends with, most of the players competing, Montgomery said he’s looking forward to the upcoming State Challenge.

“It’ll be good,” he said.

“It’ll be a lot different to the last one; at the last one I had no idea who they were, now I’m mates with most of them.

“Everyone’s improved; if you haven’t been working, you’ll be left behind. They want to have the best team closest to the National Championships as possible.

The State Challenge will be used as a final selection trial for the NSW Metro and ACT/NSW Country teams to compete at the Under 17 National Championships in Mackay and Brisbane from October 1 to 12.

The final announcement of the teams will occur on Tuesday, August 21.

Most of the players selected for the trials in Coffs Harbour also participated in the Under 16 State Challenge in April, at Campbelltown, where the two Country teams outperformed the two Metro teams.