Alex Keath likely to make his domestic cricket debut for Victoria
The Victorian teen http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Keath-c986’s decision to give up a potentially lucrative AFL career to focus on cricket has earned him an early pay-off with a Sheffield Shield cup.
The all-rounder, who is just 18-year-old, was included in Victoria’s 12-man squad for the Sheffield Shield clash against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834 starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, 26th of November. While the playing XIs for the match are yet
to be confirmed, Keath is a confirmed contestant, barring injury or illness, for what would be his state debut.
The multi-talented teenager opted for bat and ball over a potentially profitable AFL career earlier in April this year when he signed a three-year contract with Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Victoria-c859 despite the likelihood of him playing senior AFL football in 2011. Gold Coast,
a new AFL club, listed him as one of their start-up players last year despite being aware of the teenager's lean towards cricket.
The Victorian teenager, who has been compared to his fellow all-rounders John Hastings and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-McDonald-c1042, was a part of the junior Australian side that won the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. In that tournament, Keath compiled 216 runs at an average of 43.20
besides claiming six wickets at a bowling average of 16.33. Both McDonald and Hastings had been part of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield games played lately but would miss the Friday’s match against Bulls due to injuries.
Although, the Victoria coach http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Greg-Shipperd-c1507 had hinted that the teenager, still completing his high school studies, could be ready to make his state debut by this summer but it was not expected that he would break into the Sheffield Shield side so early.
Keath gave Shipperd's hint a reality with his outstanding performance for Melbourne last weekend followed by an unbeaten innings of 192 for the Victorian under-23 side against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Western-Australia-c865 on Wednesday.
His three-year contract with Cricket Victoria effectively ended Keath's football career, as in recent years the professionalism in both international sports has meant that perennial training is necessary. In the past, there have been a number of players
who have participated in both Australian rules and Test cricket at the highest level. Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clark-c51118 and Nick Jewell were the last men to combine the sports - with solitary AFL games. Since then, no first-class cricketer has played both cricket and Australian
rules.
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