Some of Horsham's brightest cricketing talents will once again have the chance to impress on a regional stage. The Horsham Cricket Association have named the squads for the Country Week carnivals in January of 2024. The under-17 squad is scheduled to [play in Warrnambool from January 8 - 12, with the under-15s to test their skills in Horsham on the same dates. The under-13 squad will compete in Portland from January 15 - 17. Read more: Council to apply for Harrow football lighting upgrade HCA junior coordinator Andrew Sostheim credited the quality of cricket in the selection process. "We'd done a couple of net sessions, and we had to do a couple of extra trials because selecting the kids was so hard," Sostheim said. "With all the great kids, it's [selection] was a very difficult task." Horsham will host teams from Warrnambool, Hamilton, Wimmera Mallee, Portland, Mount Gambier and South West. Matches will be played on the association's four turf pitches. Read more: TV show to showcase Wimmera tourism, fishing hotspots The under-15s and 17s will face the prospect of playing the 50-over format, enabling the squad to enhance their skills. "That's a big step up [playing the 50-over format]. Some of our junior cricket is more T20-based. It's a great opportunity for the kids to play longer form cricket," Sostheim said. "It's a different skill set from going from the crash and bash of the T20 to actually occupying the crease and learning to block out maidens and things like that. "That puts them in good stead for senior cricket too [going forward]." The quality of junior cricket stems from the surge in junior participation post-pandemic. "The kids are all on board. With our numbers through post-COVID, our junior programs are thriving," Sostheim said. Read more: Friday auction to end family's long farm ownership in the Wimmera Under-17s: Max Bunworth, Gibson Perry, Monty Wynne, Tobey Anson, James Officer, Oliver Potter, Dezi Carter, Jackson Hoffman, Jude Borlase, Xavier Shelvin, James McNeil, Baxta Hendy, coach: Peter Carter. Under-15s: Harry Hoffmann, Chase Whelan, Archie Sostheim, Jarvis Mitchell, Hugh Weidemann, Ryder Hudson, Albert Schorback, Luke Miller, Phoenix Hopper, Brydon McPhee, Jack Combe, Jack Dickinson, Archie Simpson, coach: Ash Dickinson, team manager: Rod Weidemann. Under-13s: Archie Knight, Joel Plazzer, Jackson Potter, Lenny Clark, Edward Schorback, Jazz Hopper, Hugh Miller, Nav Dhillon, Ryder Smith, Lewis Gellatly, Thomas Combe, Judd Oakley, Tanner Treacy, coach: Justtin Combe. The squads will play practice matches against the Wimmera-Mallee Cricket Association on Sunday, December 10. For the latest in sporting news across the region, click HERE