Alex McNeill (U12s), Campbell Schmierer (U14s/U15s), Lachlan Ballard (U13s), Jarrod Watts (U15s), Beau Harris (U16s), Josh Cooper (U14s), Jeremy Smith (U15s) and Caleb McNeil (U15s) were successful at recent representative selections.

While their peers may be relaxing during the summer school holidays, these boys will be hard at work on the field representing Hunter Valley.

From January 5 to 22, the different age groups will be spread across the state in competition from Lismore to Taree.

Mother Rebecca McNeill said there was a lot of effort involved but the camaraderie was a great product of the sport.

She said those who play for successive years grow up together as a team.

Under-16’s Beau Harris has been playing cricket for about a decade and said it had a number of benefits.

“I enjoy the social side as well as the competitive,” he told the Chronicle.

As well as joining the Hunter Valley representative team, Harris is one of three Muswellbrook juniors chosen to play at the Country Championships with Central North, the others being Josh Cooper (Kookaburra Cup) and Caleb McNeil (Bradman Cup).

If they perform well at these events, there is an opportunity for the players to be selected to play in the Country Carnival in Dubbo at the end of January.