The Bendigo District Cricket Association’s Melbourne Country Week squad will have its first training session on Sunday at TNF Headquarters in Melbourne.

The squad will again be coached by Matt Pinniger and skippered by keeper-batsman Linton Jacobs.

A training squad of 16 has been selected, which will be trimmed back to 13 for the carnival in February.

The training squad includes nine members of last season’s squad that after winning all four of its preliminary matches was beaten by Sale-Maffra by 12 runs in the Provincial Group grand final at the Albert Ground.

Jacobs, Cameron Taylor, Ben Gunn, Gavin Bowles, Ben DeAraugo, Adam Burns, Liam Smith, Sam Johnson and Richard Tibbett all represented the BDCA last season and are among the 16 in the squad.

The BDCA will have a major boost to its bowling stocks with Victoria Country representative Shaun Knott available for the carnival.

Three young guns in Liam Bowe, Nathan Fitzpatrick and Jake Klemm are in the training squad, while Jayden Hicks, Brent Hamblin and Josh Collinson are also in the mix for selection.

BDCA Melbourne Country Week training squad: Linton Jacobs (c, Strathdale), Adam Burns (Kangaroo Flat), Liam Bowe (Sandhurst), Gavin Bowles (White Hills), Josh Collinson (Eaglehawk), Ben DeAraugo (Strathdale), Nathan Fitzpatrick (Bendigo), Ben Gunn (Bendigo United), Brent Hamblin (Kangaroo Flat), Jayden Hicks (Strathdale), Sam Johnston (Strathdale), Jake Klemm (Kangaroo Flat), Shaun Knott (Eaglehgawk), Liam Smith (Golden Square), Cameron Taylor (Strathdale), Richard Tibbett (Eaglehawk).  

Bendigo’s recent record in Provincial Group at Melbourne Country Week:

2015: 2^nd.

2014: 4^th.

2013: 3^rd.

2012: 6^th.

2011: 3^rd.

2010: Premiers.

2009: 7^th.

2008: 3^rd.