Bendigo and its cricket facilities will be on the national stage when the city hosts the national under-18 female cricket championships for the first time.

The national carnival, which will feature 40 Twenty20 matches over five days in mid-January, will attract hundreds of players, support staff and families to the region.

The under-18 championships come on top of the Bendigo Country Week carnival from January 21-25 and the Northern Rivers junior country week carnival in the first week of January.

“The great facilities, quality turf wickets and the effort clubs have put in to host major events in the last four or five years is why Bendigo is selected to host carnivals like the national under-18 championships,’’ Northern Rivers cricket manager Ben DeAraugo said.

“It’s great for Bendigo because it brings a lot of people to town from all over Australia. Hopefully, it gives the local economy a boost with motels and restaurants being filled.”

DeAraugo said the national under-18 championships bring together the next generation of Australian players.

“We’ve had a great example of the female cricket pathway recently with Tayla Vlaeminck making her way to the international stage,’’ DeAraugo said.

“Hopefully, some of these girls that play in Bendigo will be the next Tayla Vlaeminck.

“It’s great for young female cricketers in our region to have the championships on their door step so they can see up close what’s happening in female cricket and they can aspire to reach that level.”

Kangaroo Flat’s Jasmine Nevins and White Hills’ Letesha Bawden will play for Victoria Country at the championships.

“It’s great reward for Jasmine and Lethesha because they’ve put in a lot of hard work into their cricket in the past 18 months,’’ DeAraugo said.

“It will be great to see them represent their state on their home grounds.”

The QEO, Canterbury Park, White Hills, Dower Park, Harry Trott Oval and Weeroona Oval have been selected by Cricket Australia as the venues for the championships.

Fixture for the national under-18 female championships in Bendigo:

Round one, January 14

10am – ACT/NSW Country v Victoria Metro at Canterbury Park

10am – Tasmania v Queensland at White Hills

10am – Victoria Country v Northern Territory at Dower Park

10am – NSW Metro v Cricket Australia XI at Harry Trott Oval

10am – Western Australia v South Australia at QEO

Round two, January 14

2.30pm – Northern Territory v ACT/NSW Country at Dower Park

2.30pm – Queensland v South Australia at White Hills

2.30pm – Cricket Australia XI v Western Australia at Canterbury Park

2.30pm – Victoria Country v NSW Metro at Harry Trott Oval

6.30pm – Victoria Metro v Tasmania at QEO

Round three, January 15

10am – ACT/NSW Country v Queensland at QEO

10am – Northern Territory v Victoria Metro at Canterbury Park

10am – Tasmania v Western Australia at Dower Park

10am – South Australia v NSW Metro at Harry Trott Oval

10am – Victoria Country v Cricket Australia XI at White Hills

Round four, January 15

2.30pm – Northern Territory v Tasmania at Canterbury Park  

2.30pm – Victoria Metro v Queensland at Dower Park  

2.30pm – Cricket Australia XI v South Australia at Harry Trott Oval  

2.30pm – Victoria Country v Western Australia at White Hills

6.30pm – ACT/NSW Country v NSW Metro at QEO 

Round five, January 17

10am – Victoria Metro v South Australia at Weeroona Oval

10am – Victoria Country v ACT/NSW Country at Harry Trott Oval

10am – Western Australia v Queensland at Canterbury Park

10am – NSW Metro v Northern Territory at Dower Park

10am – Cricket Australia XI v Tasmania at QEO

Round six, January 17

2.30pm – Tasmania v ACT/NSW Country at Harry Trott Oval

2.30pm – Queensland v Northern Territory at Canterbury Park

2.30pm – Victoria Metro v Cricket Australia XI at Weeroona Oval

2.30pm – Western Australia v NSW Metro at Dower Park

6.30pm – South Australia v Victoria Country at QEO

Semi-finals and consolation finals, January 18

10am start at QEO, Canterbury Park, Dower Park, Harry Trott Oval and Weeroona Oval

Third place play-off and plate matches, January 18

2.30pm start at Canterbury Park, Dower Park, Harry Trott Oval and Weeroona Oval

Grand final, January 18

6.30pm at the QEO

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