Bendigo cricketers Brayden Stepien and Luke Stagg will be part of Victoria Country's defence of the men's Australian Country Cricket Championship title.
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White Hills' Stepien and Kangaroo Flat's Stagg are in a squad of 14 to represent Victoria Country at the national titles in Newcastle in January.
Stepien was part of the Victorian Country team which won last year's crown.
The attacking left-hander was named in last year's all-Australian team after making 293 runs at an average of 40.6, including 104 against Queensland.
The former Big Bash League player has made a bright start to the Bendigo District Cricket Association season.
He smashed a 36-ball century in the opening round of the Twenty20 competition and blasted 158 against Sandhurst in the two-day league.
Fast bowler Stagg will make his debut for Victoria Country.
In his first season back at Kangaroo Flat after a stint with Essendon in Premier Cricket, Stagg has bowled well for the Roos and the Sporties Spitfires in the Goulburn Valley Big Bash League.
Stagg earned his place after impressing at Victoria Country training at the Junction Oval and in a recent trial match.
His Spitfires' team-mate Cameron Williams, who hails from Warrnambool, was also selected in the Vic Country squad.
Wiliams was the wicket-keeper at last year's carnival.
Latrobe Valley's Lee Stockdale will captain the team.
VCCL squad for the national country championships:
Lee Stockdale, Nathan Freitag (Latrobe Valley), Wade Hancock (Sunraysia), Dale Kerr, Shane McNamara, Jordan Moran, Jack Wrigglesworth (Geelong), Jack Rietschel, Nathan Whitford (Sale-Maffra), Cole Roscholler (Ballarat), Brayden Stepien, Luke Stagg (Bendigo), Jake Toohey (Ferntree Gully), Cameron Williams (Warrnambool). Emergencies - Zac Hurley (Sale-Maffra), Kyle Mueller (Shepparton), Jackson Waters (Ferntree Gully).
Earlier this month, BDCA trio Kate Shallard, Sarah Mannes and Tammy Norquay were named in the Victoria Country women's team for the national carnival.
