Sydney University Cricket Club’s (SUSF) newest recruit Ryan Carters has been selected in an Australian Invitational XI that will attempt to ruffle the feathers of the English cricket team in a four-day match beginning today (Wednesday) at the SCG.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the SUSF Elite Athlete Program (EAP) scholarship holder (Bachelor of Arts) voiced his teams desire to have a ”real crack” at England, who are hoping to head into the first test beginning on Thursday week at the Gabba with a bounty of runs and a swag of wickets.
Carters, a talented wicket-keeper batsman from Canberra, has played the first couple of rounds of the Sydney Grade Cricket season with Sydney University in between some strong performances for new state team New South Wales.
The 23 year old made his first class debut against England at the MCG in 2010, scoring 16 and 68 against an English bowling attack featuring Test contenders Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett in a drawn four-day match. He also captained the Victorian Second XI while studying at the University of Melbourne.
“He wanted to transfer his studies to Sydney University and we were very fortunate to secure his services,” said SUCC Director of Cricket/Club Coach, Gary Whitaker. “He trains hard, is a very good cricketer and a talented student.”
Carters is one of several fringe players in the New South Wales squad who have been included, along with a handful of promising batsmen from around the country, for the match at the SCG.
Former Test opener and SUCC product Ed Cowan Australian will headline an impressive batting line-up, with Carters due to bat at number six.
”Cricket Australia has selected a mixed team of the better first-class batsmen from around the country as well as members of the NSW squad to make up the XI,” Carters said. ”That shows they are looking to see how a few of the young batsmen go against the England bowling attack.
”Even though it’s a bit of a mixed bunch … we should gel pretty quickly and have a real crack at the English.”
Carters donned the gloves for NSW in the shield opener, but has been replaced in the team by returning Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
And he knows a big score against England will enhance his chances in the first-class arena.
”It’s a really exciting opportunity to test my skills against some of the best bowlers in the world,” Carters said. ”I definitely learnt a lot from the last time I played against them, watching how guys like Bresnan and Tremlett bowled, and how they used reverse swing was really impressive.”
