CRICKET - Coach betting on new talent

New Northland coach Graham Barlow believes he has uncovered a diamond in the rough in the form of Kaitaia's Josh Ashley after naming him in the Northland team to contest this year's Brian Dunning one-day tournament.
Barlow first saw the 23-year-old left-arm pace bowler in action during the opening round of Premier Grade 50-over matches four weeks ago and immediately invited him to Northland training.
"He'd bowled just one over and I said to myself, this bloke can bowl ... look he's a bit raw right now but he could well become a very good bowler," Barlow said. "He's a big boy, he's strong and he hits the deck and swings the ball in as well as pushing it across the batsman and he's got a slower ball, so for someone with not that much experience, he's got some good tools to work with."
Ashley and his Kamo teammate off-spinner Jamie Millar are the two debutantes in Northland's line-up to open their representative season against Poverty Bay on Sunday.
The left-arm quick bowler said he was stoked because he hadn't expected to get picked after attending just one training with the squad. Ashley said he will be trying to soak up as much experience as he could. during the three matches.
"I'm just going to try and keep my nerve and keep my bowling tight, and hope I can do well enough to help the team out," he said.
The former Kaitaia College student has played his cricket in the Far North until now, but was this season enticed south to play for Kamo in the premier grade by another Kaitaia player at the club, Boris Jurlina.
Ashley and his brother Derek started playing for Kamo this season and Jurlina said the improvement he had shown since the beginning of the season had already been significant.
"I always thought he had the talent to succeed in premier grade cricket and perhaps go even higher, it was just a question of having the motivation to push himself."
If the bowling line-up looks inexperienced - and it is to a point - the batting is rock solid. Bert Horner, Harry Darkins and Ian Page have all been among the runs in Northland Premier Grade competition while captain Brad Wilson has been in fantastic form.
"Brad should really be [playing] at the next level, and it may not be too long before we lose him, but from a Northland point of view let's hope not because he's an ideal captain to have with his wide range of skills," Barlow said.
The Kaipara Flats opener has been difficult to dismiss this season in the premier grade and, along with Stephen John, Brett Hood and Tim Anderson, he is one of four former first-class players in the side.
"In what is a very new-look team, we are attempting to give some promising youngsters the opportunity to develop in a structured environment with a number of experienced players, who offer the tools to pass on their knowledge and skills to these Northland regulars of the future," Barlow said.
After losing both Ben Cochrane and Brad Chard in the off-season, Brett Hood has returned to the Northland side to take over the gloves for the tournament.
The Northland team is: Brad Wilson (captain), Tim Anderson, Josh Ashley, John Child, Harry Darkins, Brett Hood, Bert Horner, Stephen John, Josh Matthews, Jamie Millar, Chris Page, Ian Page. Coach/selector: Graham Barlow. Manager: Greg Guy. Scorer: Gordon Penny.