Imparja Cup squad announced

Staged from February 9 to 15, Noogal Toengorrt Tani will be hoping to improve on last season’s third place finish through experience and new talent.

The squad includes five Bartercard Premier Cricket representatives, with Northcote’s Ben Abbatanglo returning to captain the team for a third campaign, alongside Essendon’s Fletcher Stewart and Josh Eaton, Greenvale Kangaroos’ Alex Kerr and Melbourne’s Damon Egan.

New faces in the squad include former Melbourne University top-order batsman Rohan Wight, ex-Ringwood batsman Dan Mock and young gun Liam Jackson.

“We have added some seasoned cricketers to the mix in Wight and Mock, who have both played Premier First XI cricket,” Abbatangelo said.

“We feel as though we have a really well rounded squad that has the ability to play some pretty exciting cricket.”

Since the competition’s inaugural match in 1994, the Imparja Cup has evolved into one of the nation’s most cherished sporting carnivals that celebrates Indigenous culture and cricket.

The squad will fine-tune its preparations with a practice match against Victoria Police this Sunday at the Melbourne Stars Family Day held at Casey Fields.

Play will commence at 9am.

The 2014 Victorian Imparja Cup squad:
(C) Ben Abbatangelo (Northcote CC)
Damon Egan (Melbourne CC)
Josh Eaton (Essendon CC)
Nathan Gardiner (Whittlesea CC)
Sandy Hodge (Homers CC)
Liam Jackson (The Pines CC)
Patrick Jackson (The Pines CC)
Alex Kerr (Greenvale Kangaroos CC)
Brenden Miller (Lara CC)
Dan Mock (Woori Yallock CC)
Troy Oakley (Newborough Bulldogs CC)
Fletcher Stewart (Essendon CC)
Rohan Wight (Ormond CC)