JASON Date is only just 16 but will state his case for inclusion in the Western Zone open team this weekend after earning one of 10 Mitchell spots for trial matches in Dubbo.

The Western Zone team will not be selected from the all-age carnival as has been the case in the past, with the top 24 players from the Mitchell, Macquarie and Lachlan Cricket Councils mixing to play two selection trial matches.

Those two games will be played using a possibles versus probables format and will take place in Dubbo this weekend.

Date is one of seven Orange players invited to trial for Western Zone, with Trent Colley, Nathan Rosser, Richie Venner, Ray Doolan, Dave Boundy and Jackson Coote also named from Mitchell.

But at just 16-years-old, Date expects it will be daunting having to compete for spots in the top order against the likes of Dubbo’s Nathan Munro and Jason Ryan.

“I suppose it will be pretty intimidating, but I’ve just got to try and do what I always do and see how I go,” Date said.

“There are a lot of good guys around. You never know what happens with cricket sometimes, its a bit of a funny sort of sport, so I’ll just see how we all go.”

The Year 10 Kinross Wolaroi School student was not expecting to be included in the top 24 players in Western Zone, especially as he considered himself to be a late addition to Orange’s team for the President’s Cup.

Date made an unbeaten 59 against Bathurst on the first day of that carnival and thinks the innings had a big bearing on securing a trial invitation.

The batsman has been in the runs already this season in first grade and in school cricket with Kinross, but he is just hoping for a bit more consistency this weekend.

“I’ve put up some good scores,” he said.

“(But) it’s a bit frustrating sometimes because I’m either getting less than five or more than 50, so hopefully I can just get myself in and if I can get past that stage, I’ll look good hopefully.”

Date has gone through his junior cricket as an all-rounder but feels he is becoming more of a batsman at representative level.

He is working on his bowling at club level, although he is reluctant to take the ball at rep level against stronger batsmen.

The 24 players invited to trial for the Western Zone team in Dubbo will be split into two teams and will play two selection trial matches, with one on Saturday and the second on Sunday.