First, he joined a very elite group in becoming just the third local bowler to claim the NSW Country Junior Cup boys’ scratch title on Sunday, and then, joining another elite club, he was named in the 2016 Australian National Training Squad yesterday.

Only two other bowlers from Orange in Jason Belmonte, arguably the best bowler in the world, and Jason Brown had claimed the title prior to Flannery’s win, while only the best of the best ever get the chance to represent their country.

“It’s been unreal,” the 18-year-old said.

“I put my name down for the NTS, and did all the testing, but I didn’t think I’d get in. It’s a pretty proud moment for me, I’ve only represented NSW before.

“[Joining Brown and Belmonte as title winners] is pretty cool too, especially since Chuck [Brown] is my coach.”

Flannery will head to Melbourne with the NTS program in January, and will battle it out with the remainder of the squad in a roll off in a bid to gain final selection for Australia’s team for the 14th World Youth Championships, in Nebraska, in August next year.

“I’m a bit nervous about that I guess, but I’ll practise a lot between now and then and hopefully that shows,” he said.

Flannery secured the NSW Country Junior Cup gong on Sunday by thumping Sydney’s Matthew Dalli in the deciding game of the three-way step-ladder final.

After winning through to the decider automatically with a first finish in the preliminary games, Flannery rolled a competition high 277 in the final game - his previous best during the day was 254 - to claim the top prize by 109 pins from Dalli, who rolled 168.

Grafton’s Shanita Clark took out the girls’ scratch division, beating out Shellharbour gun Taniesha Griffiths in the final while Shellharbour’s Nathan Potts took out the handicap division.