ANY time Jason Sangha might be feeling frustrated or despondent, he needs only remember that he has friends in high places.
It has been 58 days since Sangha last batted in a game, and in that time his former Australian under-19 teammates Cameron Green and Will Pucovski have taken giant strides.
Green recently made his one-day international debut for Australia and will wear the Baggy Green for the first time in the opening Test against India, starting in Adelaide on Thursday.
Pucovski would no doubt also be playing in his initial Test, if not for a concussion he sustained in the Australia A selection trial a fortnight ago.
Sangha, meanwhile, has been reluctantly biding his time since he was dismissed for seven in NSW's Sheffield Shield opener against Western Australia in Adelaide, on October 20.
Not long after that, the 21-year Novocastrian suffered a grade-two hamstring tear during a conditioning session and is still awaiting a clearance to resume playing.
"It's the first time I've really had an injury that has kept me out of cricket, and you don't want it to become a recurring thing," he said.
"They initially diagnosed it as a four-to-six-week injury.
"It's been five weeks now and it feels fine, so now it's a matter of ticking the return-to-play boxes and hopefully I'll be cleared to continue the remainder of the season."
All going well, Sangha could be available for Sydney Thunder's Big Bash League clash with Perth Scorchers in Canberra on Tuesday.
In the meantime, he has been keeping a close eye on the runs that Green and Pucovski have been racking up.
"I'm not saying inspiration, that's probably not the right word, but certainly they give me some motivation," he said.
"I think it's a bit of a reminder for a lot of guys out there who are of a similar age, 21 or 22, that the selectors will reward you based on skill and weight of runs.
"Regardless of age, if you score runs or take wickets, you'll reach those higher honours."
The former Australian under-19 skipper, whose talents have been praised by former Test stars Greg Chappell, Kerry O'Keefe and the late Dean Jones, has batted only twice in games this year, scoring 95 for Randwick-Petersham in Sydney grade cricket before his lone Shield innings.
He said it was crucial, given his lack of match practice, to make net sessions as intense as possible.
"There's only so much training you can do," he said.
"Sometimes the call can come when you're not expecting it, so you just have to be ready and give yourself the best chance."
Sangha was a regular for the Thunder in 2018-19, but last season he was part of their squad without appearing in a BBL game.
** COMPETITION newcomers Suburban Districts face a baptism of fire after being drawn in the same Summer Bash group as Hamilton-Wickham and Charlestown - both former champions.
The Suburban Districts "Rebels" have formed a new Saturday competition, after breaking away from City and Suburban ranks.
In the T20 Summer bash, which kicks off on January 12, the Rebels will play Charlestown's Magpies, Maitland Magic, Cardiff's Black Roses and the Hamwicks Pumas.
Toronto's star signing, former Sydney Thunder keeper-batsman Jay Lenton, will make his debut against high-flying Wests Rosellas, who are yet to lose a game this season in any format.
Reigning champs Hamwicks and the 2018-19 winners Charlestown open proceedings with a blockbuster clash at Passmore, while City Sabres and Stockton Seagulls will simultaneously be doing battle at Learmonth.
** PICTURESQUE Bradman Oval in Bowral will be the venue for Newcastle's NSW Country Championships title defence.
Newcastle will meet Riverina in the final, to be staged on February 21.
Riverina last won the championships in 2002.
Newcastle qualified for the final after wins against Central North and Central Coast and a washout against North Coastal.
As well as the country championships, both the Lake Mac Attack and Newcastle Blasters have qualified for the Regional Bash finals day, to be held at the SCG in January.
The Blasters and Attack are set to meet in the semi-final.
** GIVEN they are chasing an imposing 382 for victory against NDCA leaders Wests at Harker Oval on Saturday, Belmont are unlikely to shed too many tears if day two falls victim to the recent wet weather.
But the home team are taking no chances.
Wests have been covering the pitch since Monday and club officials have spent hours mopping up any excess moisture.
"When you've got 380 on the board, you don't want to waste it," one insider told The Leading Edge.
** NEWCASTLE City and Merewether have retained their Denis Broad Cup and under-21 titles respectively after winning the finals last Sunday.
Representative all-rounder Angus McTaggart starred for City in the under-21 decider, scoring 42 in 29 balls and taking 1-17 as the Sabres chased down 4-110 with six overs to spare and five wickets in hand.
In the Broad Cup finale, Tony McDevitt's 65 from 44 balls set up Merewether's successful pursuit of City's 8-116.
** STOCKTON'S Alexander Ward has stated a case for promotion - both up the batting order and to a higher grade - after a remarkable innings against Wallsend last weekend.
Playing fourth grade at Wallsend No.2, Ward walked in at No.6 with his team in strife at 4-29.
The visitors finished with 9-273 after Ward hammered 201 of the next 244 runs his team scored, without losing his wicket. He hit 30 fours and six sixes and shared a 122-run partnership with tailender Shane Fogg (13).
He was a runaway winner of the Club Charlestown player-of-the-week award.
