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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Sport
Josh Callinan

Newcastle dominate Bush Blues squad for Australian Country Championships

Newcastle leg-spinner Aaron Bills. Picture by Marina Neil

NSW COUNTRY champions Newcastle have dominated the Bush Blues squad for next month's national titles with four of the seven players selected poised to debut.

Leg-spinner Aaron Bills (Wests), batsman Logan Weston (Stockton) and seamers Pat Magann (Wallsend) and Josh McTaggart (Waratah-Mayfield) all got the nod to attend their maiden Australian Country Championships.

The newcomers will join incumbent NSW Country captain Nick Foster (Stockton), batsman Jeff Goninan (Stockton) and paceman Josh Bennett (University).

NSW Country's 14-man group was released on Friday, almost a week after Newcastle defeated Central Coast in a thrilling state final at No.1 Sportsground.

Weston was called up and top scored for Newcastle in Sunday's decider while Magann (side strain) had been ruled out with injury.

Central Coast nabbed three spots, including Mark Curry Medal recipient Callum Rainger, while Western's Matt Everett was picked after scoring 289 runs in the preliminary rounds.

Rainger, Central Coast's Broc Hardy and Riverina's Hamish Starr are also first timers for the Bush Blues.

NSW Country also unveiled their women's team on Friday with Newcastle's Emma Jayne Howe, Ali McGrath, Kirsten Smith and Abbey Taylor all included alongside Central North's Jaclyn Vickery.

The week-long carnival gets underway in Canberra on January 13.

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