by Mike Vimpany

SOUTH Australia’s Under-19 state captain has been lined up as South Wilts’ overseas player for the upcoming ECB Southern Premier League cricket championship assault.

Jake Winter, 18, who plays First Grade cricket for recent South Australia 50-over winners Glenelg, will head to Bemerton in late April.

He was Player of the Tournament in Australia’s U17 national state championships in 2014.

Winter compiled 389 runs in five games, at an average of 77.8, helping South Australia win the prestigious carnival.

His reward was selection for the Australia Under-19 tour to Sri Lanka and subsequent appointment as South Australia’s Under-19 state captain.

He is in the Emerging Redbacks squad and trains regularly with the state side at the Adelaide Oval.

Winter can’t wait to hop on the plane next month and boost South Wilts’ tilt at a remarkable fifth straight Premiership.

“Hopefully I can use my trip to the UK get some experience of playing in different conditions,” he said. “Being around the Hampshire academy will also help my development, both physically and as a batsman.

Although Winter bats in the middle-order for his powerful Grade club side – he has strung together a succession of fifties in recent matches – the Australian teen may well step into Tom Morton’s shoes at the top of the order.

Morton, who has led South Wilts’ recent monopoly of Premier League and twenty20 cup cricket, has left the Salisbury club to become Director of Cricket at Ealing, the powerful Middlesex League outfit.

James Hayward, Morton’s predecessor as captain, is excited about South Wilts’ capture.

“We wanted a batsman and Jake joins us with some excellent commendations from key people in the sport, like Tim Neillsen, the former Australia national coach.

“We are looking forward to playing a part in his development.”

“It’s never easy for the younger guys to come over and play in a different environment, away from the family for a long period of time, but speaking to Jake then I’m confident he will handle it absolutely fine. He seems a mature young man.”