Australia’s most talented underage players will take centre stage today when the Under 16 International Series against Pakistan begins in Bowral today.

Eligible players have been selected from the recent School Sports Australia Under 15 tournament held in Darwin with many of the players already representing the inaugural Cricket Australia XI in the Under 17 National Championships.

The players will play on Bradman Oval in Bowral, home of Australia’s greatest ever batsman Sir Donald Bradman.

The format will consist of three one-day fixtures followed by three Twenty20 matches, including a night match under lights at Wollongong Oval.

The side will be led by Bankstown junior Bailey Dickinson, who recently plundered an unbeaten-148 in the Under 17 National Championships as well as Newcastle’s Jason Sangha who was the only underage player to advance through to next month’s Under 19 National Championships in Adelaide.

The tournament will also see Austin Waugh, son of former Australia captain Steve, take part against Pakistan, after scoring 193 runs at 48.3 in Brisbane recently.

Cricket Australia’s National Talent Manager, Greg Chappell, says that the pathway has never been greater for Australia’s junior cricketers.

“Juniors around the country now have a chance to represent their state and their country in a number of different competitions across Australia,” Chappell said.

“As part of the Australian Cricket Pathway, some of these kids have played in the School Sports competition, proved themselves against older opposition in the Under 17s competition and now have a chance to play on the international stage in Bowral.

“It has given the Youth Selection Panel a brilliant chance to witness first hand some of the talent that is coming through the ranks.”

Many Australian cricketers have come through the youth representative pathway, including current contracted players Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith.

The tournament will be followed by the Under 19 Male Championships as well as the Under 15 and Under 18 Female Championships to be held over the next three months.

Matches will be live scored through MyCricket on www.nationalchamps.com.au and news and video content will also be available for editorial use.

You can also get involved on Twitter via @CAPathway and by using the hashtag #U16AUSvPAK.