Redbacks rely on local products

A year after the recruitment of Matthew Elliott ended in a serious knee problem, South Australia have returned their focus to home-grown players as they named their contract list for 2006-07. Elliott, whose injury ruled him out of an off-season stint with Glamorgan, retained his place on the list alongside Greg Blewett, another former international who performed below expectations last summer.

Mark Higgs and Matthew Weeks were not offered new deals while the rookie Peter George was also dropped from the squad. Gary Putland, the left-arm swing bowler from Southern District, has been added after he played five ING Cup games in 2005-06 and took two wickets. Three rookies have been called up with Lachlan Oswald-Jacobs, the 21-year-old batsman, Chadd Sayers, an 18-year-old from Woodville, and the Southern District batsman Simon Roberts earning their first contracts.

"The selectors have continued to show faith in the product of grade cricket and the young talented cricketers in this state," Harvey Jolly, the SACA general manager of cricket, said. "After the promise shown last season and from my discussions with the playing group it is clear they are excited about being part of the future." The captain and vice-captain will be named during the pre-season campaign, but it would be a surprise if either Darren Lehmann or Graham Manou were demoted.

Squad Nathan Adcock, Cullen Bailey, Greg Blewett, Cameron Borgas, Ben Cameron, Mark Cleary, Mark Cosgrove, Daniel Cullen (Cricket Australia contract), Shane Deitz, Matthew Elliott, Callum Ferguson, Jason Gillespie (CA), Daniel Harris, Ryan Harris, Trent Kelly, Darren Lehmann, Graham Manou, Gary Putland, Paul Rofe, Shaun Tait (CA).

Rookies Lachlan Oswald-Jacobs, Tom Plant, Simon Roberts, Chadd Sayers, Ken Skewes.