BOB Parish, chairman of Victorian cricket in the 1960s and '70s, believed in a mandate when picking a team.
"We are here to produce players to represent this nation silverware is a mere bonus."
Parish rigorously resisted the temptation to import players, despite the ilk of Gary Sobers playing for South Australia and NSW winning 12 consecutive Sheffield Shields.
He certainly would not recruit players from interstate only a few who arrived because of business commitments, such as Queensland paceman Ross Duncan, were even considered to represent the Big V.
The upshot was that Victoria introduced potential first-class cricketers, developed them and gloried in their improvement and elevation to the Test team.
Circumstances changed much of the landscape when World Series Cricket began in the late 1970s. Many under-prepared players were thrown in at the deep end, but Graham Yallop survived to become Test captain. He was 24 on Test debut.
The 1980s threw up regulars Dean Jones (debut, days before his 23rd birthday) and Merv Hughes (days after his 24th birthday), and the following decade was the domain of Shane Warne (debut at 23), with a few appearances from Matthew Elliott (25).
Brad Hodge made six Test appearances from 2005-08. But Hodge was a month shy of his 31st birthday on debut.
Appropriately, Victoria has eight representatives in the 30-man squad for the World Cup next month.
Veteran Hodge, regulars Cameron White, Clint McKay, John Hastings and Peter Siddle, along with Andrew McDonald, David Hussey and young gun James Pattinson.
But the Test ranks remain almost barren.
Not so says coach Greg Shipperd. "We have played in 13 of the past 15 finals in the three different styles of games (Shield, one-dayers and T20) and we have been of the opinion that team success will breed individual success and therefore opportunities for higher honours," Shipperd said.
"We have won 85 points and conceded only 10 to win the past two Shields and the individuals within the team are hardened competitors.
Alex Keath, 19, scored 46 and 20-year-old Ryan Carters, also on debut, scored 68.
Keath will tackle England in the Prime Minister's XI on January 10.
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