Anable will be joined in the team by two other players who originally hail from the Goulburn and District Cricket Association: Brad Smith and Josh Watling. 

This honour is the most recent in a long list for Anable, who took part in the Under 19 State Challenge with the Country Sixers team, was selected to train with the ACT Comets, is playing first grade cricket in Canberra with Tuggeranong, and was selected for the Southern Tablelands team. 

According to Smith, who is arguably the most experienced of the Goulburn District trio in the side, one of the most pleasing aspects of the selection was that it shows regional players are by no means a lesser priority for Cricket ACT. 

“I think ACT Cricket, to their credit … they seem to be really trying to look after the regional cricket,” Smith said. 

“I think this is one way that they’re trying to do that, is to demonstrate that if you can play well or put your hand up to have a go, there is the potential there to play some higher level cricket.” 

The Country Championships will take place across Friday November 9, Saturday November 10, and Sunday November 11, and will feature one 50-over match per day for each of the teams taking part. 

The teams competing in Shoalhaven are all from the Southern Pool of zones. The Northern Pool held its half of the competition last weekend, from November 2 to November 4, which saw Central Coast emerge on top of the four-team pool with two wins, one loss, and a superior net run rate. 

This weekend, ACT Southern Districts will play against Greater Illawarra on Friday, Riverina on Saturday, and Newcastle on Sunday. 

Once the competition this weekend is complete, the final will be held on November 25 between the top teams from either pool. 

Because of his representative history, Smith said that he has “a little bit” of an idea of what to expect from ACT Southern District’s opponents this weekend, but was reticent to make concrete predictions. 

“It was some time ago, though,” Smith said. 

“Six, seven years ago, it was myself, Mick Webber, and Josh Watling that went away to Southern Zone, so I guess we’ve got some idea [of what to expect] from that. 

“It’ll be interesting to see if the standard has improved or if it’ll be the same.”

Following the experience he has gained over the course of the last 12 months, Anable will be a crucial part of the ACT Southern Districts team if they are to have a chance of victory. 

In a previous interview with the Gazette, Anable’s father, Garry, said that his one of his son’s strongest suits is his temperament. 

“He’s got good … temperament for a fast bowler,” he said. 

“He doesn’t seem to get overawed with the situation he’s in, he’s got a fairly calm head.”