Three players who have already competed for their states at senior level head an impressive line-up of young cricketers who have been selected today as the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy (CBCA)'s scholarship holders for 2001.

Highly talented Western Australian batsmen Shaun Marsh and Scott Meuleman and exciting Tasmanian pace bowler Brett Geeves join with eleven other players who have made a similarly big mark in underage cricket over recent years.

The CBCA programme, run under the auspices of the Australian Cricket Board and the Australian Institute of Sport, offers twelve-month scholarships to a select band of aspiring Australian players every year. In 2001, it enters its fourteenth year of operation in schooling accomplished young players in all facets of the game.

The Academy has already helped nurture a range of outstanding state and international players. These include current Test stars Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Michael Slater, Brett Lee and Ricky Ponting.

The full list of scholarship holders for 2001 is:

Duncan Betts (Qld), Travis Birt (Vic), Rowan Brewster (NSW), Mark Cosgrove (SA), Xavier Doherty (Tas), Brett Geeves (Tas), Mitchell Johnson (Qld), Shaun Marsh (WA), Scott Meuleman (WA), Luke Ronchi (WA), Daniel Smith (NSW), Michael Thistle (WA), Matthew Weeks (SA), Tim Welsford (Vic).

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd