De Villiers' tip to be an Aussie 'legend'

Aussie young gun and Brisbane Heat Big Bash recruit Alex Ross has been given a ringing endorsement by one of the game's modern day greats.

Ross crossed paths with South Africa's AB de Villiers during the Caribbean Premier League, when the South African's Barbados Tridents met Ross and the Jamaica Tallawahs this week.

Quick Single: Heat lure Ross to Gabba

With the match rained off after Chris Gayle had blasted five long bombs to race to 47 from 20 balls, there was plenty of time for the teams to mingle in the dressing sheds.

Ross was gifted a Kookaburra bat from de Villiers' kit bag which the Proteas star had signed.

"Look forward to watching you become a legend," de Villiers wrote. "Keep hitting them long."

Ross has developed a reputation for a sweeper, owing much to a youth spent playing hockey.

Unfortunately for Ross, that rain-affected match has been his only start for the Tallawahs this season.

However, the 24-year-old will have more opportunity to showcase his skills later this winter when he links up with the Australia A squad that will play a quadrangular series in Queensland.

Ross enjoyed a breakout season last summer, capped by the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award at the Allan Border Medal event in January.

He is likely to get the opportunity to push his name further in front of the selectors during the A series where Australia A play two four-day games against South Africa A before a quadrangular series also featuring India A and the National Performance Squad. Two four-day matches against India A will follow.

Ross impressed for the Adelaide Strikers in BBL|05 and also showed his quality for the West End Redbacks in the Matador BBQs One-Cay Cup in October.

He was the Redback's second-highest runs scorer in the Sheffield Shield behind captain Travis Head.

Head had been expected to also feature in the A series but has instead been given permission to extend his stay with English county club Yorkshire, where he is working with Adelaide Strikers head coach Jason Gillespie.

Head made his Yorkshire debut last night in a domestic T20 match, blasting 40 runs from 25 balls, including four sixes. However, Yorkshire went down by three wickets to Nottinghamshire. 

Australia A series squads and fixtures

Australia A squad: Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Travis Dean, Peter Handscomb, Sam Heazlett, Jake Lehmann, Chris Lynn, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Joel Paris, Matt Renshaw, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Chadd Sayers, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Dan Worrall, Sam Whiteman.

South Africa A four-day squad: Stephen Cook (c), Qaasim Adams, Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen 

South Africa A one-day squad: Wayne Parnell (c), Qaasim Adams, Marchant de Lange, Reeza Hendricks, Heino Kuhn, Eddie Leie, Sisanda Magala, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Malusi Siboto, Khaya Zondo, David Miller, Dane Vilas 

India A squad: Naman Ojha (capt), Faiz Fazal, Akhil Herwadkar, Shreyas Iyer, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Varun Aaron, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat, Barinder Sran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sanju Samson.

Fixtures

Four-day matches 

30 July – 2 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
6 August – 9 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville

One-day Series

13 August, South Africa A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
14 August, Australia A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
16 August, Australia A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
17 August, South Africa A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
20 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
21 August, India A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
24 August, NPS v Australia A, Harrup Park, Mackay
25 August, South Africa A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
27 August, NPS v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
28 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Harrup Park, Mackay
30 August, Australia A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
31 August, South Africa A v NPS, Harrup Park, Mackay
3 September; Final 3 v 4, Harrup Park, Mackay
4 September, Final 1 v 2, Harrup Park, Mackay

Four-day matches

8-11 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
15-18 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane