The former Queanbeyan captain, who was appointed new Comets coach last month, said Canberra provided a unique pathway for young cricketers to showcase their talent on the national stage.

Four ACT players were offered contracts by the major states last season after impressing at Cricket Australia Cup level, and Higgs expected the trend to continue.

``We've shown there's a great pathway here and obviously fantastic opportunities with the guys getting contracted last year,'' he said.

``We've spoken to people in charge of their areas around here and they're really keen to take a chance in Canberra, rather than going to a big city like Sydney and trying to get through that rat race to try and play cricket.''

Since signing on as Comets coach, Higgs has targeted a number of recruits he hoped would strengthen the team.

For the full story, please see Friday's Queanbeyan Age, available from our front office on Monaro Street, or at newsagencies and supermarkets across the Queanbeyan region.