Unable to use projections in ItemReader

While tyring to use projections in item reader, always getting "NoSuchMethodException" (for the projection method in jpa repository). Tried multiple ways, although same works when invoking via say a controller.
Error:
Caused by: java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: jdk.proxy2.$Proxy115.findDistinctByCreatedAfter(java.time.LocalDate,org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest)
at java.base/java.lang.Class.getMethod(Class.java:2405) ~[na:na]

Env: Spring Boot 3.X, JDK 17

Created a github demo project with all set up to demonstrate issue runtime
https://github.com/jobas2007/batch-h2-demo

Expected behavior is to be able to use projection fitting into batch processing

All details are in the stackoverflow
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79002944/purge-group-of-old-records-iteratively-to-insert-fresh-data-daily

Appreciate any help/assistance/suggestions, as been struggling for a while now. Thanks

Run the linked batch-h2-demo and reproduce the NoSuchMethodException from the ItemReader projection path. Compare that behavior with the controller invocation described in the issue, then verify that the projection method works during batch processing without the exception.