Rep stats cap Salerno career
CRICKET IT doesn’t matter if it is the first time or the eighth, pulling on the baggy maroon of Queensland is always a special moment for classy spinner Michael Salerno.
Salerno departed the Far North yesterday afternoon, bound for Shepparton, via Brisbane, while his Queensland Country Cairns-based teammates Chris Stanger and Jake Roach, both all-rounders, left yesterday morning.
After finishing third this time last year at the Australian Country Cricket Championships, the Cricket Far North trio have their sights set on returning Queensland to the top of the country cricket standings.
Atherton’s Salerno is embarking on his eighth tour with the team, with Stanger and Roach set to represent their state for the third time.
“I have jumped up to second all time for wicket takers for Queensland in this tournament, which is special,” Salerno said. “I am coming to the end of my career and to rep- resent Queensland eight times, you can’t take things like that for granted.”
Salerno likes the look of the squad. “If you can go into a carnival like with eight or 10 guys that have played at this level before, I think it puts you in good stead,” Salerno said.
“With the squad we have this year, I would be disappointed if we do not go well.”
The Far North trio will also be in the Australian Country Team which will take on the Australian Cricketers Association XI in a T20 match the night before the tournament.
The Queensland Country Cricket Team are travelling to Shepparton, Victoria for the 2019 Australian Country Cricket Championships from January 3-11, 2019.
The team gathered in Brisbane yesterday to play a T20 warm-up match at Allan Border Field against the Queensland indigenous team. Today the same two teams will play a 40-over match.