Ellis and Freebody bowl Norths into pole position for summer

A three-game winning run to open the Cricket Far North season could place Norths in good stead for a premiership assault ahead of what is forecast to be a wetter summer.

And good form across the board has put the club in pole position to capitalise.

Norths beat Cassowary Coast by five wickets to maintain their perfect record to start the season, with Mark Ellis’s 5-25 and an all-round contribution from Dan Freebody (3-22, 43 runs) steering the side to victory at Innisfail.

Ellis and Freebody, along with representative wicket keeper-batsman Angus Warnock, are in good nick to open the 2022-23 season, while Gareth Thomas and Aidan Firman have chimed in with crucial knocks.

The bowling tandem of Ellis and Freebody are leading the competition with nine and eight wickets respectively, and Freebody, who skittled Cassowary Coast’s openers cheaply on Saturday, said the growth of Ellis had been great to watch.

“We’ve played together a long time, and in indoor as well,” Freebody said. “He’s always been a good bowler but last year he really grew in confidence.

“That’s helped him to be more consistent. He’s bowling tight and causing the batters to make mistakes.”

Norths won the toss and sent Cassowary Coast in to bat, and while Chris van Vuuren produced a hardfought 52 from 80 balls, the visitors dominated on a pitch which offered their bowlers plenty of movement.

Warnock (42) and Freebody navigated Norths out of trouble, taking them from 2-24 into triple figures before the partnership was broken.

“We’ve both been in pretty good form,” Freebody said.

He said it was an ideal start, and a far more positive one than last season, when they dropped their first two but recovered to finish third.

“We’ve got some tough games coming up against Atherton and Mulgrave – who are second and third – but we’re really excited to face those teams. You want to be in a good position early in the season, especially with this wet season coming up.”

Elsewhere, Rovers rolled defending champs Mulgrave for 94 on their way to a five-wicket win, while Atherton beat Barron River by 53 runs.

The CFN first grade competition takes a one-week hiatus this week for the next representative round in Mackay.