‘POWERFUL’ ROACH TOPS THE VOTES

MULGRAVE master blaster Jake Roach has been crowned a joint winner in a statewide search for the best batsman in Queensland.

The Cairns Post and our News affiliates across the state compiled a list of 100 of the best batsmen from local first-grade competitions two weeks ago and opened it up to a public vote to unearth the most regarded star by clubs, fans and the community.

After hundreds of votes were counted over the past fortnight, Roach and Toowoomba cricketer Brian May could not be split.

The pair of willow-wielders took out the title by some margin, each polling 12 per cent of the votes, with Townsville’s Sam Lowry finishing in third with 6 per cent of the votes.

A textbook power hitter, Roach is considered among the best cricketers in the Far North. Coming in at number three or four, the Queensland Country all-rounder can help steady the ship if his team has lost a few early wickets or, if the platform has been laid, push on with his big hitting to finish off a strong start or close a chase in Michael Bevan-esque style.

Cairns-based Queensland Country Cricket Association president Kev Maher said Roach was “one of the best all-round cricketers we’ve had here in the last 25 years”.

“He’s really come into his own with these shorter forms of the game, with his power hitting in both T20 and one-day cricket,” he said.

“That coupled with his bowling has made him a valuable member of not only Mulgrave but of Far North, North Queensland and Queensland Country representative teams as well.

“He’s such a powerful man – he’s a big man – but he’s become very selective. He’s become a smart cricketer, he knows to play the good ball and when there’s one that’s a bit loose, he’s got the skills to go after it.”

Maher had no doubt Roach could mix it with the state’s best cricketers in the Brisbane premier grades.

“Norths flew him down for a couple of one-day games at the start of last year and he acquitted himself quite well,” he said.

“But at that stage ... he was pretty well settled in life and it was a probably a bit late to give up everything he’s got up here to go and have a crack down there – but he could certainly play at first-grade level.”

He said for Roach to be named as a joint winner alongside May – the man dubbed ‘The Don Bradman of the Bush’ – was a remarkable honour.

“Brian’s a member of the Australian Country Cricket Hall of Fame and he’s the leading run-scorer in the history of the Australian Country Cricket Championships,” he said.

“He is one of the most elite players the country has ever seen.”