JUNIOR CRICKET’S BEST OF THE BEST
THE Townsville Bulletin’s cricket team has crunched the numbers, interviewed the coaches and inspected the selections to unearth the 40 Townsville cricketers aged 18 and under to watch in season 2022-23.
The region’s top prospects come from clubs around the league, and many have honed their skills in North Queensland’s representative teams.
A number of elite cricketers developed their abilities playing locally in and around Townsville, including Andrew “Roy” Symonds who grew up playing in Charters Towers.
Numbers 40-21 were revealed last week and can be found online at townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport
20. MADHAVA VYAS, U15 Norths batting all-rounder
Highest grade: B grade (1 game) Rep history: NQ U12-13, U15
The former Ipswich standout has made an immediate splash since moving to Townsville. Having spent most of last year in the U17s at 14, Vyas made his B grade debut this year in his U15 season.
19. BEN WALKER, U17 Wests top order bat
Highest grade: B grade (13 games) Rep history: NQ U13-16
Walker was selected at No.3 in the U17 team of the season after a dominant year in the division for Wanderers (339 runs at 48.43) that culminated in a Bulls Masters Youth Cup (U16) win with North Queensland. Walker has moved over to Wests in the hope of taking the next step in his cricket career.
18. TOBY WOODBURY, U17 Sub Parks bowling all-rounder
Highest grade: B grade (2 games) Rep history: NQ U15-16
Opening the bowling for B grade and the batting for C grade keeps Toby Woodbury, the brother of star Sam Woodbury, nice and busy on his Sundays. An A grade debut alongside Sam is in his future.
17. ADAM CAMER, U17 Norths batting all-rounder
Highest grade: B grade (8 games) Rep history: NQ U12-16
The younger brother of Norths’ Jarrod Camer, Adam is making his own name as a batting all-rounder. Camer debuted in B grade two years ago at 14.
16. CASEY JEFFREE, U16 Wanderers wicketkeeper
Highest grade: B grade (14 games) Rep history: NQ U12-16
A gloveman first and foremost who has played senior cricket when available. Jeffree kept for North Queensland in its Bulls Masters Youth Cup (U16s) win last season. Has two seasons of eligibility remaining in the U17 competition.
15. FINN CARROLL, U16
Suburban Parks top order bat Highest grade: B grade (18 games) Rep history: NQ U12-15
A simply outstanding junior batting prospect out of Sub Parks. After featuring for the North Queensland U15s last December Carroll claimed Team of the Season honours in the U17 competition, opening the batting with 194 runs at 38.8. Carroll first played U17 level cricket at 14.
14. LACHLAN HUTCHINGS, U17
Wests bowling all-rounder
Highest grade: B grade (18 games) Rep history: NQ U14-16
Hutchings will fight to break into Wests’ A grade season after gaining ample experience in B grade a year ago. His right-arm medium pace and middle order batting will be deployed across the U17 and senior grades this season.
13. JOHN MCLEAN
Suburban Parks top order bat Highest grade: A grade (two games)
Rep history: NQ U12-18
Mclean made his A grade debut for Sub Parks this season, where his top order batting and occasional right-arm off-spin has been put to work immediately. Mclean was given the wicketkeeping gloves in last season’s U17 team of the season, where he scored 162 runs at 20.25
12. ZACK ADAMI, U17
Norths leg spinner
Highest grade: A grade (two games)
Rep history: NQ U15-16
Zack Adami might be his brother’s identical twin but their bowling is anything but, with Zack one of Townsville’s outstanding junior spinners. Zack made his A grade debut this season after a stellar cameo in B grade last year. Adami had the sixth-best average in the grade of any bowler to bowl five overs or more (four wickets at 7.25)
11. TAJ PETERSEN, U18
Wanderers top order bat
Highest grade: A grade (one game) Rep history: NQ U14-18
Petersen is a very technically gifted with a good temperament, who works hard early on to earn the right to have a swing later on. Scored a B grade century in the opening round of competition since switching from Wests to Wanderers in search of A grade opportunities. Was selected as open
ing bat in last season’s U17 Team of the Season.
10. JARROD CAMER, U18
Norths batting all-rounder
Highest grade: A grade (one game) Rep history: NQ U12-18
With his U17 eligibility elapsed, Camer has stepped into the shoes of Brothers recruit Ieuan Harker as the opening bat for Norths’ B grade side. His lone taste of A grade arrived against Northern Beaches early in last year’s campaign but over 26 B grade appearances, Camer has showed he has all the skills required to add to his top flight tally.
9. KAI ADAMI, U17
Norths pace bowler
Highest grade: A grade (three games)
Rep history: NQ U16
Kai, the pace bowler of Norths’ Adami twins, got his first taste of senior cricket in B grade last season (10 wickets at 10.2) and has stepped up again in 2022-23, opening the bowling for Norths in all three A grade matches this year. He snaffled a B grade hat-trick in round 3.
8. BEN RAMSBOTHAM, U17
Wests pace bowler
Highest grade: A grade (three games)
Rep history: NQ U12-16
The son of a Wests club legend is on his way to forging his own legacy at the Magpies. Ramsbotham, is a rapid right-arm quick and capable with the bat as well, scoring 356 runs at 35.6 and 15 wickets at 14.27 in U17 competition last year.
7. OSKAR MORRISON-BEARD, U18
Wests pace bowler
Highest grade: A grade (three games)
Rep history: NQ U16, U18
The depth of Norths’ A grade pace battery prompted Morrison-beard to jump ship to Wests, where he has been rewarded with a starting position in the A grade set-up. Morrison-beard represented the North Queensland Under-18s as a 17-year-old last season. He took 11 wickets at 10.5 in U17 competition.
6. BAILEY GOULD, U18
Wanderers pace bowler
Highest grade: A grade (five games) Rep history: NQ U16, U18
A talented junior bowler, Gould is improving with each appearance in A grade for Wanderers. In round 3 he played a matchwinning role in a partnership with Ryan Eaton to save the game. He took 10 wickets at 14.3 in B grade last season.
5. DECLAN MURRAY, U17
Wanderers pace bowler
Highest grade: A grade (five games)
Rep history: NQ U13-15
Still eligible for his final season in the U17s for Wanderers this season, the left-arm quick is the top bowler aged 18 or under in Townsville. He is also entering all-rounder territory with the bat. He took 19 wickets at 7.47 across nine U17 games. Would have added more games to his tally this season but was called away to play in the Brisbane Premier League.
4. CONNOR SADLER, U16
Norths batting all-rounder
Highest grade: A grade (five games)
Rep history: NQ U12-15, Qld U15 The youngest player in A grade at 16, Sadler is already settling into life in the Norths top order. His medium-pace bowling will only continue to develop. He represented the NQ U15s last season and made the Townsville Bulletin U17 team of the season with 162 runs at 20.25 and 14 wickets at 6.5.
3. TYLER FRYER, U18
Brothers batting all-rounder Highest grade: A grade (10 games) Rep history: NQ U12-18
Fryer has had an impressive start to the season as a top order A grade bat after debuting as a 16year-old two years ago. Strong technique and growing confidence have helped him get the most out of his frame but his greatest impact thus far has been in the field. He is the most experienced A grader in Townsvile.
2. CHRISTIAN PAYNE, U18
Sub Parks batting all-rounder Highest grade: A grade (one game) Rep history: NQ U13-U18, Qld Country U19
The reigning Townsville Junior Player of the Year has waited patiently for his A grade debut, with competition in Brisbane drawing him away. In U17 competition last year Payne scored 236 runs at 33.71, took 19 wickets at 7.16 and 10 catches, topping it off with two run-outs – in eight games.
1. GRACE ABDY, U18
Wanderers batting all-rounder Highest grade: Queensland Premier Cricket 2nd grade (1 game)
Rep history: NQ U13-15, NQ Open Women, Qld Country Open
Abdy will only play half the season for Wanderers in C grade because upon her graduation from The Cathedral School the Queensland Country star will move to Brisbane to pursue professional cricket. An outstanding batting all-rounder, she has mixed and matched capably playing with men in C grade.