Their time to shine
THEY are the unsung heroes of Queens’ push for a Kookaburra Cup premiership threepeat.
But in a team littered with representative talent, lesser lights Matthew Brown, Jaimon Kelly and Jackson Batch could yet shape the fate of the Centaurs’ first grade dynasty.
After losing just three games en route to a secondstraight minor premiership, the Southport side will enter today’s semi final at home to fourth-placed Burleigh as the red-hot favourite for a hattrick of crowns.
While names like James Spargo, Michael Durbidge and Winton brothers Sam, Harry and Jack dominate the headlines, opening batsman and handy offspinner Brown has become an increasingly important part of the Queens line up.
The 30-year-old Tweed product has taken 12 wickets at 13.5 this season to go with 167 runs, but his true value as part of the Centaurs’ backbone is immeasurable.
“I think everyone would love to be the hero but I’m content that I know my ability level and just try to play the best I can with that,” Brown, who joined the club in 2012-13, said.
“There’s a reason I’m not one of the big names. I try and know my role, which we nut out as a team and I just try to do that to the best of my ability.
“It’s a very strong bowling club and we’ve probably got seven or eight guys who could do a job for us, so it just comes down to the context of the game (whether I bowl). If we think the batsman is better against fast bowling than slow bowling (I will bowl).
“I am happy to let the guys like Jimmy Spargo and Michael Durbidge do their thing and I try and do my role.”
While Brown was a member of Queens’ premiershipwinning sides in 2015-16 and 2016-17, he said the hunger for success was as strong as ever.
“Winning three premierships is … a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people. It’s a big motivating factor.
“The first premiership I came in the first grade team towards the end of the season … That was great but I hadn’t been part of it the whole journey, which is why the second one was more special because I was part of the team the whole season.”