QUICK TO BRING THUNDER
Winton planning to use representative skills at his club side Queens
AN in-form Sam Winton is hoping the extra skills Gold Coast Thunder duties have added to his repertoire can help Queens begin their climb out of the Kookaburra Cup cellar today.
Buoyed by selection in the South Queensland team to play North Queensland at Beenleigh on November 29-30 and December 1, Winton will today return to the Queens line-up for their home encounter with fellow winless side Alberton Ormeau.
Last-placed Runaway Bay are the only other team yet to taste first grade victory this season and Winton now looms as the man to lead the Centaurs’ revival.
The 31-year-old left-armer, who was a key member of the Queens sides that won backto-back Kookaburra Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17, finished with figures of 3-94 across three games as the Thunder last weekend finished as Schaeffer Shield runners-up.
While happy to play his part in the Thunder’s representative quest, Winton said he was now hellbent on rectifying the Centaurs’ campaign in the one-day battle with Alberton.
“I never forget losing because it sucks. You don’t make representative sides without playing club cricket so for me club cricket is your number one,” said Winton, who will be joined by brother Jack in the Queens side.
“I just want to do everything in my power to get a win on the board. I don’t think we’re too far away.
“What I do is just bring back all of what I’ve learnt while I’m away (with the Thunder) and try to use it, not just to my benefit,
but everyone else at the club. You never stop learning and if you do stop learning you might as well give it up.
“It’s all about now just starting to win. Just key moments in every game (has let us down).
“You take away the Broadbeach game and we’ve been in the games the whole time but little things have let us down.
“Against Coomera it was our bowling, against Mudgeeraba it was our batting so I think if we piece one whole game together we’ll be right.”
At the other end of the ladder, first-placed Broadbeach Robina will today host Twenty20 champions and the competition’s only other unbeaten team, Mudgeeraba Nerang.
The Bushmen will welcome back Thunder stars Kevin Chapman, Josh Nelson, Mitch Daly, Connor Brown and Bradley Munro.