SUMMER OF CRICKET Country and City teams named

THE line-ups for next month’s inaugural Cricket Far North City v Country match have been released and, if they’re anything to go by, its shaping up to be a mouth-watering showcase of local talent.

Players from Norths, Rovers and Barron River cricket clubs will combine to make up the City team, while those from Cairns’ surrounding areas – Mulgrave, Atherton and Cassowary Coast – will form the Country line-up, for the curtain-raiser to Cazalys Women’s Big Bash League game next month.

Atherton’s Dan Parnell will be looking to keep his scintillating Cricket Far North form going when he lines up in the Country colours.

In his seven T20 innings so far this season, Parnell has cleared the rope 21 times on his way to notching up a total of 332 runs, including one 100 and two 50s.

In one of several highly anticipated match-ups on the day, Parnell will likely meet Rovers tearaway pacer Brenton Edwards – one of the region’s best T20 bowlers, with an average of 6.91 and economy rate of 3.8 in his 20 overs this season.

President Peter Huey said he anticipated a close contest between the traditional foes.

He said the game would be dubbed the President’s Shield, with a view to making the fixture an annual event in the future.

“We would love to make it an annual event to maybe play during our Christmas break,” Huey said.