BUSH BASH PLAYERS CHOSEN
Players drafted ahead of inaugural DDBBL season
CRICKET: The teams are in and the Darling Downs Bush Bash League’s inaugural season is all systems go.
The highly anticipated player draft took place at Blank Space at the weekend, finalising rosters of the six teams for the Twenty20 competition beginning next month.
Toowoomba stalwart Brian May was chosen with the first pick by the Aidacare Aztecs, with Ipswich’s Harrison Wood (Valley Raptors) and Daniel Wilson (George Banks Umbrellas) rounding out the top-three selections.
Wood said it was an honour to be selected with the second pick of the draft, and holds confidence in the roster the Valley Raptors have been able to put together.
“It’s nice to be picked at two. To be in the Lockyer Valley team is a bit of a bonus as well,” Wood said.
“We’re really happy with some of the pick ups.
“Jack Carty from Toowoomba is a good one. We got him in the third round, and I thought he’d be picked a bit earlier than that.
“Alex Welsh brings a good amount of experience to the side as well.”
Wood was highly regarded among team owners due to his exploits with the Ipswich Hornets.
He said the club made a decision to get behind the competition to build ties between the regions.
“As a club the Ipswich Hornets were keen to get involved and strengthen the connection between Ipswich and Toowoomba,” he said.
“Wests in Brisbane have a stranglehold over the best players in Toowoomba, and we want them playing for us.” As well as being a part of history, Wood said the concept could help the status of country cricket. “It’s a really good thing for country cricket,” he said. “It’s been struggling for the past five to 10 years, and this has given it the boost it needs.” With any draft, the DDBBL’s version wasn’t without drama and surprise selections. Sam Doggett wasn’t picked up until the 11th round, when chosen by the Liebke Lions, while big-hitting University captain Tully Wilson dropped to the 12th round. With no hit towards the salary cap for the first U18s player per team chosen, the young guns nominated for the draft proved hot commodities early.
Wests all-rounder Sam Neale was swooped upon by the Livewired Lightning in the third round, as was Harry Weir, who joined the Hip Pocket Rockets.
Cody Walker joined the Valley Raptors in the fourth round, while Toowoomba Grammar teammates Matthew Watson (Liebke Lions) and Mitchell Doolan (George Banks Umbrellas) were snapped up in the fifth round.
Competition co-ordinator Kent Reimers said it was no surprise that the up and comers were taken highly among franchises.
He was also impressed with the high order of Western players, encompassing talent from regional centres outside of Toowoomba.
“I suspected that the likes of Sam Neale and Matthew Watson would go fairly high,” he said.
“We’re also happy with the representation of Western players chosen.”
Reimers said that morale was high among all six franchises following the draft, with each team believing they had a squad capable of taking out the title.
“Overall, it was a pretty exceptional night. Everything went to plan and there was a great attendance, not only from players, but from cricket lovers around Toowoomba,” he said.
“Every team said they got what they wanted.
“As an old fast bowler, I look at the Aidacare Aztecs and think they’ve got some good fast bowlers in their team.”
EVERY TEAM SAID THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED.
KENT REIMERS