Young blood rises to the top
TWO clubs that have had limited success over the years are suddenly forcing changes to the upper echelon of the Gold Coast Kookaburra Cup competition.
For seasons the Burleigh Bullsharks and the Helensvale Pacific Pines Hawks battled along at the wrong end of the ladder, when rare wins were something to behold and celebrated with gusto.
But in this 2017-18 season the Bullsharks and the Hawks are giving opposition clubs plenty to think about.
At the halfway mark of the season Burleigh are third (54 points) and Helensvale one rung lower (52).
Whether it has anything to do with the new competition format, with 40 overs and T20s rather than two-dayers over separate weekends, remains to be seen, but the former battlers are revelling in it.
“It is nice to see the two clubs doing heaps better,” Helensvale coach Paul Baird said.
“Burleigh have brought a few new players in and are doing well.
“Our mode of operation has been to work on our entire club through our junior program, which is doing well.
“But a big reason is that a number of our younger players are maturing and are playing good cricket.”
Baird threw up the names of Jack Lickiss, Ryan Maloney, Kaleb Day, Jack Baird and Dylan Sherriff.
“They’ve been here for a number of years and are getting better and better.”
In the final round before Christmas, Helensvale’s eight teams from firsts to over-40s all won.
Burleigh’s English playercoach Simon Belston has been joined by countrymen Tom Oxley and Alex Brecin to add strength.
But the star so far has been Kiwi Rhys McCarthy, who heads the competition’s batting stats.
“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves but we’d love to be playing in the finals,” Belston said.
McCarthy has hit 477 runs at an average of 53.00, ahead of
James Martin’s (Coomera Hope Island) 412 at 37.45.
In the bowling stakes, leftarm paceman Sam Winton is ahead, his 26 wickets coming at an average of 7.88.
Just behind him is Coomera Hope Island surprise packet Michael Finan, with 25 wickets at a 13.68 average.
Things are not going well for the Gold Coast Dolphins in the Brisbane Premier Grade.
The club is last on standings and top scorer Max Houlahan (449 at 40.82) is 20th in batting. Matt Kuhnemann is fourth among bowlers with 26 wickets at 25.38.