Pride of the North
Country’s call for U19s
FOUR North Queensland cricket players have been selected to represent Queensland Country at the Under-19 Male National Championships in Adelaide later this year.
Lachlan Holmes, Luke Maugeri, Ryan Mccarron and Cody Sadler form the North Queensland contingent in the playing squad, with North Queenslanders Tony Hampson as coach and Andrew Boyle as team physio.
Eligibility rules allow players that represented their country region up until the under-15s level or beyond, but have moved to Brisbane for school or university, to still be selected for the Country team.
Hampson said he was looking forward to coaching a team full of talent from the country regions of Queensland.
Hampson said Mccarron, a right-arm quick from the Norths club, had developed in strength as he grew.
“He’s always had wonderful attributes to be a fast bowler and now that he’s filled out into his body he’s bowling with good pace and control and we’re really confident he can do a really good job at this level,” Hampson said.
“He’s made his way into the North Queensland open men’s team and performed really well on the weekend for them, and this is another stepping stone in his journey on his cricket pathway.”
Mccarron’s Norths A grade club teammate Cody Sadler shaped to play a key role in the team’s middle order for the National Championships.
“We’ll probably utilise Cody more in the middle order with his batting but obviously a very capable left-handed batter that’s performed well in local competitions and in the representative scene over a number of years,” Hampson said.
“His versatility as a left-arm off-spinner is also very good for us to have these national carnivals where spin plays a major part in performances and outcomes.”
Holmes and Maugeri, both former Western Suburbs junior now based in Brisbane, are among the Country selections picked despite trading regional life for the big smoke.
“Lachlan (Holmes, leg spin) was a part of North Queensland representative teams until under-15s when he actually played for Mackay-whitsunday in the under-16s carnival, and he then got an opportunity to move to Brisbane for school,” Hampson said. “Luke (Maugeri) was the leading batter in northern Queensland up until he moved to Brisbane for school and now plays first grade cricket for Toombul.”
Though Maugeri and Holmes had moved interstate, Hampson said Queensland Country’s inclusion in the tournament was an opportunity for country-based players to participate in pathway opportunities without leaving home.