Sunny Coast Smash set to deliver exciting growth to Sunshine Coast Cricket
A new stand-alone Sunshine Coast T20 competition is set to take shape later this year with franchise owners taking control and draftable players stepping up to bat.
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A new and exciting Sunshine Coast T20 cricket competition is set to take place later this year with the chance for local businesses to act as franchise owners and players to enter a draft.
The Travis Schultz and Partners Sunny Coast Smash is a partnership between The Sunshine Coast Cricket Association (SCCA) and Brisbane Premier League franchise the Coastal Marlins.
Four franchise teams of the Bull Sharks, Mudcrabs, Snapper and Yellowfins will compete for the title with senior players self-nominating themselves to be selected by team owners and coaches.
The competition will be run in pre-season of the regular 2022/23 season from September 9-11 at the Tewantin-Noosa Cricket Club.
Coastal Marlins general manager Andrew Pearce said it was another progressive step for Sunshine Coast cricket.
“It’s about a continuation of trying to develop a greater partnership with Sunshine Coast Cricket, the Coastal Marlins and the Scorchers in many ways,” he said.
“For us it’s about growing cricket on the Coast and trying to come up with new, fun and creative ways or different concepts that draw players to our game in both the senior or junior space.
“It’s one weekend, aimed at all local cricketers and includes a few guidelines such as a certain number of under-19 players in each squad, a limited number of regional players and so on.”
Association vice-president Jeremy Schultz said the initial response from clubs and players had been widely positive.
“I think it will be really popular across the Coast because our T20 competition is really popular and I think this is just another way of adding to that,” he said.
“The feedback has been tremendous to be honest and I think the nominations will be way more than what we can cater for.”
Association president Chris Baker said it would be a great opportunity for rival players to join forces.
“They probably did change team colours when they played representative cricket together but now that they’ve been playing senior cricket for so long they’ve lost that connection so it’s a great way to get back playing with guys you’re always on the other side of,” Baker said.
Schultz said he hoped to one day incorporate the carnival into the regular Sunshine Coast cricket season.
“If we can make this work than that’s exactly what we would want, to make it a little bit bigger and it would replace the normal T20 competition,” he said.
“Because our season is quite long it would allow guys to opt in if they wanted to and the opposite for those that just want to play the long form.”