Sunshine Coast cricket’s best players since 2000

With more than 200 players battling it out to be selected in a showcase of the finest players since 2000, the fan are votes in and the team can be revealed. See all the players and have your final say.

Some of the Sunshine Coast’s best cricketers Adam Thornton, Troy Ashton, Jeremy Schultz and Matthew Anderson.​

After hundreds of fan votes in the search to assemble the greatest Sunshine Coast cricket team since 2000, the star-studded selection can now be revealed.

The Sunshine Coast Daily compiled the names and statistics of the top 100 batsmen, 100 bowlers and 36 fielders to have played in the division one competition since 2000.

Nambour Cricket Club president Steven Ledger said he was humbled to be one of the players included.

“That’s very cool, there’s a lot of good cricketers that have come through on the Sunshine Coast so definitely a bit chuffed with the selection,” he said.

“I’m not even sure if I’d have myself in the 11 but it is a real honour to be a part of it.”

The 39-year-old dairy farmer said he relished the friendships he created over the years.

“There’s been a few of us that have been at it a long time, blokes like myself, Jeremy Schultz, Jarrod Officer and a few other guys in all the teams, and I’ve got mates in most of the teams,” he said.

“Everyone’s still good mates. We fight like cats and dogs on the field but it’s a good friendly atmosphere for the most part and I really enjoy that side of it.”

Steven Ledger in action for Nambour in 2006.

The crafty all-rounder has been playing cricket on the Sunshine Coast since he was 10, with junior and senior honours at Nambour Cricket Club and some years with the Sunshine Coast Scorchers.

Ledger said playing with and against high-level talent such as Ash Noffke, Troy Dixon, Jeff Thomas, Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz, Martin Love and Nathan Hauritz were among some of his favourite memories.

“Winning the first-grade final in 2006 was a great team highlight and I scored the most runs in the competition that year, so it was good to contribute with the bat,” he said.

“I’ve had personal highlights along the way, like I scored two hundreds in one game which was great and I believe I’m the only player to do so, and then a few years ago I got a hundred and five wickets in one match.

“I’ve never played for the personal reasons. I’ve got most of my friends from cricket and I’ve been incredibly blessed to play with and against a lot of good people, not just good cricketers, and that’ll last a lot longer than what the runs and the wickets will, that’s for sure.”

See the team that has been voted by you as the Sunshine Coast’s best ever players and have your final say below.

Honourable mentions in each category go to:

Jarrod Officer, Rodney Gibbs and James Winn (batting)

Ash Baartz, Andrew Schablon, Toby Millyard and James Malcolm (bowling)

John Turnbull, Luke Schmelzkopf, Troy Dennien and Ben Fleiter (wicket keeping)