Sunshine Coast Lord’s Taverners key threats for 24/25 title charge
With the Sunshine Coast Lord's Taverners side locked in for finals, head coach Wayne Anderson has uncovered his side’s key batting and bowling threats for their run home. See the full 24/25 squad breakdown.
Sunshine Coast
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The 24/25 under-17 Queensland Lord’s Taverners season is well underway with the Sunshine Coast Scorchers fighting well above their weight once again.
The team led by second year head coach Wayne Anderson sits fourth on the ladder currently with four wins and one loss through the opening six rounds.
The Scorchers missed out on a top four place last season on net run rate, despite having more wins and less losses than fourth place.
Anderson said he was proud of how his squad had progressed so far this season.
“The start of the season was a bit of a battle as we tried to find our form and the boys were all over the place in terms of schoolboy representative commitments,” he said.
“We’ve got a wider squad of 18 this year spread from all over the Sunshine Coast and a few players from out of town as well.
“We had a very young side last season so most of those players are back again and everyone is really focused on making the finals this time.
“If we can go one better and crack into that top four then that’s a big win as a starting point and we can worry about the rest when we get there.”
With five rounds to play until the top four is decided, Anderson highlighted what each of his players brought to the team.
Lord Taverners 24/25 Squad Breakdown
Malakai Pearce (Captain)
Local Club: Glasshouse
“Mal is a leg spinner and top order batsman that’s had a good start to the season,” Anderson said.
“It is a tough job captaining a Tavs team but Malakai is doing a great job, with the team winning four from five matches so far.”
Elijah Welsh (Vice-captain)
Local Club: Glasshouse
“Elijah is our wicketkeeper and opening bat.
“He’s a very mature young man and the Scorchers are lucky to have a player of his calibre.”
Welsh leads the way with the bat so far this season for his side with 131 runs from his five innings.
Aryan Sanjay
Local Club: Maroochydore
Sanjay is a key opening batsman and a talented right arm off spinning option.
The 16-year-old made his first grade Maroochydore debut last season
“That was pretty special and definitely looking to build on my efforts last season,” he said.
“My aim is to try and crack the Scorchers second grade side towards the end of this year and the start of next.”
Joe Murray
Local Club: Tewantin-Noosa
“Joe is a very elegant top order batsman who has established himself as one of the brightest batting prospects on the Coast,” Anderson said.
“He is our number three batsman and has a good start to the season.”
Murray has started his season in form with 129 runs from his two stints at the crease.
In the local under-17 competition last season Murray recorded 519 runs from nine innings, making him the division’s leading batsman.
Banjo Seaniger
Local Club: Coolum and Toowoomba Grammar
“Banjo bowls right arm off spin and is a handy batsman,” Anderson said.
“Banjo’s bowling has been outstanding for us so far this season and he has also been used as a top three batsman.”
Cooper Keogh
Local Club: Gympie
Keogh broke into the squad last season and is back again this year, still as a 15-year-old.
The talented rising star made his Gympie Gold first grade debut last season and was also selected in the Queensland Country under-18s side earlier this year.
“It’s good to be back with the Scorchers boys and hopefully we can go all the way this season,” he said.
“Individually I just hope I can contribute wherever possible and do my best for the team.”
Tom Town
Local Club: Glasshouse
“Tom is a very tall and athletic left arm fast bowler,” Anderson said.
“His control and accuracy has been outstanding for us this season.”
Will Dodunski
Local Club: USC
Dodunski is an attacking batsman that is undergoing his second season with the squad.
“It was a great experience last season to play a few games and I learnt a lot from Wayne,” Dodunski said.
“I think we can make a good push for finals this season and hopefully win it all.
“For myself I’m just looking forward to learning more, having some fun and soaking up the atmosphere of the team.”
Riley Woolmer
Local Club: Cooroy
Woolmer, a talented fast bowler and lower-middle order batsman, was a part of the wider Scorchers squad last season.
“I didn’t play a game last year but I still found it really beneficial being around the boys and training alongside them each week,” he said.
“A big takeaway I found was having control, both mentally and physically when batting and bowling.”
Charlie Kruger
Local Club: Chinchilla
“Charlie is a tall fast bowler who has cemented his position in the team with some very accurate and pacey bowling,” Anderson said.
“He’s also a very athletic fieldsman.”
Oscar Cawse
Local Club: Maroochydore
“Oscar is a very promising left arm orthodox spinner,” Anderson said.
“His development and improvement over the past couple of seasons has been outstanding which has made him a very valuable
member of the team.”
Cawse was a standout star of the under-17 local competition last season recording leading figures of 28-170 from his 64 overs.
He was also rewarded with a number of outings in the senior Maroochydore fourth grade side.
Angus Hetherington
Local Club: Cooroy
A rising quick, Hetherington has been playing cricket for nine years and was also a part of the squad last season.
“I got a lot of help on my bowling technique and action last season which I definitely feel has made me improve,” he said.
“Wayne has really helped the intensity of my bowling go to a new level and hopefully I can continue that this season, as well as improving my batting.”
Riley McDonald
Local Club: Maroochydore
“Riley is a middle order batsman who is developing into a very fine player,” Anderson said.
“He brings heaps of enthusiasm to the team in the field and is a very fine fieldsman.”
Ben Gordon
Local Club: Coolum
“Ben is an outstanding fast bowler but unfortunately he has picked up a foot injury which has ruled him out for around six to eight weeks,” Anderson said.
“We miss his pace and intimidation at the start of our innings.”
Matthew Geldard
Local Club: Coolum
Geldard, 16, is a new addition to the squad this season as a free flowing middle order batsman.
“From a team perspective the aim is to obviously win as many games as we can but individually I’m just trying to improve my game every session and score as many runs as possible,” he said.
Caelan Barr
Local Club: Hervey Bay
“Caelan is one of the youngsters in the group and is a very promising fast bowler,” Anderson said.
“He has had limited opportunities so far but he is expected to be a leader next season.”
Will Moffitt
Local Club: Glasshouse
Moffit is the team’s development wicketkeeper, a 15-year-old who is experiencing his first season with the Tav’s squad.
“I first started keeping when I was about 13-years-old because my older brother is a first class wicketkeeper in Sydney and I wanted to pick it up as well,” he said.
“I’m not sure when I will or may even get my opportunity but I’m just trying to learn as much as I can from the coaches and other players.”
Lachie Patterson
Local Club: Glasshouse and Ipswich Grammar
“Lachie is another of our younger players who has loads of potential,” Anderson said.
“He is a fast bowler and a very hard hitting lower order batsman.
“He has the potential to develop into a very good all rounder.”
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