Bradman Cup: 24 players to watch in the Country NSW under 16 championships
Gilchrist, Lee, Hazlewood and of course Bradman – some of Australia’s greatest cricketers have come from regional NSW. Ahead of this year’s Bradman Cup, we’re casting our eye over the best young cricketers from the bush.
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One of Australia’s most prestigious junior cricket competitions is back.
The Bradman Cup, the NSW Country under 16 championships, will kick off this weekend at fields in Kempsey and in the Illawarra region.
The eight teams will be broken up into northern and southern pools for the opening rounds this weekend. They will each play one 50-over match and two T20s, before coming back for the final four rounds of the tournament in Lake Macquarie in early January.
Not only will the winning zone earn bragging rights as the best in the bush and have the opportunity to represent Country NSW against the winners of Sydney’s Green Shield in a city v country clash, but the tournament will also double as a key event in the selection process for next year’s NSW Country under 17 side.
Ahead of the tournament, we’ve taken a look at how each side is shaping up, and highlighted a couple of players to watch.
ACT
The defending champions will be looking to emulate last year’s performances, when they went through undefeated to claim the title.
The ACT will bring another well-balanced team into the tournament, with strong batting line-up, three spinners and a good fast bowling unit.
They kick off their campaign against Greater Illawarra in a 50-over match at Howard Fowles Sports Oval at Lake Illawarra on Saturday at 10am.
Players to watch:
Tom Hogan
The all-rounder brings plenty to the team with his left-arm orthodox spinners and power hitting at the top of the order.
Lukas Boorer
One of the few players backing up from last year’s cup-winning side, the wicketkeeper-batsman’s skills and experience will be crucial for the team as they look to go back to back.
Freddie Cleverly
With spinners expected to play for a key role in the tournament, especially in the T20 games, Cleverly’s leggies will be central to the ACT’s tactics in slowing down the opposition strike rate and taking wickets.
Central Coast
In a team more or less full of capable all-rounders, the Central Coast team will enter the Bradman Cup with plenty of match fitness under its belt.
The nucleus of the side, representing the Central Coast in the Sydney-based under 17 Watson Shield, recently qualified for the quarter finals of that competition, an impressive achievement considering many of them are still only 16.
In its opening game the Central Coast will take on Central North in a T20 at the Eden St Oval in Kempsey on Saturday at 2pm.
Players to watch:
Zak Graham
The all-rounder, who was recently selected in the NSW Country under 17s squad, will come in at number four and offer his side plenty with the bat.
Jaylen Johnson
Another all-rounder with a bright future, Johnson will bat at number three for the Central Coast and contribute to the bowling attack with his left-arm orthodox spinners.
Roghan McCormack
With spin expected to play a big role throughout the tournament, the leggie is a huge asset for the Central Coast with his ability to consistently land the ball in the right areas.
Central North
With a young side full of batting talent, Central North are looking to improve on their fourth-placed finish last year.
The squad features a number of players who played in the Bradman Cup in 2021/22, with that experience expected to benefit the team this season.
Central North take on the Central Coast in a T20 at the Eden St Oval in Kempsey on Saturday at 2pm.
Players to watch:
Keanu Botha
A fantastic top-order batsman who has been scoring hundreds in some pre-tournament trials, the Maitland rep player will enter the tournament with his eye in.
This will be Botha’s second Bradman Cup, after he made his debut as a 14-year-old last year.
Harry Dunn
The wicketkeeper-batsman is one of Central North’s trump cards. An aggressive batter who can score quickly, he’ll be tough to stop once he gets his eye in.
The Maitland rep will come into the tournament in good form, recently scoring 91 in the first round of the Youth Championships.
Archie McMaster
One of Central North’s young guns who consistently steps up to new challenges.
Still only 14, the Tamworth cricketer is a gun batsman who scored an incredible five centuries during the under 13s George Denton Shield last year.
Greater Illawarra
Generally one of the usual contenders, Greater Illawarra once again look likely to be one of the teams to beat in this season’s Bradman Cup.
With a few players backing up from last year, as well as some promising 15-year-olds joining the fray, the team will play its first match against defending champions the ACT in a 50-over match at Howard Fowles Sports Oval at Lake Illawarra on Saturday at 10am.
Players to watch:
Jackson Ingram
The top-order batter will be looking to emulate his Bradman Cup exploits from last season when he scored 101 against the Central Coast.
An excellent striker of the ball who plays an attacking brand of cricket, Ingram, who also plays Green Shield cricket for St George, will be key to his side’s chances.
Baxter McDonald
Another in the top order, McDonald is a smart, tactical batter who is a good accumulator of runs.
He backs that up with tight medium pace bowling to ensure he’ll offer plenty of value to the Illawarra side.
Ted Waterman
A tall fast bowler and strong batsman, the Queanbeyan all-rounder, who plays Green Shield cricket with Sutherland, is a handy contributor with both bat and ball.
Newcastle
While Newcastle might have had a disappointing Bradman Cup campaign last year, officials have high expectations for an improved performance this season.
With five or six players backing up from last year, and around half the squad playing first grade in the Newcastle competition, the team is full of players regularly receiving high-quality cricket.
Newcastle will kick things off with a T20 against North Coastal at the Eden St Oval in Kempsey on Saturday at 2pm.
Players to watch:
Austen Hiskens
The opening batter from Cardiff is a powerful hitter and will be key to Newcastle’s success, particularly in the T20 games.
Lachie Rail
One of seven Newcastle City players in the squad, the wicketkeeper-batsman is a good striker of the ball in the top order and will offer the side plenty of firepower in the pursuit of quick runs.
Jacob Curry
Quick and aggressive, the young firebrand has troubled plenty of batsmen in the local competition and is expected to do the same at the Bradman Cup.
Now playing with Newcastle City, Curry burst onto the scene for Belmont last year, playing half a season in first grade at just 15.
North Coastal
North Coastal is another that will be taking a well-balanced squad to the Bradman Cup.
With a team that can bat deep, has three good spinning options and a good core of fast bowlers, the squad will be looking to go one better than its impressive second-place finish last season.
They will host Newcastle in their first game at the Eden St Oval in Kempsey on Saturday at 2pm.
Players to watch:
Rory McLean
Still only 15 and tipping the scales at just 50kg, what McLean might lack in size he makes up for in talent.
The top order batter and keeper, who also played Bradman Cup last year, has been in strong form for his premier league club Goonellabah Workers, and also plays Green Shield cricket in Sydney for Gordon.
Oliver Walker
A good all-rounder is always worth their weight in gold.
A middle-order batter and right-arm fast bowler, Walker, who plays for Casino, is a key contributor with both the bat and ball.
Harry Kershler
Another player who’s still only 15, the left-arm leg spinner from Cudgen causes batters plenty of headaches, particularly with his well-disguised wrong-un.
Riverina
Although preparations have been limited due to the amount of rain in the region over the early part of the season, the Riverina is confident of a good showing in the tournament.
With a deep batting line-up and a strong spin bowling unit, the team will be looking to improve on its sixth-place finish from last year.
Riverina will kick off with a 50-over match against Western at Gerry Emery Oval in Gerringong on Saturday at 10am.
Players to watch:
Shaun Smith
An aggressive top-order batter who likes to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Smith, who plays for Kooringal Colts in Wagga Wagga, is also an exceptional gloveman, regularly keeping up the stumps to the pace bowlers.
Toby Hosken
The leg spinner from Howlong really likes to rip it.
Hosken is an aggressive, wicket-taking spinner with a particularly good wrong-un in his artillery.
Jay Lavis
The team’s X-factor. A fast bowler and big hitting middle-order batsman, the boy from Corowa has made some big scores in junior cricket and taken plenty of top-order wickets along the way.
Western
The team, skippered by one of the most improved young players in Max Richardson, will be looking to build even further on last season’s improved result, with the recent form of a number of younger players boding well for the future.
Western will take a strong batting line-up into the tournament, while the team’s crew of two frontline spinners, led by Aiden Hunt, and four other tweakers means that they will be more than competitive.
They will open their account with a one-dayer against Riverina at Gerry Emery Oval in Gerringong on Saturday at 10am.
Players to watch:
Harry Roscarel
Coming in at number three, the South Dubbo batter was the leading run-scorer in last year’s Bradman Cup, with his 121 against Newcastle one of the best innings ever seen at a junior carnival.
He comes into this year’s tournament a year older and in good nick, with some strong recent form.
Tom Blowes
An aggressive top-order batsman, the Orange Cavaliers’ cricketer will get the chance to make up for last year when injury prevented him from taking part in the tournament.
Like Roscarel, Blowes is also a good fielder and contributes with the ball with some handy spin.
Blake Dillon
The spearhead of Western’s pace attack, the South Dubbo quick sends the ball down the other end with plenty of heat and will be a genuine wicket-taking threat.
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