Barrier Reef Big Bash’s No.1 draft pick set to be unleashed

The Halpin Hurricanes will unleash No.1 draft pick Justin Reid in Friday night’s Barrier Reef Big Bash clash against the Designer First Homes Dare Devils, which will be shown live on the Cairns Post website from 6.30pm.

The Halpin Hurricanes will unleash No.1 draft pick Justin Reid in Friday night’s Barrier Reef Big Bash clash against the Designer First Homes Dare Devils — if the rain stays away.

The experienced keeper-batsman will return from injury to bolster the Hurricanes batting line-up in their second match of the new Twenty20 tournament at Griffiths Park.

You can watch the game live on the Cairns Post website from 6.30pm this Friday.

REPLAY: T20 Barrier Reef Big Bash, Hurricanes v Badgers

Reid suffered an arm injury while playing club cricket for Mulgrave last month and was forced to watch from the sidelines as his Hurricanes teammates registered a loss in their season opener against the Piccones Badgers.

The Hurricanes specialist batsmen struggled to have a major impact in the first-round clash, with the pace and precision of the Badgers bowlers putting them on the back foot early.

Halpin Hurricanes marquee draft pick and Mulgrave captain Justin Reid is ready to return from an arm injury against the Designer First Homes Dare Devils in Friday night’s Barrier Reef Big Bash clash at Griffiths Park.

Opening batsmen Tim Ward, who replaced Reid at the top of the order, and Mitchell Warnock both went for ducks to have the side in all sorts of trouble at 2-4 after three overs.

It set a bad tone for what was to follow, as Brendan Nasser and Barry Weare finished as the Hurricanes top scorers with 15 runs each.

Hurricanes skipper Michael Salerno said Reid’s return from injury would be a major boost.

“There’s definitely a buzz of excitement around the group,” he said.

“Obviously with Reidy back, he adds so much to the team, being the No.1 draft pick.

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“As we learned from our first game, with our batting we probably lacked that bit of firepower at the top, and that’s Reidy’s role in the team, to get us off to that good start.”

Reid has been in a rich vein of form this summer, scoring 407 runs at an average of 40.7 and a strike rate of 88.7 in the local competition, as well as another 448 runs in 10 representative matches for the Far North Fusion and North Queensland Country.

Reid has hit 50 fours in the Cricket Far North competition — the most of any player — but just four sixes.

However, while Reid may be the rock the Hurricanes build around, don’t underestimate the right-hand maestro’s firepower.

The newly formed Barrier Reef Big Bash, based on the Indian Premier League style of T20 cricket, has hosted its draft night at The Backyard restaurant in the Shangri La hotel. Michael Salerno, first draft pick Justin Reid and Darren Halpin. Picture: Brendan Radke

“He hits them as well as anyone and they definitely go just as far as the best of them,” Salerno said.

“When he’s on, he’s definitely on, and the quicker it is, the more it’s going to suit him. He likes the ball coming on so he’ll be looking forward to the quicker bowlers.”

Salerno said Reid was champing at the bit to get back on the pitch.

“He’s been out for three weeks, he’s been hitting them really well in the nets and he just wants to hopefully put on a show for the crowd,” he said.

Barrier Reef Big Bash Game 1: Badgers v Hurricanes at Griffiths Park. Hurricanes' Barry Weare. Picture: Stewart McLean

Salerno said the Hurricanes would put a target on explosive Dare Devils all-rounder and opposing skipper Brenton Edwards.

“They don’t come any bigger than Eddy,” he said. “He’s such a big game player, his game definitely suits Twenty20 cricket and he wants to set the competitions alight.

“But they’ve got other guns there as well — Tommy Boorman is in form with the ball, Luke Corlis has been bowling really well — so we’re going to have to be on top of our game to combat those guys.

“Fingers crossed we can get on the park and put on a show.”

Originally published as Barrier Reef Big Bash’s No.1 draft pick set to be unleashed