LJ Hooker League: 14-year-old stars in Hooker League rout

One of the brightest prospects in NSW cricket has continued his stunning rise with a brilliant performance in first grade cricket.

Cooper Williams has had an outstanding season in both club and rep cricket. Picture: supplied

Marist Brothers young gun Cooper Williams has continued his remarkable rise after putting on an excellent batting display to help his side to first innings points during the round 12 clash with Pottsville in the LJ Hooker League.

After his team bowled the Pelicans out for 94, the 14-year-old went to work with the bat, top scoring with 81 not out from just 107 balls as the Brothers finished the day’s play on 4-200.

Coming in with his team in a spot of bother at 2-31 in the eighth over, Williams showed maturity and class well beyond his years in the middle. He hit 10 fours and one six as he worked well with Kevin Warid (33), Patrick Martin (10) and Zayd Thomas (34 not out) to put his side in a commanding position to claim an outright victory this weekend.

“He’s a genuine superstar,” said Marist Brothers captain Brendan Mitchell. “We’re happy to have him for as long as we can with Brothers. We won’t have him for too long, I’m sure he’ll go off to bigger and better things. He’s one to watch and hopefully he finishes the job for us next week.”

The dig is the latest in a fine run of form for the young gun, who made his highest first grade score of 88 not out against Lennox Head just before Christmas, before going on to finish as the second-highest runscorer while representing North Coastal in the Bradman Cup, the NSW under-16 country championships.

Cooper Williams after scoring a ton for Far North Coast earlier in the summer. Picture: supplied

In what has already been a remarkable summer, Williams has the chance to score his maiden ton when the two-day match against Pottsville resumes on Saturday.

“I’ve seen him bat against juniors and he just bullies them around. Now he’s been bullying adults around,” said Mitchell. “I don’t know how they feel about it. It’s hard bowling to him in the nets.”

And while he has been well aware of the left-hander’s talent for a few years, Mitchell has been amazed at how Williams has taken to senior cricket this season.

“He’s in a league of his own, that’s for sure,” he said. “He just makes it look like he’s got so much time and he’s also got the strength to hit it through the infield. He might have only got one six on the weekend but he’s playing adults.

“I was scared of the ball at 14,” Mitchell laughed.

“And in the field he’s a superstar too. He’s probably one of our better fieldsmen. Every time a ball goes up in the air I look to see if he’s under it and it gives me a sigh of relief.”

Williams’ knock has helped put Marist Brothers in a position to push for outright points this weekend as the second-placed side looks to close the gap on ladder leaders Cudgen.

“We’ll bat for a little while and then hopefully get 10 more wickets,” said Mitchell.

“We’re sitting nicely in second but obviously being able to take away 13 points could be big towards the end of the season.”

Elsewhere, Cudgen is closing in on first-innings points in its clash against Lennox Head. After bowling the Pirates out for 140, thanks to three-wicket hauls to Tim Spencer and Riley Weir, the Hornets are sitting pretty at 5-120.

At Oakes Oval, the match between Goonellabah and Casino is evenly poised after day one. Batting first, the home side made 206, helped by a crucial 56 from number 10 Alec Watson, with Jordan Williams and Oliver Walker both taking four wickets each. In reply the Cavaliers are 0-14 after four overs.

At Hill Park Oval, the wickets tumbled in the clash between Alstonville and the Tweed Banora Colts. Thomas Byrnes and Lewis Koppel were stars with the ball for the Colts, taking 5-24 and 4-12 respectively as the side bowled Alstonville out for just 127.

However the Tweed side found it equally as difficult when it was its turn to bat, slumping to 4-30 after 18 overs, with Will Barnes (2-12), Terry Murphy (1-5) and Harrison Hunt (1-3) all getting in on the action.

Meanwhile at Rabjones Oval in Murwillumbah, Abe Gibson was the destroyer as Tintenbar East Ballina enjoyed a good day out against the Panthers.

The left-arm spinner took a remarkable 7-48 from 15 overs – the second-best figures so far this season – to bowl Mur’bah out for 167. In reply, Tintenbar look in control at 3-132, with skipper Abe Crawford making 50 and youngster Kai Dalli looking good on 33 not out.

Originally published as LJ Hooker League: 14-year-old stars in Hooker League rout