The burning question each Gold Coast Cricket Kookaburra Cup team must answer in 2021

On the eve of the 2021-22 Kookaburra Cup season, the Gold Coast Bulletin reveals the key question each side must answer for their season to be a success.

As the 2021-2022 Kookaburra Cup season gets underway, the Gold Coast

Bulletin puts the magnifying glass on the five teams playing their opening

game this weekend.

BROADBEACH ROBINA

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 4th

2019-2020: Premiers

2018-2019: Premiers

Last ten years win Percentage: 71% (1 st )

Last Season Batting Ranking: 24.8 (2nd )

Last Season Bowling Ranking: 17.1 (4th )

In the last ten years, Broadbeach has far and away been the most dominant and

consistent team in first grade. With premierships in 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2020 and

the team not missing finals since 2011, Broadbeach will be one of the teams to

watch again this year.

Over the offseason, Broadbeach had some major losses with captain Trent Keep

leaving to Dolphins in a coaching role and all-rounder Dhanushka Mitipolarachchi

heading to the Tigers. These losses might make the path to the finals harder for the

Cats, but they must still be taken very seriously with proven first grade stars Reece

McDonald and Steve Baker.

Lingering Question:

Do the Cats have the depth with the bat to be a premiership contender?

Broadbeach will be hard-pressed to replace batsman Trent Keep. Pic Mike Batterham

Last year Broadbeach relied heavily on Trent Keep with the bat as he amassed an

astonishing 609 runs in 11 innings, passing fifty seven times. It’s hard to see

someone having a season like that, but the likes of Kyle Brockley, Steven Baker,

Liam Denniston, Reece McDonald, and Sean Fitzsimmons will all have to pick up the

slack if Broadbeach wants to stay at the top of the mountain.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

A joint winner with Steven Baker in 2019/20, the ever consistent Reece McDonald

would be one of the short price favourites to take out the Loxton this year with his all-

around ability. In the last two years, McDonald has been out of this world with the

ball, taking 65 wickets at 10.37.

Season Prediction:

Just grabbing a spot in the finals

How they start the year:

R1: Bye

R2: v Burleigh (Home)

R3: v Palm Beach (Away)

R4: v Runaway Bay (Home)

R5: v Queens (Away)

Round 1 Line-up:

Reece McDonald (C)

Kyle Brockley

Keegan Armstrong

Clinton Grassick

Sean Fitzsimmons

Gabriel Leitch

Joe Madden

Steven Baker

Conan Sternberg

Zac Betteridge

Liam Denniston

BURLEIGH

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 9th

2019-2020: 9th

2018-2019: 2nd

Last ten years win Percentage: 40% (8th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: 17.8 (6th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: 18.6 (7th)

Burleigh this year will look to make their way back up the ladder after consecutive ninth finishes. Last year, the Bullsharks managed some impressive performances, such as an outright win against the sixth-placed Queens and a victory against Surfers Paradise but also dropped some games they should have won.

This year the focus for the Bullshark’s will be on consistency as they look to make a finals push.

Lingering Question:

Can a Burleigh batsman have a monster season and carry the Bullsharks to the finals?

Kookaburra Cup cricket, Photo of Jasper Schoenmaker. Photo by Richard Gosling

Last year Burleigh had contributions from all their top six at different times but failed to have a batsman take the reins and have a dominant season. Last year every finals team had a batsman to score over 500 runs, and Burleigh will need one this year to be a contender. Leading candidates, Michael Spargo (441 runs in 2017/18), Jasper Schoenmaker (411 runs in 2019/20) and Scott Sanderson (906 runs in 2018/19 - Dolphins second grade) will be the ones capable of going big for the Burleigh boys this year.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Samuel Yabsley had a great first full season in the Kookaburra Cup, taking 33 wickets at 12.58. Able to bowl long spells, look for Yabsley to come out the gates firing in the two dayers at the start of the season. The Bullsharks will be hoping he can carry his form the end of last year, where he took 17 wickets at 7.05 in the last three games.

Season Prediction:

Middle of the ladder with finals potential

How they start the year:

R1: Bye

R2: v Broadbeach (Away)

R3: v Coomera (Home)

R4: v Alberton (Away)

R5: v Southport (Home)

Round 1 Line-up:

Jasper Schoenmaker

Matthew Grant

Jordan Ryan

Michael Rodney

Scot Sanderson

Zac Winter-Irving

Nicholas Burton

Jack Tate

Sam Yabsley

Jack Adams

Lochie O’Keefe

MUDGEERABA NERANG & DISTRICTS’

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: Premiers

2019-2020: 2nd

2018-2019: 7th

Last ten years win Percentage: 64% (2nd)

Last Season Batting Ranking: 30.1 (1st)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: 16.2 (3rd)

Since their star cast of Kevin Chapman, Joshua Nelson, Howard Biddle Mitchell Daly returned in 2018/19, Mudgeeraba has dominated the first-grade competition with a record of 23-3, a first-grade premiership, and two T20 tournament victories.

With much of their premiership side returning apart from Mitchell Daly and Brad Munro, all signs point to Mudgeeraba being the team to beat this season.

Lingering Question:

With Mudgeeraba’s leading wicket-taker the last two years gone, can the Bushman’s young bowlers step up to fill the void left by Bradley Munro?

Jai Kurt. Pic Tim Marsden

In their opening game, Mudgeeraba has named three young up and coming bowlers in Griffith Williams, Will Mahoney and Jai Kurt. Kurt has shown he has what it takes in the top grade taking 14 wickets last year as Williams and Mahoney make their red ball debuts.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Josh Nelson has a chance churning out 1,036 runs at 54.52 since he returned to Gold Coast first grade. The dangerous Dayne Siede also has Loxton potential with his all-round ability.

Season Prediction:

Premiers

How they start the year:

R1: Bye

R2: v Surfers Paradise (Home)

R3: v Southport Labrador (Home)

R4: v Queens (Away)

R5: v Runaway Bay (Home)

Round 1 Line-up:

Kevin Chapman

Dylan McLaughlin (C)

Howard Biddle

Lydon Gibbons

Barclay Mackenzie

Dayne Siede

Joshua Nelson

Jai Kurt

Lachlan Diven

Kris Morrison

Griffith Williams

Will Mahoney

SURFERS PARADISE

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 3rd

2019-2020: 4th

2018-2019: 11th

Last ten years win Percentage: 48% (6th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: 23 (4th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: 13.5 (1st)

If it wasn’t for the weather gods, there’s a very real possibility that Surfers Paradise could have taken home the silverware last year. But, unfortunately, at 2/51, chasing Palm Beach’s 93 rain washed away Surfers dreams of a grand final appearance.

Returning most of last year’s outfit, the Demons once again have the team to make a finals charge, especially with the addition of former Queensland representative Michael Philipson.

In his last five seasons of premier cricket, Philipson scored an impressive 3,592 runs at 37 and whilst also taking 72 wickets with his off-spin for the University of Queensland Cricket Club.

Lingering Question:

Is this the year that Surfers Paradise goes one step further and wins the premiership?

Surfers Paradise batsmen Nathan Reardon. Picture credit: KPM Sports Images

It’s been a while between drinks for Surfers, with their last premiership in 2004/05, but a deep finals push is not off the cards with the team they have currently assembled.

With the bat, the Beams, Reardon and Phillipson will be a formidable top order. With the ball, Surfers will look to emulate what they did last year, having the lowest team bowling average at 13.5.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Let take a moment to admire how good Reardon’s Loxton winning season was last year. In 14 innings, he scored 612 runs at 61.2, including two centuries, whilst also taking 19 wickets at a crazy low average of six and economy rate of 1.47. Those numbers are just insane, and he’ll be one of the frontrunners again this year to take out the award.

Season Prediction:

Finals, strong premiership contenders

How they start the year:

R1: Bye

R2: v Mudgeeraba (Away)

R3: v Alberton (Home)

R4: v Helensvale (Away)

R5: v Palm Beach Currumbin (Away)

Round 1 Line-up:

Daley Miller

Nathan Reardon

Jonathon Baldock

Michael Philipson

Michael Waldren

Aaron Densley

Claye Beams (C)

Jack Charlton

Nick Williams

Oam Patel

Wayne Phillips

Nicholaus Harding

PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 2nd

2019-2020: 10th

2018-2019: 5th

Last ten years win Percentage: 47% (7th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: 23.9 (3rd)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: 15.5 (2nd)

From 10th in 2019/20 to grand finalists last year Palm Beach is a team looking to go one further this year. With a team made up of experienced (Kettle, Patel and Jarrett) homegrown juniors, they have developed into first graders (Anderson, Beattie, Craig and Lopez) and star recruits picked up over the last three years (Lonnberg, Mason and McNeil) Palm Beach is the blueprint of how to build a premiership contender.

Lingering Question:

Can Palm Beach score enough runs in big games to win a Premiership?

In their two finals last year, Palm Beach could not find a rhythm with the bat being bowled out for 137 and 93. The addition of McNeil should stable Palm Beach batting stocks along with the valuable experience they got from last years finals run.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

For the Lions, both Canning Mason and Ryan Kettle have Loxton potential. Of the two, I’d go for Kettle due to his all-around potential. Last year Kettle took the most wickets in the competition with 37 and scored the eight most runs. McNeil also looms as a wildcard.

Season Prediction:

Finals

How they start the year:

R1: Bye

R2: v Helensvale (Home)

R3: v Broadbeach Robina (Home)

R4: v Coomera (Away)

R5: v Surfers Paradise (Home)

Round 1 Line-up:

Brent Anderson

Zane Beattie

Andrew Craig

Samuel Jarrett (C)

Ryan Kettle

Finn Lonnberg

Zak Lopez

Canning Mason

Ryan McCloy

James McNeil

Jainam Patel

Jeffrey Rosolin

ALBERTON ORMEAU

Past three season finishes:

2020-2021: 8th

2019-2020: 11th

2018-2019: Runners up, minor premiers

Last ten years win percentage: 51% (5th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 17.6 (7th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 24.2 (10th)

The last three seasons for Alberton have been somewhat of a roller coaster with a minor premiership and wooden spoon in back-to-back years.

With very little player turnover and blue chip players such as Corey Galloway, Shane Connors and Matthew Yiend, it’s bizarre they haven’t had more success in the past few years. With a focus on merging the junior and senior clubs and star imports such as Harish Kumar, Alberton has the potential to go deep into the finals this year. Kumar, who the club has recruited for a long time, made an explosive entry onto the Gold Coast cricket scene leading all run scorers in the T20 competition with 282 runs at 70.5 with a strike rate of 148.

Lingering Question: Can Alberton’s bowlers find consistency and become an above-average bowling attack?

Returning Shane Connors is part of a core contingent at Alberton Ormeau eying a run up the table this season. Photo: Lawrence Pinder

In the past few years, the Hurricanes boys have struggled to find consistency with the ball. In 2019-20 they finished last in bowling average at 28, and in 2020-21, they weren’t much better, coming 10th in the competition.

It doesn’t help that their ground is one of the better places to bat, but to be a serious contender this year, they must bowl sides out.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

He led the T20 competition in runs, so give me a reason why he can not lead the regular season. Harish Kumar will be pivotal for the Hurricanes at the top of the order and also with his handy leg-spin.

Season Prediction: Right on the edge of finals

How they start the year:

R1: v Runaway Bay (Home)

R2: v Southport Labrador (Home)

R3: v Surfers Paradise (Away)

R4: v Burleigh (Home)

R5: v Coomera (Home)

Round 1 Line-up:

Matthew Yiend

Sabah Syed

Harish Kumar

Simon Mills

Shane Connors

Raj Kumar

Corey Galloway (c)

Reece Neyland

Caleb Arrold

Rob Fitzgerald

Will Hudgson

Rhys Dearness

RUNAWAY BAY

Past three season finishes:

2020-2021: 5th

2019-2020: 8th

2018-2019: 10th

Last ten years win percentage: 38% (10th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 21.6 (5th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 21.5 (8th)

If one thing is for sure, Runaway Bay is a club on the rise. Progressing up the ladder the past three years, the Bay boys have their eyes firmly set on finals this year.

Returning almost all of their team from last year, Bay added accomplished premier cricketers and past juniors Steven Graham and Joel Harrison while also grabbing Pottsville star Jayden Hoare to strengthen their batting stocks.

Jared Austin, who came second in the competition in wickets along with the ever-consistent right arm pace of Matt Madeley, will do most of the damage with the ball.

Former Burleigh batsman cum Runaway Bay skipper Rhys McCarthy will play another pivotal role in his club’s 2021-22 campaign. Photo: Mike Batterham

Lingering Question: Can Runaway Bay find the depth in their bowling stocks to make them a serious contender?

Despite having two of the top seven bowlers in the competition, Runaway Bay finished 8th in team bowling average last year, signalling a lack of depth. The men in orange will look for strong contributions this year from youngsters Mitch Bailey and Billy Walker, as well as all-rounder Steven Graham to strengthen their bowling.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

When Rhys McCarthy gets going, there are not many players better to watch. The 2017/18 Loxton medallist and Runaway Bay captain is cable of winning games off his own bat and will be the big wicket for opposition teams this year.

Season Prediction: Finals

How they start the year:

R1: v Alberton Ormeau (Away)

R2: v Queens (Home)

R3: Bye

R4: v Broadbeach (Away)

R5: v Mudgeeraba (Away)

Round 1 Line-up:

Billy Walker

Charles Parsons

Jayden Hoare

Joel Harrison

Matt Madeley

Michael Narracott

Mitch Bailey

Rhys McCarthy (C)

Rhys Howarth

Sam Burdock

Steven Graham

Zach Hollis

SOUTHPORT LABRADOR

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 7th

2019-2020: 3rd

2018-2019: 4th

Last ten years win percentage: 57% (4th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 15 (11th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 17.8 (6th)

Southport went hard on recruits over the offseason bringing in two of the premier all-rounders in the competition in Phil Tunnicliffe and Dhani Mitipolarachchi.

Their batting, which was the second-worst in the competition last year, has been revitalised with four of the top seven being new to the club.

With the ball Southport has the potential to be a devastating attack, with TJ Miller, Devon Hamley, Dhani Mitipolarachchi, and Phil Tunnicliffe all having more than 60 first grade wickets with averages less than 20.

Phil Tunnicliffe has joined Southport Labrador for the 2021-22 Kookaburra Cup season and looms as a key all-rounder in the club’s finals push. Photo: Bob Jones

Lingering Question: Has Southport got enough juice with the bat to make themselves a serious threat?

Don’t get me wrong, Southport has high-end talent with the bat, but there is potential for huge collapses. For example, in the T20 competition, Southport was bowled out for 89 against Mudgeeraba and 70 against Helensvale, losing 8/35 and 8/20 in collapses, respectively.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Both all-rounders Mitipolarachchi and Tunnicliffe have Loxton potential, with the latter being a previous winner. Tunnicliffe, a powerful New Zealander, is capable of having monster seasons as he did in 2018/19 with 742 runs and 28 wickets.

Season Prediction: Middle of the ladder with finals potential

How they start the year:

R1: v Queens (Home)

R2: v Alberton (Away)

R3: v Mudgeeraba (Away)

R4: Bye

R5: v Burleigh (Away)

Round 1 Line-up:

Phil Tunnicliffe

Luc de Keating

Dhani Mitipolarachchi

Hiran Wickramasekera

Jarrod Leathem

Shubham Rawat

Frank Boteju

Bailey Johnston

TJ Miller (C)

Devon Hamley

Mitch Johnson

Lachie Gumm

QUEENS

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 6th

2019-2020: 7th

2018-2019: 6th

Last ten years win percentage: 62% (3rd)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 16.4 (9th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 17.3 (5th)

A bowling attack containing three Wintons and Blake Chapman will always bring about a competitive side in Gold Coast cricket. Since figures were first recorded, the Winton brothers have taken a combined 672 wickets at an astonishing 15.2, with all three brothers featuring in the top-13 bowlers of all time.

Queens predictably had no trouble with their bowling last year, but their batting has been on the slide over the past three years. Queens’ batting has plunged since losing the Spargo brothers, finishing 10th and 9th in team batting average over the past two years, respectively.

Could Queens bowler Sam Winton reprirse his Loxton Medal-winning form of season 2017-18? Photo: Mike Batterham

Lingering Question: Is the addition of Max Houlahan enough to make Queens an above-average batting unit?

Former Queensland under-19 representative Max Houlahan looms at the key to getting Queens over the hump and into finals. He had big seasons in the past for the Dolphins having back-to-back 500 runs seasons in the first-grade premier cricket.

Other key contributors Nathan Hill and Jackson Winton, will also have to step up with the bat to lift Queens to the finals.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Sam Winton might have the most impressive bowling resume in Gold Coast first grade history with 328 wickets at 15.81, including ten five-wicket hauls. He won the Loxton back in 2017/18 and has more than enough talent to do it again.

Season Prediction:

Right on the edge of finals

How they start the year:

R1: v Southport (Away)

R2: v Runaway Bay (Away)

R3: v Helensvale (Home)

R4: v Mudgeeraba (Home)

R5: v Broadbeach (Home)

Round 1 Line-up:

Jackson Winton (C)

Sam Winton

Harrison Winton

Max Houlahan

Mitchell Freeman

Ned Hanrahan

Joshua Carter

Blake Chapman

Lucas Poeppmann

Michael Ethell

Nathan Hill

HELENSVALE

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 11th

2019-2020: 6th

2018-2019: 8th

Last ten years win percentage: 35% (11th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 17.4 (8th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 26 (12th)

From what we’ve seen in the T20 competition, Helensvale is a team that should be set to make a huge improvement from last year’s 11th-place finish.

The Hawks, who only had one win last year, have way too much talent to repeat that performance.

With well established first graders such as Kaleb Day, Jack Lickiss, Ryan Maloney and Chandima Bandara, a trip back to the finals like they did in 2017/18 is not off the cards.

Can Kaleb Day lead Helensvale back into finals contention this season? Photo: Steve Holland

Lingering Question: Can spin twins Jack Baird and Chandima Bandara continue their strong form from the T20 competition?

Offspinners Bairds and Bandara combined took a ludicrous 29 wickets in the T20 competition at 7.69. Now that production level is unsustainable but consistent performances from the spin pair could give Helensvale attack a new look.

The Helensvale bowlers struggled last year, finishing dead last in team bowling average at 26.

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

A consistent performer for the Hawks over the past few years, Kaleb Day has regularly turned in 400-plus run seasons. Can this be the season that the new club captain breaks through into the upper echelon of Kookaburra Cup batsmen?

Season Prediction:

Middle of the ladder

How they start the year:

R1: v Coomera (Home)

R2: v Palm Beach (Away)

R3: v Queens (Away)

R4: v Surfers Paradise (Home)

R5: Bye

Round 1 Line-up:

Ryan Maloney

Kaleb Day (C)

Alex Hayes

Jack Lickiss

Samuel Lickiss

Jack Baird

Harry Lickiss

Joshua Stewart

Dylan Stojanovski

Chandima Bandara

Greg Bourke

Jake Grove

COOMERA HOPE ISLAND

Last three season finishes:

2020-2021: 10th

2019-2020: 5th

2018-2019: 9th

Last ten years win percentage: 39% (9th)

Last Season Batting Ranking: Team batting average 15.8 (10th)

Last Season Bowling Ranking: Team bowling average 24.9 (11th)

Can last year’s 10th-place finishers turn their fortunes around in 2021/2022? An interesting mix of youth and experience underlines Coomera’s potential to rise back up the ladder this year.

Behind competition stalwarts like Benji Lee and Josh Henderson are talented players including Kushaal Ram and James Kleindshmidt, and young gun Joshua Spies.

Lingering Question: Does Coomera have the firepower in their attack to win games?

Last year Coomera struggled to bowl teams out, taking the third-fewest wickets in the competition.

Joshua Henderson will lead the attack well like he always does, but contributions will be needed from the likes of Jayden Brown and Joshua Spies.

Second-year Coomera all-rounder (pictured prior to joining the club) hit the most sixes of any player in the T20 tournament. Photo: File

Sam Loxton Medal Potential:

Kushaal Ram showed flashes of what he could in the T20 tournament hitting the most sixes of any batsman. He struggled last year in his first season on the Coast but looks set for a big summer with Coomera relying on him heavily with both bat and ball.

Season Prediction:

Towards the lower end of the ladder

How they start the year:

R1: v Helensvale (Away)

R2: Bye

R3: v Burleigh (Away)

R4: v Palm Beach (Home)

R5: v Alberton (Away)

Round 1 Line-up:

Warrick Bignell

Darren Collis

Geoff Griffin

Joshua Henderson (C)

James Kleinschmidt

Benji Lee

Kade Van Geyzel

Sam Joseph

Kushaal Ram

Jared Spies

Joshua Spies

Charith Anthony

Jayden Brown