Alberton star Corey Galloway has taken 30 wickets this year and now adds a century

Alberton captain Craig Mitchell jokingly suggested teammate Corey Galloway will probably ask to open both the bowling and batting from now on.

Corey Galloway in action with the new ball. Photo: David Clark

ALBERTON captain Craig Mitchell jokingly suggested that teammate Corey Galloway will probably ask to open both the bowling and batting from now on.

During a hectic weekend schedule that involved both indoor and outdoor forms of the game, Galloway took time to crack his maiden first-grade century opening the batting for Alberton in their Kookaburra Cup match against Coomera-Hope Island on Saturday.

Galloway hit an impressive 142 as Alberton amassed 9-332 at Pro Insure oval.

As an unusual warm-up preparation, Galloway used an indoor cricket match in Toowoomba – where state trials were played – before hopping in his car and making it to ­Oxenford by noon to play for Alberton.

“He was awesome,” Mitchell said of Galloway.

“He played a game indoors at 8am up on the Downs, drove down to play with us by midday and was supposed to have been back in Toowoomba for another game at 4.30.

“But he was 95 not out at tea and decided he’d stay although he had to get back to Toowoomba for another match at 8am on Sunday.”

This season, Galloway’s pace has netted him 30 wickets, a far cry from when he first came under the wing of Mitchell’s coaching. Back with Alberton after a season with Surfers Paradise, Galloway usually bats down the list but the unavailability of Simon Larrescy forced Mitchell’s hand to gamble with him as an opener.

“Going back four or five years ago he bowled off-spin and opened the batting for me at Alberton,” Mitchell said. “Now he may claim opening bat and opening bowling spots for us.”

The Islanders toiled hard with the ball searching for wickets but it was only playing coach Brad Ipson, with 5-52 from his left-arm spin, who made any inroads.