Queensland U17 boys set for national cricket championships
Here’s four Sam Konstas-type batsmen from Queensland who could ignite the U17 national cricket championships starting Thursday in Hobart.
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Queensland cricket’s will unleash an array of exciting batsmen when the U17 male championships start in Hobart on Thursday.
At a time when the nation is savouring the emergence of NSW teenager Sam Kontas as a Test excitement machine, Queensland has several mini versions who will play at the championships.
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Blake Armstrong, Rhys Johnston and Theo Bacalakis were all batsmen who can change the momentum of a match within overs, while captain Steve Hogan is the state’s premier under age batsman.
Queensland will look to go one better than the U16 girls who lost Monday’s national grand final.
In this story we introduce Queensland’s 14 U17 players ready to challenge strongly for the title, while reviewing the U16 girls’ after their good national championship campaign.
RELATED LINKS
QLD U19 MALE PLAYER REPORT CARD
QUEENSLAND BOYS
Steve Hogan (Sandgate-Redcliffe)
Queensland’s captain, Hogan was the premier player at this tournament 12 months earlier and will look to lead by example.
The state’s only player to make the Australian U19 side, Hogan is a No.3 or No.4 batsman from the Sandgate-Redcliffe club who late last year scored his maiden Premier grade century.
A right handed batsman, he attends St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe and will be the most celebrated wicket at the championships.
Blake Armstrong (Western Suburbs)
Brisbane Boys’ College all-rounder Blake Armstrong will be crucial to Queensland’s campaign.
A left handed opener, he has the ability to get the scoreboard ticking over and if he bats time.
He has natural ability which will see him score at a brisk rate.
Originally a Maroochydore junior, Armstrong is also an effective left arm orthodox spinner who claimed 13 wickets at 20.62 during this season’s Taverner’s season. His economy rate was a tidy 2.88.
Dushyant Thaman (South Brisbane)
A young veteran who has been playing GPS First XI cricket with TSS since Year 10, left arm orthodox spinner has the ability to take wickets and reduce runs.
He has tremendous figures at club and school level, and his ability to build pressure will be important to the Queensland fielding effort.
Thaman is a bowler, but he is also a handy lower order batsman who scored 252 runs at 25 during the Tav’s season.
Eli Brain (Norths)
One of the top five players from the Taverner’s competition, Brain was elite for the Northern Suburbs club and will look to make his mark against his peers at national level.
From Brisbane Grammar School, Brain scored 528 runs at 58.67, while also taking 12 wickets at 22.75 during the Taverner’s season. He adds balance and depth to the squad.
HISTORY-MAKING DAY-NIGHT PREMIER CLASH
Hayden Hamilton (Wynnum Manly)
Hayden was a revelation during Tav’s season, scoring 572 runs at 57.20, including seven half centuries.
The Wynnum Manly Sea Eagles batting ace from Nudgee College can consistently find the boundary while also being respectful to the bowler.
He is an inspiring selection in this side.
Harry Langdon (University)
Pacemen Harry Langdon will be a fast bowling enforcer for Queensland at the championships.
A veteran of three seasons in Taverner’s U17 competition, he can be a deadly paceman and consistently ask questions of his rival batsmen.
The Brisbane Grammar School student has been gathering valuable experience playing grade Uni at the powerful club.
Rhys Johnston (Ipswich)
From Toowoomba Grammar School, Johnston will be one of the big threats to opposition attacks at the championships.
A back-up keeper, Johnston has the ability to take down bowlers in a hurry.
His 137 not out and 112 during the Tav’s season were among the top five highlights of the competition and if he gets cracking in Hobart, fielders will be scattered around the oval.
Theodore Bacalakis (University)
Bacalakis would have been one of the first players chosen. An elite batsman who scored
round two (118 not out) and round four (104 not out) centuries in the Tav’s, the Terrace student regularly found the boundary.
He is also elite in the field and a handy leg-spin bowler and will be one of Queensland’s premier players at the championships. Watch this space.
Theo Tsingo (Norths)
Tsingo had the distinction of making his Bulls Masters first grade debut late last year- while still at school.
A St Patrick’s First XI bowler, he had a fine Taverner’s campaign highlighted by a haul to 5-36 against a strong Wynnum side and later earned selection in Norths’ top team where he ironically played against another Paddies’ student, Steve Hogan of the Gators.
Lakshdeep Singh (Sandgate-Redcliffe)
From the The Lakes College community, North Lakes junior Singh gained tremendous experience when he played Premier Grade with Sandgate-Redcliffe after a successful Taverner’s campaign.
A leg spin bowler, he has a big work ethic and for a wrist spinner he had a tremendous economy rate.
He will add variety to the team’s attack.
Ryan Atley (Western Suburbs)
Atley won the hotly contested gloveman’s role and will be looking to make every post a winner.
He can impact matches as a top order batsman where he plays positively and puts pressure on the field while easing tension in his own side.
From Brisbane Boys College, Atley’s batting adds depth to Queensland’s campaign.
Sam Gassman (Rockhampton Grammar)
Originally from the Moura community, Gassman is a Central Queensland cricket prodigy who has been making representative teams since Year 6 when he attended the local state school.
From the Frenchville club, Gassman is a classical, tall fast bowler who can generate both bounce and pace.
His speed will add balance to Queensland’s campaign around slow bowlers Thaman, Armstrong, Singh and Bacalakis.
Sohaan Sharma (Western Suburbs)
Sharma will open the innings after playing his way into the side following a bumper Tav’s campaign when he scored 516 runs from 661 balls.
He can score quickly, but also has the ability to be patient and withstand a quality bowling onslaught.
A student at Ipswich Grammar School, Sharma has been a high achiever over the last 18 months.
Thomas Town (Sunshine Coast)
Town was one of the competition’s best bowlers and batsmen were no doubt revealed to see his spell end.
Originally from the Coolabunia region outside of Kingaroy, the Glasshouse ace was outstanding during the Taverner’s season when he took 14 wickets at 18.36.
HOW THE GIRLS WENT
Peyton Meredith (Sunshine Coast)
From the Glasshouse Mountains region, spinner Meredith was selected into the Cricket Australia Merit team.
During a remarkable round 4 of action, Meredith claimed 10 wickets across two matches.
Overall she claimed 16 wickets, while also scoring an important 28 in the grand final.
She was attacked in the grand final, but still claimed 2-48.
Ayaka Stafford (Western Suburbs)
Another under age player, 14-year-old Stafford grew a leg when she somehow carried Queensland to a backs-to-the-wall win over NSW Country.
A wrist spinner, she took 2-33 but then scored 29 not out from 49 balls to join Jess Cremin in scrambling Queensland to victory.
She opened the bowling and also did well bowling in the power overs with limited boundary protection.
Abbie Trevethan (Western Suburbs)
The Queensland vice-captain, Trevethan was her team’s most consistent batter but would have liked a big score. With scores of 23. 28, 34 not out and 21, she often fired the Maroons innings away on the front foot.
Lauren Patterson (Gold Coast)
Patterson, a strong onside player, delivered late in the competition with telling innings of 38, 32 and 54.
Like Trevethan, the Queensland U15 School Sport team selection would have loved to turn a start into a big score, but she did well and will be better for the experience.
Chelsea Sonter (Western Suburbs)
The Queensland U16 captain held up her end of the bargain behind the stumps and expertly manipulated the field and her leadership was first class. She would have been frustrated to get plenty of starts but not go on with the job, particularly after being set in the grand final. It is all a great learning experience for her.
Astrid Muniandy (Wynnum-Manly)
A striking right handed attacking batter, Munlandy produced one of the innings of the championship when she scored 71 in a collapsing innings against NSW Country.
The Moreton Bay College student was a class above in that innings.
Amy Evison (Gold Coast)
Evison was a player who was up for the contest. Aggressive and determined, she had handy returns of 1-30, 1-30 and 0-25 around her 3-17 early in the championship. Evison is a fast emerging medium pace bowler whose great strength is her accuracy and good length.
Madhumika Dinesh (Western Suburbs)
Fast bowler Madhumika Dinesh was the youngest member of the squad and she would have learned so much.
Her 3-27 in game No.2 was a bowling highlight, but she also delivered some handy runs with the bat, including 32 not out which almost won her side the opening game, 20 in the grand final and 24 against NT. She is eligible for another two U16 campaigns.
Originally published as Queensland U17 boys set for national cricket championships
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