Central Qld Seamers in Bulls Masters Country Challenge final at Gabba

The Central Queensland Seamers are gunning for back-to-back titles in the prestigious Bulls Masters competition. Coach Jason Wells reveals the players who will be key to their quest.

Callum McMahon and Joe McGahan will be key to the Central Queensland Seamers' chances in the Bulls Masters Country Challenge grand final at the Gabba.

All-rounders Joe McGahan and Callum McMahon will spearhead the Central Queensland Seamers tilt at more Gabba glory on Sunday.

The open men’s cricket team will be chasing back-to-back titles in the Bulls Masters Country Challenge when they meet Far North Fusion in a replay of last year’s grand final.

Coach Jason Wells expects a good contest but is understandably confident about his team’s prospects.

He has helped orchestrate victory in their two previous appearances on cricket’s big stage - last year and in 2018.

“We’ve gotten used to how this works in terms of the day and the set-up of it and the warm-up and preparation,” he said.

Joe McGahan will captain the CQ Seamers.

“We’re all very excited and looking forward to it.

“We can’t thank the organisers of the competition enough because it certainly provides players and coaches with a dream - to play at the Gabba at the business end of it.

“We never take it lightly because it’s very, very hard to get to the final so to be there is awesome.”

Wells said skipper McGahan and McMahon would have a big influence on proceedings, opening both the batting and the bowling for the Seamers.

“They’re two guys who really take the game on and are pretty aggressive,” Wells said.

Callum McMahon will be a key figure for Central Queensland. Picture: Evan Morgan

The dynamic duo is joined by fellow Queensland Country representatives - in-form batter Jeff Case and consistent spinner Logan Whitfield.

Wells said if the Seamers won the toss, they would bowl first if conditions were right.

“We’ve become quite accustomed to that. We like to bowl first in T20 matches because then we know what we’ve got to chase and we have a pretty strict plan on how we go about that,” he said.

Wells said Far North had a quality line-up, which included Queensland Country reps Jake Roach, Matthew Wilkins and Marcus Berryman.

CQ Seamers’ coach Jason Wells.

The Seamers will have a hitout in Brisbane on Saturday before the big game on Sunday.

“This final is something you always want to be part of,” he said.

“Coaching Central Queensland is about getting the region where it belongs - and that’s at the top of the tree in country cricket.

“There was a time when people considered us the easy beats but we’ve worked really hard over eight or nine years to restore our reputation.

“As a coach, you do what’s best for the players to get the rewards.

“Eventually when I finish up coaching and look back at what I’ve achieved, if we manage to get three wins at the Gabba, I’d be very happy.”

CQ Seamers line-up

Kerrin Corrie, Stevie Roser, Jeff Case, Joe McGahan, Brent Hartley,

Callum McMahon, Liam Welsh, Todd Harmsworth, Hayden O’Connor, Riley McDonald, Sam Gassman, Logan Whitfield.

Originally published as Central Qld Seamers in Bulls Masters Country Challenge final at Gabba