Darling Downs Bush Bash League sides target top Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba cricket talent

We name the 96 Toowoomba and state cricketers chosen to take part in the Darling Downs Bush Bash League competition. See if your favourite made it.

CRICKET: The third Murdoch Lawyers Darling Downs Bush Bash League Player Draft was a slightly subdued affair.

Drawing on their past draft experiences, team officials were more prepared with spreadsheets and player talent depth charts the name of the game.

“It was no less exciting but we certainly didn’t see the stress among the teams like we have in the past,” DDBBL competition representative Kent Reimers said.

“The teams have that experience of past drafts to draw on now.

“They all have a much more refined process with spreadsheets and player talent depth charts playing a big role in the night.”

With the six squads locked, The Chronicle has highlighted the biggest winners and losers of the draft.

The First Six

The first players off the table were no real surprise with teams simply grabbing the top tier talent while it was available

The selections of Sam Neale (Livewired Lightning), Jared Sippel (Aidacare Aztecs), Kris Glass (Valley Raptors), Mitch Doolan (Grammar Blazers), Shaun McCarthy (Hip Pocket Rockets), Tom Healy (Robscan Knightriders) gave no real indication as to how teams hoped to build their teams as the draft progressed.

Thunderbolts and batting lightning

The Livewired Lightning have some thunderous bats in their top order.

Darren Koch and Pieter van der Kooji will most likely open the batting with Sam Neale and Arshvir Singh next up in the order.

The Lightning’s top four is arguably the best the in the competition – capable of scoring big runs quickly and turning a game on its head in the blink of an eye.

They will be the run-scoring entertainers of the league.

Blazing a spin trail

The Blazers decision to draw heavily on current students and Grammar Old Boys may be seen as a gamble to most fans, but it’s a gamble that could pay big dividends.

The majority of pundits and fans believe spin will play a big role in the DDBBL this year and the Blazers have quality and depth in their spin bowler ranks.

If their top order bats can score a few runs the Blazers spin team should be able to lock down a lot of teams which in turn will make them tough opposition.

Questionable bite

Like the Blazers, Valley Raptors went heavy on local homegrown talent.

Their decision however may come back to bite them.

Every team has a 4500-point budget to draft with and the Raptors left 600 points on the table at the end of the night.

They have some good talent in their side but when ‘top tier’ players go for 500 points it looks like the Raptors could be a player short.

Stars snapped up

They may be playing for new teams but The Chronicle’s 12 DDBBL players to watch ahead of the draft were all signed in the player draft.

Kris Glass bats for Robscan Knightriders.

Kris Glass: The batting all-rounder, who is absolutely explosive at the top of the order, turned heads in the Brisbane Premier League this season. Capable of dominating bowling attacks and piling on quick runs.

Shaun McCarthy bowls for Hip Pocket Rockets.

Shaun McCarthy: Countless games have been decided by the arm of this dangerous fast bowler. Mr Reliable with the ball in hand, McCarthy will be one of the competition’s leading wicket takers.

Aidan Watterson: Currently playing in England, Waterson will return primed and ready to go for DDBBL season three. He will trouble plenty of batsmen with his lightning quick pace and accuracy.

Jared Sippel bats for Aidacre Aztecs.

Jared Sippel: If you’re looking for a Michael Bevan type – Sippel is your man. The middle order batsman is cool under pressure and knows how to close out innings for a win. Bowls handy off-spin as well.

Mitch Doolan: The young big hitting all-rounder can score runs in just about any situation Scored a century in Brisbane grade cricket last year and is a more than handy spinner.

Toowoomba Grammar School batsman Arshvir Singh.

Arshvir Singh: When Singh hits a ball it stays hit. He announced himself to a number of Queensland Bulls legends last year, when he sent the first ball of the innings over the ball for six in the Bulls Masters competition. Last year’s BPL under-19 player of the tournament will dominate most bowling attacks this season.

Sam Neale hits a boundary for Livewired Lightning.

Sam Neale: With Brisbane grade-cricket experience under his belt, Neale will be a great addition to any team. Comfortable opening the batting and bowling.

Toowoomba Grammar School batsman Jem Ryan.

Jem Ryan: A young strong quick who will be among the wickets. Will attract a lot interest.

Liam Moffett of Liebke Lions is safe from Pieter Van der Kooij of George Banks Umbrellas.

Pieter Van Der Kooji: The top order hit has no off switch. Van Der Kooji will go after bowling attacks from ball one and can rack up big scores quickly.

Luke Pollock bowls for Aidacare Aztecs.

Luke Pollock: An Ipswich lad with plenty of Brisbane grade-cricket experience. A great middle order batting all-rounder.

Harrison Tzannes bats for Toowoomba.

Harrison Tzannes: Think Adam Gilchrist. When the wicket keeping all-rounder hits a ball it stays hit. A dark horse that could go very early in the draft.

Rex Tooley: The Toowoomba Grammar talent is capable of tearing bowling attacks apart in the blink of an eye.

The 2022 DDBBL squads

Livewired Lightning: Christopher Stearn, Ben Brocherie, Charlie Bignell, Cody Walker, Michael Dowe, JP O’Kennedy, Matthew Nunn, Brandon Sabburg, Matthew Budden, Brandon Webb.

Aidacare Aztecs: Kieren Gibbs, Jared Sippel, Aidan Watterson, Luke Pollock, Connar Robson, Harrison Sippel, Jaidyn Teske, Andre Odendaal, Chris Wilson, Will Peasley-Macfarlane, Harrison Engel, James Bidgood, Samuel Healy, Paul Lochel, Todd Anderson, Nick O’Neill

Valley Raptors: Kris Glass, Joel Harrison, Ben O’Connell, Hayden Campbell, Harjinder Dhillon, Brock Zischke, Liam Brown, Joshua Reisenleiter, Shanley Neuendorf, Samuel Steinhardt, Chris O’Brien, Isaac Adamson, Liam Gablonski, Nicholas Budden, Rukshan Mahendraraj.

Grammar Blazers: Zac Beveridge, Mitch Doolan, Rex Tooley, Alex Welsh, Harrison Tzannes, Rob Fitzgerald, Kyle Tonkin, Troy Gurski, Paul Draheim, Morgan Galvin, Hayden Ensbey, Dustin Tennyson, Ash Benham, Jack Carter, Kelvin Cochrane, Mitchell Small.

Hip Pocket Rockets: Luke Neale, Shaun McCarthy, Lachlan Vellacott, Blake Anderson, Charlie Hodgson, Sean Seaward, Hemal (Mal) Shah, Matthew Hallas, Charlie Moncada, Brandon Walker, Regan Liebke, Cameron Moodie, Tim Dowe, Nathan Ciesiolka, Chaz Cheatley, Gavin Steger.

Robscan Knight Riders: Chris Gillam, Tom Healy, Jem Ryan, Ashley Sippel, Paul Toohey, Tully Willson, Cooper Webster, Harry Meiklejohn, Mitchell Bourke, Michael Abbott, Kurtley Nielsen, Daniel Robinson, Sam O’Neill, John Schmacker, Bradley Ilott, Marcus Frizzell.-