We reveal the players to watch in the 2024-25 Toowoomba cricket season

With the Toowoomba cricket season kicking off this weekend, check out our 2024-25 TCI season preview featuring players to watch and the goals for each team. See who made the list from your club here.

Michael Dowe (centre) celebrates with Western Districts teammates. Picture: Kevin Farmer

With winter now well and truly in the rearview mirror, the temperature is heating up across the Garden City and at the crease, with the 2024-25 Toowoomba cricket season kicking off this weekend.

Our season preview is here, featuring the goals for each club as well as the players who will hold the key to victory.

See who is set to star for your club below.

Northern Brothers Diggers

Season goal: “After winning club champions last year we didn’t win a two-daycomp so the big one is to win one if not multiple titles throughout the grades,” Northern Brothers president Grant Spies said.

“Expect us to be very strong in the higher grades as well.”

Players to watch

Aidan Watterson: The skipper is back again for another season and looking to build on an impressive 2023-24 campaign which saw him earn selection in the Queensland Country side which took out the country championships in January. He has been playing one-dayers and T20 Max for Wests in Brisbane so will be ready to go and NBD officials are excited to see him dominate with the bat and the ball.

Brandon Walker: Another leader in the line-up, the wicketkeeper batter earned Bulls Masters selection alongside Watterson and has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Louis Reen: The top order batter has been striking the ball brilliantly in the nets this pre-season and his experience will be invaluable for the Dragons in their quest for glory.

Brandon Walker bats for NBD. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Highfields

Season goal: “Just to be a lot more competitive than what we were last season,” Highfields and Districts Railways Cricket Club president Tony Morrish said.

“We want to reach the semi-finals, that would be one of the first goals and hopefully build some momentum.”

Players to watch

Tom and Ben Brandt: The duo have joined the club from Sandgate-Redcliffe and will provide an exciting boost to the side.

Mitch Connolly: Was a key figure for Highfields last year and will look to build this year as one of the leaders in the group. In 12 games across all competitions, he scored 144 runs and took 12 wickets.

Ben Anderson: Another one of the leaders in the Bulldogs set-up, Anderson scored 293 runs last season at an average of 24.42.

George Casey: Consistency will be the goal for Casey this year as he showed he has what it takes to provide crucial runs at A-grade level after a solid summer last year where he scored 240 runs at an average of 24. With four scores of 30 or more including a top score of 68 not-out, if Casey gets his eye in, he will be a pivotal player for Highfields.

Met-Easts

Season goal: “I think we are really keen on blooding a lot of young players and giving them an opportunity,” Met-Easts president Paul Toohey said.

“We have a few changes for our grades with players not coming back so to blood some new players is the biggest goal.”

Players to watch

Daniel Pollock: Pollock has taken on the reigns as co-captain alongside pace bowler Hayden Campbell with former captain Ben Brocherie playing in Ipswich. In 20 games across various competitions, Pollock scored 418 runs and took six wickets.

Hayden Campbell bowls for Metropolitan-Easts. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Hayden Campbell: The pace bowler could always be counted upon to make key contributions throughout the season. Across all competitions, he claimed 49 scalps at an average of 13.29 last year including three five-wicket hauls.

Liam Brown: Brown will be pivotal with the bat for the Trojans this season after becoming a regular member of the A-grade side last year. He scored 384 runs last summer at an average of 34.91 with a top score of 108.

Jacob Fry: A strong spin bowling option who could break partnerships. He picked up 24 wickets at an average of 15 last year.

Dylan Fedrick: After an impressive debut A-grade season, Fedrick will look to take his game to the next level this season. He is a threatening bowler with consistent line and length.

Souths

Season goal: “Provide a welcoming environment for our players to enjoy the game of cricket,” vice-president Matthew Healy said.

“A-grade we would like to go one better in the one-day comp, we made the grand final last year.

“And probably put in some better performances in the two-day comp in the higher grades.

“In reserve grade where we won both comps and would like to go back-to-back and in lower grades make finals and contend for trophies.”

Nick Budden bats for Souths.

Players to watch

Nick Budden: An elite batter who boasts an impressive rep cricket resume, including playing for the Australia deaf team. He has seven career tons to his name and scored 386 runs at 32.17 last year.

Ruvith Karunarathne: Karunarathne is one of the most dangerous bowlers in the Darling Downs and was in unstoppable form last season. He picked up 34 wickets in 20 matches last season at an average of 14.41, including a five-wicket haul against Met-Easts.

Wests

Season goal: “As a club we want to be competitive across all grades and to win as many premierships as possible,” club president Anthony Nunn said.

“We believe we have the depth to achieve that.”

Players to watch

Western Districts cricket captain Luke Neale accepts the trophy after his side won the 2024 TCI two-day competition. Picture: Allyson Gardener.

Luke Neale: The elite all-rounder and inspiring captain is back again for Wests and is certain to cause opposing batters and bowlers plenty of headaches. Neale can produce game-changing performances with the bat or ball and will be pivotal in Wests’ quest for A-grade glory.

Michael Dowe: Dowe was a model of consistency last year as he chipped in with regular wickets and claimed 39 wickets from 28 matches at 16.56.

Brian May bats for Wests.

Brian May: Along with being an inspiring leader for the younger players in the squad, May produced a vintage campaign with Wests last year and has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. He has several career tons to his name and was a force to be reckoned with last year, scoring 950 runs a an average of 95. Those 950 runs included two centuries and nine 50s as he put Toowoomba’s best bowlers to the sword.

Uni

Season goal: University president Anthony King said the main goal was to be competitive and for the several young players to continue to develop and improve while gaining confidence.

Players to watch

Hunter Payne: Payne has come through the University junior ranks and is now looking to become a force at A-grade level. He picked up 12 wickets last season at an average of 29.25.

University opener Cooper Webster.

Cooper Webster: Webster continues to develop with the bat and ball each year and will look to assert himself as a key player not only this season but for years to come.

Matt Johnston: The University captain is an impressive talent with bat and ball and produced one of the all-time great individual performances last season against Highfields. After scoring a stunning 129 runs from 124 balls with the bat, he backed it up with bowling figures of 4-13 from 14 overs the following inning.

Darcy and Harry Shelton: The duo are both accomplished wicket-takers and will be danger players this season.