Cricket season approaching

Last year's undefeated TNT first grade team.

Randall Woodley

A sports commentator once remarked that although he enjoyed the footy season with its bumps and bruises, it was only when the first match of cricket season commenced that his enthusiasm and stimulation for sport really reached its climax.

The Sunshine Coast Cricket Association will again be organising fixture matches each Saturday from early September in six senior grades and in early October for junior players. And the local club, the Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Cricket Club will be involved in every aspect of the competition.

There will be about 10 clubs involved from Caboolture and Burpengary to the south and to Gympie in the north.

The First Grade Tewantin-Noosa Thunder (TNT) team, who went through last season undefeated and were the winners of the three competitions (T20, 50 Overs and Two-Day matches) will again be fielding a strong team and are hoping for a repeat of their record-breaking performances from last season.

It is planned that the club will enter five grade teams in the senior section and have junior teams in every age group.

Training for all senior players, or any new players, will commence this Thursday 4 August at 5.15pm and continue each Thursday. The initial training will be conducted by ex-international player, Ben Laughlin who was a big part of the First Grade team’s success last season.

A free sausage sizzle will be held after training.

Registrations for the season are now open for all senior men and women, junior players and for the Master Blasters and Junior Blasters programs.

The club has introduced some great registration offers and incentives this year.

These include:

• Discounts for siblings.

• Discounts for junior players who have a dad playing seniors – a great reason for dad to get back into or start playing senior cricket.

• Awesome discounts for our senior and junior female players.

Full details can be found at registration.

The club is excited about entering a senior women’s team and also to have more female juniors playing this season. This is the season to have a go. For more information, visit tewantinnoosacricket.com.au/index…/play-cricket

Women’s cricket

To add to the news above, the club is planning to feature one or two women’s teams this season in the association’s women’s fixtures.

The launch of this initiative will be held at the cricket club oval, Read Park Tewantin on Friday 19 August from 4-5.30pm.

It is hoped to have representatives from Queensland Cricket, the mayor and possibly local Member, Sandy Bolton in attendance.

There will be some low-key coaching as well as an information session and any females of any age who would like to know more about women’s crickets are encouraged to come along.

BPL

Sunshine Coast Cricket is excited to announce a new initiative in partnership with the Coastal Marlins BPL franchise – The Sunshine Coast’s very own Sunshine Coast Franchise T20 event for local cricketers.

Held over one weekend with four new franchises, the Sunny Coast Smash is a great opportunity for players on the coast to get some quality cricket in before the season kicks off.

A great twist with this is that compared to non-traditional club teams, each franchise will be picking players from a nomination pool which means a great opportunity to play with some players you usually play against on your regular weekends.

Nominations are now open. To enter the nomination pool head to sunshinecoastcricket.com.au/…/sunny-coast-smash/