Talented performers begin strongly

Normal service will resume in the Kookaburra Sports Geraldton Junior Cricket Association this weekend, with both the under 14s and 17s beginning the traditional component of the regular season.

Despite the older grades having opened the 2017/2018 campaign with a T20 competition, there have been already been plenty of exceptional individual performances.

In the under 14s, Wanderers Gold do battle with their intraclub teammates Wanderers Black at GBSC Sports Park No.2, with several players across both teams in good form.

Leading the list is new Gold recruit Taj Satie, who has been in excellent touch with both bat and ball.

During the T20 campaign, Satie was resolute during his four trips to the crease, retiring not out three times.

With the ball, he took a commendable 7/11 from eight overs in the tournament - with a personal best of 3/5 and a near-subliminal economy rate of 1.4 runs per over.

Over at Wanderers Black, James Gething has been persevering hard in the bowling attack, heading in to the regular season with 3/29 from five overs.

Both sides met in round two of the T20 competition, with Gold posting a healthy 3/121 from their 20 overs, with six players retiring not out. Black were unable to get things going and finished on 9/33 at the close of play, with six Gold players taking wickets.

Towns, who were defeated by Gold in the T20 final, host Sportsmans and will be confident on building from their recent displays, with both Thomas Mackay and Toby Keeffe potential X-factors.

On Sunday, under 17s T20 premiers Towns Blue will be keen for their quality batting line up to get into rhythm against a quality Wanderers bowling attack.

An intriguing battle looms between the Blue batting quartet of Travis Owen, Bobby Gibson, Regan Connor and Matthew Hughes against the talented Wanderers bowling trio of Gerard “Ringo” McKenna, Liam Dibben and Alex Solomon.

Towns White will fancy their chances against Sportsmans, with the beaten T20 grand finalists possessing plenty of depth in their team.

Across the 17s, plenty of players are benefiting from playing cricket at senior level - including Towns White youngster Callum Marquis, who took a hat trick while playing in Towns’ B-grade win over Bluff Point last Saturday.