Players from Queensland Country's national championships squads last season are among the talent to benefit from this season's KFC T20 Max competition.
T20 Max Boost For Country
While much of the focus has been on the interstate and overseas recruits joining the Queensland Premier clubs, there has also been a big influx of players from regional centres joining the men’s and women’s competitions.
The Queensland Country Brahmans and Queensland Country Brolgas were crowned national champions last summer, the first time both teams had taken out the titles.
Players from those teams, as well as Queensland Country youth squads, have been getting valuable exposure in first grade and second grade matches across the KFC T20 Max.
Experienced Brahmans players Sam Lowry (NQ), Aidan Watterson (DDSW) and Claye Beams (GC) have been in action for Sandgate-Redcliffe, Wests, and Wynnum-Manly respectively.
In the women’s T20 competition, Brolgas players Ruby Strange (Wests), Mikayla Wrigley (Sunshine Coast), Tarah Staines (Sunshine Coast), Taylor Stumer (UQ), Jamie-lee Strang (Gold Coast), Meghan McCartney (Valley), Felicity Koch (Ipswich), Grace Abdy (Valley) and Emma Jackson (UQ) have been in action across the tournament.
Pace bowler Watterson (pictured) has been solid with the ball for Wests while Jackson has proven a regular six-hitter for UQ.
There were also players from the Queensland Country Under-18 squad which have linked with clubs to get additional exposure and experience playing T20 cricket, with second grade also taking part in the KFC T20 Max.
They include Ben Ramsbotham (Townsville) and Seth McGinty (Cairns) who are tied to the Ipswich Hornets, Henry King (Cairns) who has linked with University of Queensland, Jacob Bath (Gold Coast) who is with South Brisbane and Zac Murray (Sunshine Coast) who is with the Scorchers.