School's in for summer of cricket

Great Southern Grammar will become the newest team in the Albany Cricket Association with the school set to field a team in the B-grade competition for the new season.

After months of discussion and preparation, the school was given the green light to fill the void left by Veterans, who were forced to pull out of the competition last month due to lack of numbers.

The ACA accepted the school’s application to boost the B-grade competition back to 10 teams on Tuesday night.

Great Southern Grammar director of sport Nathan Symonds said the X1 would feature students from Year 9 upwards as well as a number of parents and teachers including headmaster and keen cricketer Stuart Marquardt, who will manage the team.

“We have about 20 to 22 who are interested and 12 who are committed to playing each week,” Symonds said.

“We are prepared and it’s quite exciting.

Symonds said the side would give the students a regular opportunity to develop as cricketers.

“We want to keep promoting cricket at the school,” he said.

“They might not be overly competitive in the first season, but our quality of cricket will improve and they are keen cricketers.”

Albany Cricket Association president Terry Eaton said while it was disappointing that Veterans could not commit to the upcoming season, he was also excited to see what the school would bring to the competition.

A pre-season Twenty20 tournament will take place in Denmark on October 20 before the regular season begins on October 27.

Meanwhile, Manypeaks have announced Brent Sheridan as their new A-grade captain.

Sheridan, in his third season at the club, will replace long-standing captain Ryan Kinnear.