Cricket competition grows with fourth team announced

THE growth of cricket in the Capes region has led to a fourth team being nominated by Dunsborough Cricket Club for the first time this summer.

Reigning Barnard Cup premiers Dunsborough will field one side in A-Grade, one side in B-Grade, and two sides in C-Grade in the new Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association senior season which kicks off on Saturday, October 19, said new Dunsborough president Cam Morris.

The new C-Grade sides will be named Dunsborough White (to be captained by Bruce Siney) and Dunsborough Blue (to be captained by Mat Lepidi).

“We have decided to make Dunsborough Blue the stronger team, although there will be a core of seniors in both C-Grade sides,” Morris said.

“What’s important is giving the juniors the chance to play alongside seniors as they progress through the ranks.”

Chris Reagan will again skipper the Dunsborough A-Grade side, which has been bolstered by the return of talented wicketkeeper-batsman Ajith Rajapaksha and the recruitment of former Margaret River allrounder Mark Natale.

Dunsborough also have an import this season. He is Anthony Quinn, a 26-year-old fast bowler from the Cornwall Cricket Club in Auckland, New Zealand.

“We decided to engage a player agent this year to assist us with obtaining an imported player, and it was a very constructive process,” Morris said. “Quinn is a first-grade player in New Zealand who was intending to play a T20 competition in Holland but has pulled out to play with us.”

Dunsborough’s only loss from last summer’s A-Grade premiership side looks to be left-hander Cameron Sharpe, who injured his knee playing basketball and looks likely to miss the season.

The availability of fast bowler Seb Watts may be restricted owing to family commitments.

In the B-Grade competition Dunsborough will look to Darby Tas to get among the runs, while offskipper Judd Truscott is another player to watch.

“We have a lot of exciting young talent in the district, including players such as Dillon Payne, Ashton McCarthy, Ky South and Oscar Nimmo,” Morris said. “The club has had a good pre-season and we are shaping up nicely.”

Morris, who has been at Dunsborough since 2016, has taken over the club presidency from the long-serving Mat Lepidi.

Other office-bearers this season are Simon Smith (vice-president), Bruce Siney (treasurer) and Ben Danaher (secretary).

Morris said the new turf pitch at the Dunsborough Lakes Oval was being prepared by the City of Busselton, with a view to being used for the first time after Christmas for some junior fixtures.

Dunsborough Cricket Club is still negotiating with the City over the clubrooms at the new oval, and it will be several years before the club officially moves from the Dunsborough Playing Fields to the new precinct.