Beaudesert’s next generation of cricketers has a busy few months ahead, with several young players gaining selection in representative teams competing into the New Year.
Local selections for the SEQ Queensland Junior Cricket (QJC) Southern Challenge Championship were Luke Bostock (Under 15), Jaxon Hohl, Robert McClure and Clancy Hardy (Under 14), Declan O’Donnell (Captain, Under 12) and Archie Foster (shadow player, Under 12).
The SEQ QJC Southern Challenge Championships will be held in Gympie in mid-December.
Additionally, Declan will compete in a Queensland School Sport state carnival in Bundaberg from 14-18 November as part of the 10-12 years boys’ team.
Jim McClure has gained selection in the SEQ Under 16 Bulls Masters Youth Challenge Team to compete in Bundaberg in December and Seb Potts is in the Under 14 SEQ Development Team to play on the Sunshine Coast in January.
Declan, 12, who has played for Beaudesert for about three or four years and lives at Biddaddaba, said players were well-supported to reach their goals.
“We train a lot and I know I couldn’t have made these competitions without my dad (Peter O’Donnell) and Leigh Morgan (Club Manager),” he said.
“Cricket is pretty great in general, working as a team, winning.”
Declan is the first in a family of keen cricketers to be selected to captain a championship team.
He said he was looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s about just getting better, gaining more knowledge about cricket. I look up to (Australian cricketer) Adam Gilchrist – he’s one of my favourites,” he said.
Peter O’Donnell said
“It’s just good to see country kids getting selected for these sides, to see country cricket is still alive and well in these little towns,” he said.
“It’s all volunteer-based, and nothing in cricket would happen without people like Leigh Morgan and all the volunteers.”
