Aussie test star throws support behind Quality Wool Cup

Quality Wool Managing Director Mark Dyson with Australian test star Travis Head at the Launch of the 2019 Quality Wool Cup. The leading batsman, bowler and fielder in the under-14 T20 tournament will all receive a replica Australian test shirt signed by Head.

What began as an idea almost a decade ago has grown into a post-Christmas sporting tradition on the Eyre Peninsula, with the Quality Wool Cup to hit Port Lincoln again in early January.

The eighth instalment of the two‑day, under‑14 Twenty20 tournament will kick off on January 3, with eight teams from the peninsula’s seven cricket associations going head‑to‑head at Centenary Oval, Poole Oval and the Ravendale Complex.

The teams lining up to try and dethrone 2018 Quality Wool Cup winners Eastern Eyre are the Lincoln Tuna Kings, Far West, Tumby Bay Dolphins, Lincoln Great Whites, Le Hunte, Kimba Cats and Great Flinders.

For the second consecutive year, Australian test star Travis Head was on‑hand to help launch the 2019 tournament and throw his support behind junior cricket on his family’s native Eyre Peninsula.

Travis’ father, Simon, originally hails from Port Neill, where the 24 year‑old regularly visits family and friends when his schedule allows.

“The success of Australian cricket begins at the grassroots, so it’s great to see junior sport on the EP being encouraged through the Quality Wool Cup,” Travis said.

“I’ve got a lot of fond memories of the region, spending Christmases with the family at Port Neill and enjoying a bit of fishing”.

In a further boost to the tournament, Travis has also personally signed three replica Australian test shirts which will be awarded to the leading batter, bowler and fielder on aggregate.

With no under‑16 competition on the Eyre Peninsula, the Quality Wool Cup provides the region’s under‑14 cricketers with an opportunity to compete in their own age group and gain experience playing on turf wickets at the three venues.

EP Junior Cricket Association President Tom Kenny said the tournament provided a great lead‑in for the 12 youngsters also competing in the SACA under‑14 Country Cup, beginning the following week in the Barossa Valley.

“Among them are Bodhi Fauser (Port Lincoln), a very capable batsman and bowler, Jack Lienert (Kimba) who has played a few games for Port Adelaide and Ezra Foster (Le Hunte), an up and coming fast bowler who still has another year to play in the under‑14’s,” Tom said.

Tom also identified Harvey Pedler (Great Flinders), Jackson Petty (Lehunte), Noah Ramsey (Eastern Eyre), Conner Maddern (Port Lincoln) , Zane Crettenden (Eastern Eyre), Billy Mahoney, Rohan Treloar, Darcy Claughton (Great Flinders) and Darci Best (Lehunte) as other stars on the rise to look out for in the tournament.

Quality Wool Managing Director Mark Dyson said the Eyre Peninsula has been a great supporter of the family‑owned company since its foundation in 1991.

“The Quality Wool Cup started as a brainstorm with the EP Junior Cricket Association to try and give something back to the community, and we’re proud to see how much it’s grown over the past eight years,” he said.

“Being early in the New Year, a lot of the families involved use it as an opportunity to stay in Port Lincoln and make a holiday of it, so there’s a real carnival atmosphere around town”.

Results from the competition will be published on the Eyre Peninsula website (http://eyrepeninsula.sa.cricket.com.au) and can be accessed from the ‘MyCricket’ menu by navigating to ‘Matches’ and then ‘Fixture’, and selecting ‘2018/19’ and ‘Quality Wool Cup’ from the drop down menus.

Media information: Tom Kenny, President, EP Junior Cricket Association, on 0428 292 350

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