Monday 27 October 2014
The my FootDr Queensland Bulls will begin their 2014-15 first class season this week with three debutants and a reclaimed leg-spinner as they prepare for the Bupa Sheffield Shield opener against the West End Redbacks in Adelaide from Friday.
South African-born opening batsman Marnus Labuschagne, 20, and Ben McDermott, 19, will make their debuts in the batting order for the Bulls, while 30-year-old leg-spinner Ryan Le Loux is set to make his first appearance for Queensland since 2006.
Former South Australian pace bowler Peter George is expected to make his first class debut for his new State after relocating during the winter to seek an opportunity with the Bulls after not being offered a contract by the SACA.
Labuschagne, a former Queensland Under-19 captain, played for Queensland in a one-dayer against the touring Scottish team last month, scoring 45, and has hit 504 runs at 41 so far this season for Redlands where he plays alongside Le Loux.
McDermott, whose brother Alister has been named in the squad as well, made his domestic one-day debut for Queensland on Friday in the Matador Cup elimination Final where the Bulls narrowly lost to NSW.
McDermott, who played for the Brisbane Heat in last year’s BBL, was an Australian Under-19 representative last year. He is currently playing for the Queensland Academy of Sport in the Toyota Futures League 2nd XI clash against the ACT in Canberra and will join the Bulls in Adelaide later this week.
If the McDermott brothers play on Friday, they will be the first set of siblings to turn out for Queensland since Ian and Ken Healy in the 1980s, and the first to play alongside each other since Ron and Ken Archer in the 1950s.
Le Loux has played two first class games for the Bulls, one in 2005 and the other in 2006, but has been a solidly consistent performer in Premier Grade cricket for the Tigers, including being a regular captain. A fine fielder, he was the substitute 12 man for Australia during the 2005-06 Gabba Test against the West Indies.
The Bulls are without Australian T20I representatives Ben Cutting, Cameron Boyce and Nathan Reardon for this match while Usman Khawaja (finger), Michael Neser (finger), Simon Milenko (ankle) and Ryan Harris were not considered.
Harris bowled competitively for the first time yesterday for Toombul in the my FootDr Premier Grade competition, taking 0-14 from seven overs.
Queensland will train from 10am to 12pm tomorrow at Allan Border Field, with players available between 9.15 and 9.30 am on request.
Bupa Sheffield Shield, Rd 1
my FootDr Queensland Bulls v West End Redbacks, Adelaide Oval, Fri Oct 31 – Mon Nov 3.
James Hopes (c), Joe Burns, Luke Feldman, Jason Floros, Peter Forrest, Peter George, Chris Hartley, Marnus Labuschagne, Ryan Le Loux, Ben McDermott, Alister McDermott, Nick Stevens. (12th man to be named).
