Friday 18 September

Muddies ready for double cricket challenge

As the new Cricket season opens, the Court House Port Douglas Mudcrab Cricket club have achieved their first goal for the 2009/10 cricket season. They have recruited a big enough squad of players to field a B and C Grade team in the Cairns Far North Cricket Seniors League. Not a bad effort by all concerned considering that just two seasons ago, the Muddies were on the brink of collapse. An even more impressive feat when you also consider that within one season of regrouping they got all the way to the Grand Final of the 2 day competition and semi finals of the One day comp last season unbeaten !

This year Club Captain Josh McConnell and Club Manager Roy Weavers have both made their aims plain for the year.  They want both B and C Grade titles in the One AND Two Day Competitions.    Quite an ambition to be sure, but despite the loss of a couple of key players from last year, the squad of players ready for action are equally as committed.

The opening game for the C Grade is at home this week at the Port Douglas Sports Ground starting at 11am on Sunday 20 September and the B Grade open their account at Griffiths Park against Cairns Norths starting at 1pm.

C Grade Captain Dave Marks and his Vice captain Ryan Thwaite say they are hoping for plenty of support from the community for all games especially at the home games, where supporters can feast on a sausage BBQ sponsored by our good friends Mossman Butchering Co. and perhaps have a glass or two on 'Chardonnay Hill'.

The Court House Hotel in Port Douglas is once again the Club sponsor for both teams but along with Mossman Butchering Co. and talks with Rattle and Hum in Port Douglas are well on the way for them to sponsor the 'Man of the match' awards for both grades.  Again talks are being held with Zammataro Plumbing to come in as a big shirt sponsor. The Zammataro family were both star players and big supporters of the Senior cricket Club in its glory years and in recent years have been helping out the juniors section of the club bringing through the senior players of tomorrow. The Club is hoping to repay them by working their way back to the heady days of success for all teams, with their name front and centre once more.

The Port Douglas Jet Ski Hire Centre has also sponsored some of the senior players and is sponsoring the match fees of any junior who is selected to play for the Seniors to alleviate the financial burden on the good old Mum and Dads who do so much to support the club.

Club Captain Josh McConnell and his players would like to thank all the sponsors for their invaluable contribution.

As Josh says " It's now down to us to make it happen on the pitch".....Go the Muddies !

Court House Hotel Port Douglas Mudcrabs Team Lists