Former Australian captain Allan Border is one of eight formers international players set to visit Cairns and Port Douglas in May as part of the Queensland Rail Bulls Masters’ second tour of the far north.

Border will be joined in the star-studded line-up by the likes of Ian Healy, Michael Kasprowicz, Greg Ritchie and Jeff Thomson, as well ex-England star Graeme Hick, who scored a phenomenal 40,000 first-class runs over his 25-year career.

The squad also has a strong far north Queensland flavour, with Jimmy Maher (who played for Gordonvale and Norths in the FNQ competition) making his second trip to the region. 

He’s joined by another former Gordonvale C.C. old boy, paceman Mick Polzin, while former Australian batsman Martin Kent was born in Mossman.

Sporting stars from other fields will also make an appearance, with former US PGA champion, Wayne Grady, and dual international, Wendell Sailor, joining the squad.

The tour will feature coaching clinics, school visits, a sportsman’s dinner in Cairns, as well as a Twenty20 exhibition match against an FNQ outfit in Port Douglas on Saturday, May 19.

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Maher, who is managing director of the Queensland Rail Bulls Masters, said the squad put together for this tour is as strong as any in the outfit’s history.

“Names like Healy, Border and Thomson roll off the tongue whenever you’re talking about the greats of Australian cricket,” Maher said.

“Throw in a bloke like Graeme Hick, who has 136 first-class centuries to his name, and you’ve got the makings of a pretty good cricket team, to say the least.

“The boys had a fantastic time when we were up in Cairns and Port Douglas last year, so we’re happy to support the local communities in the far north again.”

Maher said one of the main aims of the Queensland Rail Bulls Masters was to encourage youngsters to get outdoors and take up cricket or any other sport.

“Most of our boys were raised in regional areas, so we know that country kids often don’t get the same opportunities that city kids do,” Maher said.

“Mick Polzin, who took a couple of big hauls for Queensland back in the late 80s, and I both turned out for Gordonvale in the local comp, so it just goes to show you don’t necessarily need to start out at a big club to have a future in the game.

“Hopefully by bringing a few sporting legends up here, we can encourage some of the kids to pursue their sporting dreams.

“Who’s to say there isn’t another Ian Healy or Matt Hayden in country Queensland that we can inspire?”

The Twenty20 clash will be held at the Port Douglas Sporting Complex on Saturday, May 19, at 1:30pm.