The first of the bayside clubs to feature, Sandgate-Redcliffe have assembled two exciting playing groups for the upcoming T20 Max competition, with new faces and some local heroes. Our Premier Cricket experts CAM VELLACOTT and ELISE HART like what they see from the Gators.
T20 Max Preview - Sandgate-Redcliffe
MEN
With the addition of some serious interstate talent and a new white ball coach, Sandgate-Redcliffe look to the new season with high hopes.
Perhaps one of the biggest signings of the tournaments is coach Justin Sternes, who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge. Sternes has served as QLD Bulls interim head coach, state talent and development manager, as well as being a QLD Bulls and Brisbane Heat Assistant Coach for 4 years.
Leading the side is Australian and QLD player Mitchell Swepson. After an unfortunate neck injury hampered him last season, Swepson will be eager to regain the form which saw him claim higher honours. His knowledge and experience will be invaluable for the young Sandgate local roster.
Their interstate and impact players will prove pivotal for the Gators. Tasmanian and Hurricanes player Gabe Bell will lead the bowling attack and Adelaide Striker Harry Conway will inject as their impact player. Combined, they bring over 200 first class wickets and over 100 games of professional experience to the side.
Local hero Lloyd Aspin will return to Trevor Hohns Oval, having played in the club’s First Grade T20 three peat in 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons. A hard hitter and mature head, he’ll be an important player for his side, while the experience of Queensland Country stars Sam Lowry and Lachlan Ford will be handy.
Coach: Justin Sternes
Captain: Mitchell Swepson
Home Ground: Trevor Hohns Oval
T20 Premierships: 2015/16, 2016/17; 2017/18
2022 Placing: 12th
Players In:
- Lloyd Aspin
- Gabe Bell (TAS)
- Harry Conway (SA)
- Ben Cooper (SA Premier)
- Tate Robins (SA Premier)
- Jake Winter (SA Premier)
Players Out:
- Chathura Kaluthanthri (Souths)
Players to Watch:
The Coopers – Sandgate’s bash brothers Jack and Ben Cooper will be looking for carnage. Jack Cooper’s six hitting abilities put him in the same category as a Tim David, and he’ll be hoping to replicate David’s rise into T20 cricket. Jack’s older brother Ben has represented the Netherlands in over 50 T20I, retiring last year as the nations most prolific T20 run scorer ever.
Mitchell Swepson – A fan favourite in Queensland Cricket, Sandgate will be wanting the best out of Sweppo for both the club and himself. One of the best spin bowlers in the country, he finds form he could win games by himself with the ball - he’s that good. Watch out for his lower order runs too, he might surprise some people with his tail end batting exploits.
WOMEN
Sandgate-Redcliffe will deliver an invaluable wealth of T20 experience at the 2023 KFC T20 Max, with a combined 263 WBBL game experiences within the side. The Gators will be hungry to rebound this year after being knocked out in last year’s semis, using their powerhouse recruits to propel themselves to the top.
Coach Tony Dudgeon has recruited a host of household T20 names including Lilly Mills, Courtney Webb, Katie Mack and New Zealand star, Rosemary Mair. Jemma Barsby will also represent the Gators as their local legend, who took the crucial wicket of Erin Burns to aid her Adelaide Strikers to their first WBBL title in 2022 after previously distinguishing herself with the WBBL Heat.
If you’re enjoying some fish and chips along the Sandgate waterfront this month stay aware as the dynamic Georgia Voll and captain Tess Cooper will join forces at the top of the order to continue their record-breaking partnership form. After Cooper hit the two top scores of 92 not out and 86 not out in last year’s T20 Max and Voll’s recent stellar individual form, the Gators remain eager to bounce off their formidable partnership and set some of the biggest totals in T20 history.
Meagan Dixon’s 6-year home at Wests comes to an end as she joins the Sandgate family for this year’s campaign. The eight other returning locals include U19 Queenslanders Darcey Johnson and Taylor Stumer, alongside 2022 Queensland Fire debutant and handy keeper, Caity Mair.
This side is known to make the impossible possible and keep you on the edge of your seat until the final ball, so strap in to witness their domination in the 2023 T20 Max.
Coach: Tony Dudgeon
Captain: Tess Cooper
Home Ground: Trevor Hohns Oval
T20 Premierships: 2014/15; 2016/17
2022 Placing: Semi Finalists
Players In:
- Jemma Barsby (SA)
- Katie Mack (ACT)
- Rosemary Mair (New Zealand)
- Lilly Mills (WA)
- Courtney Webb (TAS)
- Meagan Dixon (Wests)
Players Out:
- N/A
Players to Watch:
Jemma Barsby - The ambidextrous, off-spinning threat returns to Sandgate as their local legend for this year’s T20 Max. Barsby’s consistent bowling economy has landed her over 60 WBBL wickets, whilst her tenacity has produced some spectacular fielding dismissals across her career. Whilst her bowling has confused some of the biggest names in the game, her powerful batting performances are ones no opposing bowler wants to be associated with.
Rosemary Mair - Hailing from across the ditch, Mair is a captivating player to watch, having quickly made her mark on the international stage with her remarkable swing bowling for the White Ferns. As a ferocious player who throws herself into every aspect of the game, including vital late striking with the bat, Mair comes into the T20 Max as an ‘unknown’ on Australian soil. If her talents are infiltrated at the right moment, she will be the Gators most destructive player, and even across the competition.