IT may not be the Ashes, but the U12 State Cricket Championships are underway in Rockhampton and plenty of bush kids are making their mark.
Playing for the Central Queensland team are Clermont boys Jack Heelan and Griff Williams.
Jack, from Pasha Station, and Griff, from Mt Mica, said they were loving the week of representative cricket.
Both boys played in the Central Queensland team last year as well, and said this year was shaping up as a success.
“We’re doing pretty good,” Griff said.
“I like playing cricket and hanging out with my mates.”
Jack said he liked staying with the team and meeting new people.
Jack, who is a batter, got 18 runs on day one, four on day two, two on day three, and 10 today.
Griff said he’s an all-rounder, but loves batting.
“I did alright – the first day I got 14, the second day I got two, the third day I got a duck, and today I’m on about 20 not out,” he said.
Jack and Griff play together in Clermont, and said while some of the boys were familiar faces from the Central Highlands squad, it was nice to meet other players as well.
Managing the team this year is Griff’s dad Kim Williams, Mt Mica, Clermont, who said the team have been doing “really well”.
“We’ve had one really good win and a couple of close losses,” he said.
“The kids are from all over, the furtherest is close to 200km north-west of Clermont, right down to Boyne Island and Tannum Sands.
“There’s 12 kids here in the under-12s.”
The boys beat Gold Coast after bowling them out for 88. The Central Queensland boys had 147 runs.
Friday is the last day of the five-day competition.