BPL Junior and Senior teams announced!

The senior auction took place at The Gabba where all eight franchises fought for their most sought after senior players, with Queensland country player from Toowoomba Chris Gillam the first to be picked up by the Darling Dingoes for $90,000. “I’m very excited to be the first player auctioned off in the BPL. This will be a fantastic tournament and one I’m really looking forward to playing in,” Gillam said. The player to receive the highest bid was former Queensland Bulls first-class cricketer Steve Paulsen who was picked up by the Western Power for $1.02 million. “The auction was an exciting concept that no one has been through before and it just shows how quickly it can escalate if you have a few teams chasing a specific skill set of a player. I didn’t expect to go anywhere near that price being one of the oldest blokes in the auction,” said Paulsen.

The junior draft days took place at Allan Border Field where team owners came to find the best of Queensland’s nominated players. With only 15 seconds to make their selections, the pressure was high but the excitement was certainly in the air. “Finding country diamonds was a priority for the Northern Kings. We spoke to so many parents and the common thread was that they had never experienced such hype around a cricket concept before and that they would definitely make the trip to Brisbane if drafted. It’s important for players to have the experience of a draft and then the opportunity to play in a modern competition without the constant pressure of selection. Our scouts and coaches have been busy, that’s for sure!” Healy said

This was also a chance for the female U/19 cricketers to be given a spotlight in the competition with a number of trailblazers being drafted. A powerful opening keeper/batsman who is happy to deal in boundaries and sixes, Jess Bradley started playing cricket with the U/7 Ferny Fireballs. At 13 years of age, she made her first-grade debut and is approaching 100 Katherine Raymont Shield games. Representative selection for Qld U15’s, Cricket Australia, and Captain of the Northern Territory U18’s has given Bradley a taste of higher-level cricket and allowed her to develop her leadership skills.

“The thing I like most about cricket is the feeling when you have nailed the shot and the ball is sailing to the boundary. I’m so excited to join the Moreton Magic as a trailblazer to mentor, encourage, and to create a vibrant culture within the women’s team. Most of all, I’m looking forward to playing alongside some of the best up-and-coming talents in women’s cricket,” Bradley said..