Five players from the Barrier District Cricket League (BDCL), including former SA Outback Tobias Hack and the competition leading run scorer Ben Jurd, along with Michael Maalste from the North Bulldogs, West Broken Hill siblings Mackenzie (Macca) and Paddric Attard will play in the 2024 South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) Country Cricket Championships. Coached by local cricket great Paul Attard, the side will also contain five players from the Sunraysia district and three from the Riverland area.
Paul ‘Patty’ Attard is considered one of the Barrier’s greatest performers at the SACA Country Cricket Championships, a member of the 1990 Barrier title and three-time Ces Starr Medallist (as player of the championships). Taking over as coach he brings an invigorated approach to a side that appears to boast a lot more youth and will be a much better fielding unit than in recent seasons.
The Murray Districts-Barrier side (MDB) have a big first-up clash against the Barossa and Light at the Park 25 Number Two ground on Monday, with their Tuesday Pool B game against the Northern side taking place at Reynella Oval.
Their Wednesday fixture is against the Yorke Peninsula, with the Grand Final teams and crossover games on Thursday, decided on the win-loss ratio.
“Ben [Jurd] will probably bat four or five and he bowls medium pace leg cutters and outswingers,” first-time coach of the Barrier senior side, Patty Attard, said.
“Both Macca [Attard] and Tobias Hack are expected to share the keeping role, but we’d like to have Macca in the field as well.
“Paddric will bat in the middle order for us, while Michael [Maalste] will open the bowling.
“[Michael] gets them through a bit, and probably bowls at around 130 kph. He’d be the quickest [bowler] in Barrier Cricket current.
“We have a couple of injury issues, but hopefully we’ll get through.”
Tobias Hack’s appearance could possibly be his last Carnival, while he has been a little short on runs during the BDCL season, he saves his best for representative duties. He is certain to make his presence felt both with the bat and behind the stumps with the gloves. Ben Jurd has been a sensation in local cricket this season scoring close to 400 runs before Christmas. His batting at number three and ability to bowl overs with the new ball is certain to bolster the side and be a big factor in his side’s success.
