A FEW weeks before Christmas, Queanbeyan first grader Vele Dukoski slapped 177 not in a Twenty20 match in an innings that many people in the club hailed as the best they had ever seen.
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I was talking it up like you’ll never see anything like it again but it’s now safe to say that Dukoski’s knock has been surpassed by the brilliance of Jono Dean.
Dean joined club great Peter Solway as the only other man to score a triple century for the Bluebags with his 300 not out against Ginninderra last Saturday.
Dean is now also among the most elite of cricketing company in the form of the immortal Sir Don Bradman as players to have scored 300 in one day.
The point I want to make most though is that Dean’s innings goes to highlight the talent local Queanbeyan cricketers possess. Not to mention the lack of recognition that the ACT competition in general receives on the national level.
Following on from his 51 (40) in the PM’s XI fixture, Dean’s latest knock hopefully propel him onto the dashboard of state selectors ahead of the 2013/14 domestic season.
It’s nothing less than he deserves after a stellar few seasons with Queanbeyan and the Comets.
Cricket ACT’s high performance manager spoke last week of the high calibre of players that grace the local league and that many deserve a shot at the big time, solely because they ARE good enough.
You only need to look at the players that Queanbeyan has produced and developed who are currently plying their trade to see what I’m getting at here.
Fingers crossed that their good form continues and selectors cast their net to the ACT competition to find the next batch of rep stars. A look in for the Big Bash would be a good starting point.
In other news, Alistair Overeem made his much anticipated return to the mixed martial arts octagon in UFC 156 this past Sunday at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas following a ban.
The cocky and over-confident Overeem suffered a spectacular knockout at the hands of Brazilian Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the third round after a barrage of right hands stunned the Dutchman.
The main reason I mention this is that Queanbeyan’s own Benny Edwards fought the over-sized Overeem in Seoul in October 2010 and was beaten.
The reason for Overeem’s ban: failing a drug test. Edwards went blow for blow with Overeem and in the process proved himself as one of the toughest men in the world. I’d like to see Benny fight Alistair again now that he’s apparently ‘clean’.
Stephen Peios is a weekly contributor to Qbn FM's The Sports Drive program broadcast every Friday evening on QBN FM 96.7 from 5-7pm.