Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
Australian quick Michael Neser will join fellow national representatives Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Burns in the Queensland Bulls squad for the opening rounds of the Marsh Sheffield Shield in Adelaide.
Neser made a successful return from a groin injury on the weekend for the Gold Coast Dolphins in the Sci-Fleet Motors Premier Cricket competition and was named today in a 15-man squad to travel to Adelaide next week.
Queensland’s leading wicket-taker last summer was sidelined during the off-season, missing selection in the Australian squad that toured England for a series of T20 and ODI matches.
Wynnum-Manly paceman Benji Floros, a Bulls contracted player for the first time this season and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann are the only uncapped players in the squad.
New Queensland Chairman of Selectors Chris Hartley said the selected squad contained several players in good early season form.
Test batsman Burns and Bulls captain Usman Khawaja have both scored centuries and half centuries in the Bulls Masters First Grade competition in the past month, impressing in the Kookaburra One Day competition and opening round of the two-day competition.
Several other members of the squad have also been in stirring form. Opening batsman Bryce Street, who made his first class debut last season, finished 173 not out for Sandgate-Redcliffe on the weekend as he and Lachlan Thompson (180no) put on a club record second wicket partnership of 364.
Wicket-keepers Jimmy Peirson (Redlands) and Lachy Pfeffer (Valley) have racked up four centuries between them, with Pfeffer’s knock of 216 the highest score in the history of the one-day competition.
Then squad will begin a self-quarantine period on Monday and travel to Adelaide later in the week.
The Bulls opening game against the Tasmanian Tigers at Park 25 in Adelaide starts on Saturday October 10.
Marsh Sheffield Shield
Round 1, Oct 10-13
Queensland v Tasmania
Park 25 No.1, Adelaide
Queensland Bulls Squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Blake Edwards, Benji Floros, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Lachy Pfeffer, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth.
