FOR a proud club that’s produced internationals through its junior system, it’s difficult to fathom how Centrals has managed to continue without the use of a feeder club in the Orange District Junior Cricket Association for nigh on a decade.
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All that’s about to change.
The red and blacks are taking the first steps towards rebuilding its junior base, with two Centrals junior sides involved in this summer’s Milo T20 Blast each Thursday afternoon at Wade Park.
The Centrals Reds and Centrals Blacks, coached by former players Graeme Judge and Adam Shepherd, have this season been taking to Orange’s premier cricket oval, as part of the new junior cricket program, against blast sides from the five other major cricket clubs in Orange.
Centrals president Nick McGrath was full of praise for both Judge and Shepherd.
“Starting from scratch was always going to be a tough, but we’ve been pretty lucky to have Judgie and Shep take care of both teams,” McGrath said.
“It’s great from a club perspective. The guys we’ve got in our senior club at the moment are brilliant cricketers, but they won’t be around forever, and rebuilding the junior part of the club is crucial in ensuring Centrals continues.”
Formerly known as Bowen Centrals, the red and blacks colours have produced some stunning cricketers, namely Ireland quick David Langford-Smith.
Current fast bowler Mark Wiegold is another Bowen Centrals junior still playing.
The club has worked with the In2Cricket program for the last two seasons and McGrath was under no illusions about the work ahead in continuing the club’s junior rebuild into the future.
“These young kids aren’t going straight into our first grade side,” he laughed.
“But we’ll be encouraging them to be part of juniors, under 12s, 14s, 16s, and then hopefully feed into our seniors as a natural progression.
“It’ll take time, but we’ve got to start sooner rather than later.
“It’s good for the growth of the club to have these kids and their families represent Centrals. We couldn’t be happier.”
Judge said the Milo T20 Blast program was brilliant for junior cricketers in Orange and, a former gun, was thrilled to be part of the Centrals resurgence.
“Erin Jarick has been a big help for us,” Judge said.
“She’s helped us get a few players and she’s helping it all get off the ground. It’s been fantastic.”
He said the skills on show were very impressive.
“And if there’s some really young kids, they still run the Milo stuff at Wade Park as well, and once they’re old enough then they come up to be part of the Blast,” he added.
