Bush and ‘Burbs: Joel Curtis, Charlie Stobo, James Bracey, Jayden Goodwin and more

The West Australian sports reporter Jackson Barrett takes a look at what’s happening in the country and amateur leagues around WA in his weekly column. Joel on a roll A Perth cricketer is making a compelling case for a recall to Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield team with back-to-back centuries to start the season. Perth wicket-keeper batter Joel Curtis pasted another century against South Perth at the weekend, just a week after he opened the season with a ton against Joondalup. His hundred at the weekend featured 15 boundaries and two sixes. The 24-year-old played one shield game for WA last season as a replacement for Josh Philippe. But he could now earn a recall later this month when Josh Inglis heads into Australia’s camp for the one-day international series against Pakistan. Curtis also scored 109 off 161 in a two-day red-ball practice match against WA teammates last month. WA recruited Baxter Holt this season to serve as back-up to Inglis and while he could soon come under heat from Curtis, he did score 91 in Fremantle’s win over Wanneroo at the weekend. Bracey yourself University’s busy off-season has got even better, with former England Test batsman James Bracey returning to the club. The club had already landed WA-contracted quick Josh Vernon and Brisbane Heat title winner Chris Sabburg has also returned to James Oval. Bracey, who played a pair of Tests against New Zealand in 2021, was one of the best-performed batsmen in Premier Cricket last season. He began this campaign with a surprise golden duck, dismissed by Midland-Guilford quick Lachlan Pratt on Saturday. But former WA and South Australia batsman Will Bosisto scored 90 and Sabburg scored 93 to steer a total of 6-316 from 50 overs. WA quick Charlie Stobo, who missed out on shield selection last week, made 34 off 30 balls batting at No.5 and took a wicket. Vernon took three wickets in the win. WA batter Jayden Goodwin, who has taken over the captaincy at Subiaco-Floreat backed up the day after the shield draw with Queensland finished to score an unbeaten 80 for the Lions. Country week overhaul The WA Country Cricket Board has endorsed a significant change to its major senior competition, with country week no longer played in a 60-over format with red balls and white clothing. There will be big changes to both junior and senior country week after a WACCB meeting last week, the Albany Advertiser revealed exclusively on Tuesday The 2025 senior country week competition will align with the Belt-Up Country Cup rules by moving from a 60-over format with two-day cricket rules to purely one-day cricket. Previously players used red balls and wore whites during country week matches while players were not restricted to a cap of 10 overs each among other rules. - Cameron Newbold Got a country or amateur sports story worth telling? Email jackson.barrett@wanews.com.au

Bush and ‘Burbs: Joel Curtis, Charlie Stobo, James Bracey, Jayden Goodwin and more

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