The Weipa Crocs team had a strong weekend in 2022 and will be hoping to repeat the dose this weekend in Charters Towers.
TWO Cape York sides will battle it out on the opening day of this year’s Goldfield Ashes cricket carnival in Charters Towers.
The three-day event starts on Friday and the Weipa Crocs will kick off their 2023 campaign with a match against the Coen Heroes.
Both teams are long-time participants in the Ashes, which brings hundreds of cricketers from across North Queensland to compete in what is mostly a social carnival.
“When you’re out on the field you try to win, but winning doesn’t really matter,” said Crocs stalwart Aaron Johnson, who will once again pad up for Weipa this year.
“It’s always a highlight on the calendar and hopefully it stays dry.
“The rain doesn’t usually stop play unless it gets torrential, though, but it’s nicer when the sun is out.”
Johnson said the Crocs would go to Charters Towers short on a few familiar faces.
“We’ve got about eight or nine players at this stage. We might get to 11 but if we are one or two short it won’t make much of a difference,” he said.
Johnson expected the Heroes to provide stiff opposition on Friday.
“They normally play in a higher division so maybe they want to be a bit more social,” he said.
“They’ve got some good cricketers but it’ll be a lot of fun.”
Cape York Weekly editor Matt Nicholls will be there to cover the action (and perhaps have a bat).
