Quality Wool Cup a pathway to higher honours for EP juniors
Adelaide Strikers squad members Lloyd Pope (left) and Harry Nielsen (right) launching the Quality Wool Cup with Quality’s Louis Bond at Adelaide Oval. The leading batter, bowler and fielder in the T20 cricket tournament will be awarded a bat signed by Pope and Nielsen. Photo: John Kruger.
The Quality Wool Cup’s reputation as a nursery for junior cricket talent on Eyre Peninsula (EP) will be on display again this month, when Port Lincoln plays host to the annual T20 tournament.
The family‑owned wool broker’s under‑14 carnival will be competed for the 13th time from January 15 – 16, with matches played at Centenary Oval, Poole Oval and the Ravendale Complex.
Over 100 juniors from eight teams across the Eyre Peninsula (EP) will compete in the Quality Wool Cup, with Great Flinders, Lincoln Tuna Kings, Far West, Eastern Eyre, Le Hunte, Kimba and Tumby Bay lining up to dethrone 2024 champions Lincoln Great Whites.
In addition to their club and school cricket duties, many young EP players have used the Quality Wool Cup as a launchpad for success into Adelaide grade cricket and state representation.
Jarrah Reidy (Glenelg), Tait Martin (Glenelg), Marlie Fauser (Port Adelaide), Archer Hill (Woodville) and Kade Wait (Sturt) are just some of the youngsters who’ve recently graduated into SACA grade ranks after previously competing in the cup.
Reidy, Wait and Martin also represented South Australia (SA) at the School Sport Australia U15 State Cricket Carnival in Mackay (QLD) in September.
The leading batter, bowler and fielder in the tournament will be awarded a customised Quality Wool bat signed by homegrown Adelaide Strikers squad members Lloyd Pope and Harry Nielsen
Homegrown Adelaide Strikers' Lloyd Pope and Harry Nielsen signing custom Quality Wool cricket bats to be awarded to the leading batter, bowler and fielder at this month's Quality Wool Cup Tournament in Port Lincoln.
Pope and Nielsen are themselves beneficiaries of the various junior cricket pathways on offer in SA, having both represented the state at various underage levels before being awarded state and Big Bash League (BBL) contracts.
With no under‑14 competition on the EP, the Quality Wool Cup provides the region’s under‑14 cricketers with an opportunity to compete in their own age group and play on the turf wicket at Port Lincoln’s Centenary Oval.
Founded in 1991, the wool growing region of Eyre Peninsula has long been a stronghold for independently owned Quality Wool, with the Quality Wool Cup devised as a way of giving back to the region in conjunction with the EP Junior Cricket Association.
Fixtures and results from the competition will be published through the PlayHQ website on the Eyre Peninsula Zone page.
