Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 22 - Feb|Mar 2018 | Page 29

Amy Hunter… CRICKET BLUEY’S FORESIGHT JOHN FORSYTH Tableland junior cricketer Amy Hunter has come a long way since her first venture into cricket just three years ago, aged 9. Her PE teacher, Graeme Lamperd, encouraged her to take up the sport, when he spotted her enthusiasm at school matches. She joined the Atherton Junior Cricket Club and was immediately accepted by the boys. Amy’s father, Lee, felt to help his daughter he needed to learn more about the game, so he signed up for an entry-level cricket course, along with other club volunteers. Amy, a right-hand fast bowler, was announced to represent Cricket Far North in the Under 12 Boys team at the 2017 Queensland Cricket State Titles in Rockhampton. Here, she captured five wickets in addition to an unassisted run out and helped the team finish in third place. Amy was then selected to co-captain the Queensland Country President’s XI team at the Queensland School Sports Girls State Carnival held in Mackay in October. During the 4-day carnival, Amy took an impressive nine wickets, four catches and three unassisted runouts, to help her team fourth place overall. Whilst in Mackay, Amy was selected for the U13 Queensland Girls State cricket team to play at the National Tournament in January 2018. A week before the Nationals, Amy travelled to Brisbane to attend a training camp with her Queensland team mates. This was also the first time most of the girls had actually met each other. When Amy was presented THE WIN WAS HISTORIC AS NO STATE HAS EVER WON CONSECUTIVE GIRLS U13 CHAMPIONSHIPS UNTIL NOW with her Queensland baggy cap, she admits feeling proud and excited. What a wave of emotions for a young girl who turned 12 just weeks earlier! However more excitement loomed, as in January 2018, the team headed to New South Wales to represent Queensland at the National Championships. The maroons made it through undefeated to meet New South Wales in the grand final. With the game beginning to slip away from the Queensland girls well into the second innings, Amy took a catch at short cover to dismiss the top opener from New South Wales. That catch proved crucial as the New South Wales team fell apart after that dismissal and Queensland went on to victory. The win was historic as no state has ever won consecutive girls U13 Championships until now. Amy attributes much of her success to the support Tony Potts, Graeme Lamperd and more recently Dan Weston, Director of Cricket Far North. I have a feeling Amy Hunter will be a name we will hear more of in the future, as she is also well regarded in Athletics, Netball and Touch Footy.  Well done Amy … HOWZAT! Issue 22 | 29