MORETON MAGIC UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Will the Magic cast a spell on their rivals much like they did last year?

A very strong list of retentions holds the Magic in a good place and should be sniffing around the top half of the table again for BPL|02. Grade cricket legends like Preston White, Cameron Trask, Jack Beath join up and coming talents Chris Abbey and Matt Schubert as well as Jack Webster as retained players for this season.

Interstate pre auction selection Chris Sabburg will be a welcome addition to an already powerful top order batting line up. Sabburg, fresh off another stint back in the BBL this time with the Perth Scorchers was unable to attend last year’s BPL tournament due to border closures and travel restrictions. A relatively new recruit, it’s going to be fireworks galore when Strawbs touches down in his home state.

Joining an already strong line up is Brenton Edwards from Far North Queensland. Edwards, a COVID replacement player last year, was brought into the Magic’s squad for the back end of the tournament and did not disappoint in his first game, smashing a powerful knock of 66 off 27 balls. He didn’t come easily, with the Magic having to outbid a number of franchises in the Auction who had obviously seen his performances late in BPL|01 and were desperate to make him a player for their franchise, eventually being sold to the Magic for $500,000.

Another player who joins him in that situation is former first class batting allrounder Glen Batticiotto who was not retained by the Magic, but picked up after winning an eventual bidding war with cross town rivals the Coastal Marlins for $400,000. Like a fine wine, if Glenn gets going, it will be a very entertaining batting innings with some class stroke making and powerful hitting.

Incoming senior coach Ashley Holznagel and his team used their funds wisely for their remaining Auction campaign with grade players Stephen Shaw and Jet Leibke (Marlins COVID replacement BPL|01) being snapped up for $50,000 each. Local Sunshine Coast paceman Scott Aufderheide could turn some heads being picked up for a bargain $50,000 as well as former Norths fast bowler Matt Jenson for $50,000 as well respectively. All of these could well be pigeonholed as bargain buys, but none goes further than interstate quick Michael Hart from Western Australia. A WA 2nd X1 player, 3rd leading wicket taker in the WA premier cricket and a man of the match 7 fa in the grade grand final last season, all for $50,000! Some franchises may be saying What if!? After the Century this season. A combination of quality retention, calculated bidding and some shrewd bargain buys, could very well bode well for the Magic this year!