Miller heads QAS squad

The Queensland Academy of Sport is set to play a key role in the return from injury of talented Queensland allrounder Mick Miller in the coming 2000-2001 cricket season.

Miller, who played Sheffield Shield and Mercantile Mutual Cup for the XXXX Bulls in 1998-99, was named today in a revamped QAS cricket squad that will commence off-season training under coach Richard Done next week alongside the Bulls.

Miller missed the bulk of last season after a thumb injury in a 1999 off-season work accident threatened to end his short, but promising, career. He is presently playing the off-season in Darwin and has reportedly been in good form.

The squad includes several players with experience in the ACB Second XI Cup competition as well as first-time selections Brendan Nash, Duncan Betts and Steven Magoffin.

Nash, the leading runs-scorer in Brisbane XXXX first grade last season and his Norths teammate Betts are playing League cricket overseas in England while Magoffin, a fast bowler from Wests, is working for Queensland Cricket in coaching and development.

The squad also contains Queensland's four scholarship holders at the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy in Shane Watson, Chris Hartley, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Hauritz. Watson will travel to India next week as part of a coaching exchange with the Madras Rubber Foundation pace academy.

There are three women's players also included in the QAS squad, Gold Coast allrounder Belinda Matheson, Sunshine Coast left-handed bat Kerryn Matthews and Biggenden pace bowler Leteysha Randall, an exciting prospect who has been invited to train with the Australian Youth squad after just one season of playing representative cricket.

Queensland Cricket Chairman of Selectors Rod Rice said the state selection panel would continue to use grade cricket form as the chief criteria in selections for the Second XI competition. "We will retain the ability to invite players from outside the squads to train with the Bulls and QAS as we have done in previous seasons,'' he said.

2000-2001 QAS squad: Full-time: James Hopes (Norths), Damien Mackenzie (Easts-Redlands), Lachlan Stevens (University), Brendan Nash (Norths), Jerry Cassell (Sandgate-Redcliffe), Duncan Betts (Norths), Steven Magoffin (Wests), Matthew Petrie (Easts-Redlands), Allan Rowe (Beenleigh/Logan), Michael Miller (Toowoomba); Belinda Matheson (Wests), Kerryn Matthews (Sunshine Coast), Leteysha Randall (Biggenden). Part-time: Nathan Hauritz (Norths), Chris Hartley (Norths), Mitchell Johnson (Townsville), Shane Watson (Easts-Redlands).