Proserpine heads to Mackay for Test Match

Proserpine Masters and Blasters with Coaches Aaron Reagan and Luke Valmarde

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It was a weekend to remember for Proserpine Junior Cricket, with our young Pitbulls given the opportunity to be part of the first ever Test Match held in Mackay over the weekend.

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Australia took on Bangladesh at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, with more than 6,000 spectators attending each day of the two-day Test. For a number of Proserpine juniors, watching the action from the stands was only part of the experience, with players and coaches invited to take part in some very special moments on the field.

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On Day One, Arnie and Eddie Casey had the exciting opportunity to be Anthem Kids, joining the players on the field for the national anthems before play began.

Malaki Gabey was selected as the Indigenous Flag Bearer, while Matthew Logan took to the field as the Junior Flag Bearer. Coaches Troy Smith and Scott Casey also got in on the action, helping with the giant flags during the pre-match proceedings.

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Day Two was the turn of another 20 young Pitbulls, with 10 boys and 10 girls invited to play in the Master Blaster games during the lunch break.

The mini Pitties took over the Great Barrier Reef Arena for modified cricket games and certainly made the most of their time in the spotlight. There were plenty of fours and sixes, some very enthusiastic “Howzats!”, and lots of excited cheering from the crowd as the kids showed off their cricket skills on the same field as the Australian and Bangladesh players.

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For many of the kids, simply stepping onto the field in front of thousands of spectators was an experience they will never forget.

There was just as much excitement off the field, with Pitbulls big and small making the most of the opportunity to collect autographs and selfies. Members of the Australian team were popular targets, along with some familiar faces and legends of Australian cricket, including Adam Gilchrist, Alyssa Healy, Merv Hughes and Ricky Ponting.

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Being part of such a historic event was an incredible opportunity for our young cricketers and another sign of just how much the game continues to grow across our region.

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Proserpine Junior Cricket recorded more than 140 registrations last season, with boys and girls participating across our junior programs. The season also saw an exciting first for the club, with Proserpine fielding its first all-girls team in the Mackay junior competition.

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For a small regional club, seeing so many of our juniors involved in an international Test Match was pretty special. Experiences like these give our young players the chance to see where cricket can take them, make some amazing memories and, hopefully, inspire them to keep picking up the bat and ball.

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Proserpine Junior Cricket will hold its Sign On Day on Friday, 18 September 2026 at 4pm at the Proserpine Cricket Grounds. Boys and girls of all abilities are welcome.

For more information and registrations, visit proserpinejuniorcricket.com.au

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Contributed with thanks to Danny Green.