Fast bowler Jacob Wintle to represent WA Country XI at Australian Country Cricket Championships in Canberra

Former Katanning spearhead Jacob Wintle will tour with the WA Country XI for the second time at the Australian Country Cricket Championships that start in Canberra this week. Wintle was raised in Katanning and now lives in Bunbury and is part of a strong 13-man team that will pull on WA colours. It will be the second time Wintle has been in the championships, having previously represented his State in Toowoomba in 2020, the last edition of the tournament. He is one of five players from the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association who has earned selection in the team. Canberra will host the men’s country championships January 13-20, while the women’s tournament will also be played in Canberra, from January 14 to 20. Former Albany resident Tim Hutchison, who has played in Peel and now is a Bunbury and Districts player, will captain the men’s team. Julian Crudeli, an Albany junior who has spent time playing in the Upper Great Southern, Geraldton and now Bunbury and Districts, is also touring, while Albany and Districts pair Jeremy Wood and Nathan Crudeli are also in the side. WA Country XI men’s coach Tim Edmunds said Wintle would play a vital role with the ball. “The good thing about Jacob is the two years we’ve had no championships he’s improved immensely,” Edmunds said. “His control and ability to take wickets up front — he is one player that has really shown something in those two years in the Bunbury competition and higher representative level. “He will be an opening bowler or first change option for us.” The WA team will have a training session on Wednesday before flying out on Thursday morning. The men will commence their campaign against the Australian Capital Territory on Friday before facing Queensland on Sunday and South Australia on Monday. They will also face the Philippines (Tuesday), New South Wales (Wednesday) and Victoria (Thursday). The women’s competition will be played in a Twenty20 format while the men’s division will consist of 50-over games. WA Country XI men’s squad Tim Hutchison (Bunbury) Jeremy Wood (Albany) Daniel Abel (Peel) Bevan Bennell (Eastern Goldfields) Damien Burrage (Peel) Julian Crudeli (Bunbury) Nathan Crudeli (Albany) Cruize Ciallella (Bunbury) Adam France (Peel) Calum How (Newman) Michael Noble (Eastern Goldfields) Michael Tassone (Bunbury) Jacob Wintle (Bunbury) WA Country XI women’s squad Janelle Phillips (Geraldton/Mid West) Shyanne Thomas (Esperance/Goldfields) Jo Walker (Geraldton/Mid West) Emily Allen (Bunbury/South West) Megan Bam (Kalgoorlie/Goldfields) Emma Bresser (Nannup/South West) Drew Epis (Kalgoorlie/Goldfields) Abby Green (Geraldton/Mid West) Tia Hatch (Geraldton/Mid West) Holly Pearce (Mt Barker/Great Southern) Meg Spalding (Dongara/Mid West) Jorja Squiers (Quairading/Wheatbelt) Brodie Stewart (Donnybrook/South West)