One of the region’s best cricketers hopes to return from a serious injury next month, in a bid to propel his side to another Sunshine Coast A-grade title.
Former Queensland representative Glen Batticciotto has been sidelined for the past two months, after suffering a Grade 2 calf tear.
He sustained the injury during Caboolture’s one-dayer against Nambour.
“I was 55 not out in the 12th over and I was pretty keen to get a big score but just as I went to push off for a single, I felt something shoot up my calf,” he said.
“I was worried I had totally snapped something, but it ended up being a tear.”
Batticciotto was in the midst of another impressive campaign when it happened.
He is the leading run scorer in the competition after thriving in one-dayers (312 runs at an average of 78), and in Twenty20s (376 at 63).
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“I’ve been going pretty well this year and that’s another reason why I’m pretty frustrated why it happened when it did,” he said.
“I’d been batting quite well but what do you do?”
“It’s typical when you’re having a reasonable season, something like that happens.”
Last hurrah with team?
Batticciotto, who played for the Queensland Bulls in 2019/2010, has been a force on the Sunshine Coast cricket scene since 2016.
He’s propelled the Snakes to three titles and topped the run chart twice.
“I’ve just getting been used to the conditions a bit more (in the Sunshine Coast competition),” he said.’
“Coming to slower and lower (wickets) is a bit of an adjustment and I’ve adapted slightly better over the years.”
The 39-year-old is keen to return to the fray after the Christmas break to help the Snakes in the two-dayers, in what could be his last stint in the team.
“Our next game is on the 9th and I should be good to go,” he said.
“I’m super keen. It’s been pretty frustrating with all the lost time but hopefully we can salvage a season and try and stay in the top four for the end of the season.”
Perrenial contenders in the eight-team competition, the Snakes have won two of their three two-dayers so far.
This season might be Batticciotto’s last hurrah for the team.
“I don’t know yet. It’s up in the air, we’ll see what happens.”
