Geraldton's softball star Jy Thurstun leads the country on the national stage at the Oceanic Series
Selected for the under-23 Australian Oceanic team, Thurstun was rewarded for his leadership qualities when he was given the co-captaincy as the team travelled to Palmerston North, New Zealand earlier this month.
Thurstun, along with fellow co-captain Cody Smith of VIctoria, led the squad over the five game series. Serving as a gateway to the World Cup next year, the series was a pivotal tour for the squad as they look to defend their men's world champs title.
Australia won three of the five games against New Zealand over the three-day tour in what Thurstun described as an important experience as a team.
'It was a bit of an up-and-down affair but a great tour nonetheless,' he said.
'It was a great experience, we all had a lot of fun.'
No stranger to a leadership position, Thurstun said it was a pleasant surprise to be rewarded with the role of leading the country on the big stage.
'I've always had some sort of leadership or captain role in a few different teams I've been a part of, but to be announced co-captain of the Australian team, that was unreal,' he said.
'It took me by surprise, but it was a great experience.
'I love the role and hopefully it is more of what's to come.'
Recently moving down to Perth to pursue his sporting aspirations, Thurstun has landed on his feet as he continues to excel in softball and is currently playing for Fremantle CBC in the Perth Football League this season.
'Perth certainly keeps me busy,' Thurstun said.
'It has been great and I can definitely see improvements in my sporting ability since moving down.'
Thurstun now has his eyes set on the Softball World Cup in Colombia next year as he continues to shine bright for the country on the diamond.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
43 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Oval Invincibles run riot for highest Hundred total
Oval Invincibles set a record for the highest total in The Hundred with 4-226 as they went on to complete a convincing 83-run victory over Welsh Fire. England batter Jordan Cox scored a fine unbeaten 86 off 29 balls - hitting 10 sixes - as the Invincibles bettered Manchester Originals' score of 5-208, set against Northern Superchargers three years ago. Invincibles opening pair Tawanda Muyeye (33) and Will Jacks (38) laid the foundations in the 25-ball powerplay. Cox then delighted the home support by smashing four sixes off Ajeet Singh Dale, who was making his Hundred debut. Sam Curran added a swift 34 off 19, with back-to-back sixes and four boundaries. Welsh Fire saw Stephen Eskinazi caught off the first ball of their reply from Australian Jason Behrendorff. Although Jonny Bairstow set about making a solid 50 and Tom Kohler-Cadmore added 31 from 16, it never looked like being enough. The Fire could only make 143 all out, as Tom Curran finished with four wickets from his 15 balls and Behrendorff took three. In the day's other Hundred fixture, Australia's Marcus Stoinis smashed a six to complete Trent Rockets' four-wicket defeat of Southern Brave. Chasing 141 to win, a six from Stoinis, who finished on seven, took them to 6-145 with four balls remaining. Stoinis had earlier taken 2-18. Rockets suffered a blow when batter Adam Hose earlier suffered a serious ankle injury. Hose was taken to hospital after dislocating his right ankle in the field - an incident that resulted in the match being paused for 10 minutes. A batter down in Hose's absence, the Rockets then slipped to 4-60 in their chase with Joe Root out for six. But Tom Moores hit 55 from 30 balls and Tom Banton fell one short of a half-century before Stoinis finished the job as the Rockets kept pace with the front runners.
West Australian
43 minutes ago
- West Australian
Oval Invincibles run riot for highest Hundred total
Oval Invincibles set a record for the highest total in The Hundred with 4-226 as they went on to complete a convincing 83-run victory over Welsh Fire. England batter Jordan Cox scored a fine unbeaten 86 off 29 balls - hitting 10 sixes - as the Invincibles bettered Manchester Originals' score of 5-208, set against Northern Superchargers three years ago. Invincibles opening pair Tawanda Muyeye (33) and Will Jacks (38) laid the foundations in the 25-ball powerplay. Cox then delighted the home support by smashing four sixes off Ajeet Singh Dale, who was making his Hundred debut. Sam Curran added a swift 34 off 19, with back-to-back sixes and four boundaries. Welsh Fire saw Stephen Eskinazi caught off the first ball of their reply from Australian Jason Behrendorff. Although Jonny Bairstow set about making a solid 50 and Tom Kohler-Cadmore added 31 from 16, it never looked like being enough. The Fire could only make 143 all out, as Tom Curran finished with four wickets from his 15 balls and Behrendorff took three. In the day's other Hundred fixture, Australia's Marcus Stoinis smashed a six to complete Trent Rockets' four-wicket defeat of Southern Brave. Chasing 141 to win, a six from Stoinis, who finished on seven, took them to 6-145 with four balls remaining. Stoinis had earlier taken 2-18. Rockets suffered a blow when batter Adam Hose earlier suffered a serious ankle injury. Hose was taken to hospital after dislocating his right ankle in the field - an incident that resulted in the match being paused for 10 minutes. A batter down in Hose's absence, the Rockets then slipped to 4-60 in their chase with Joe Root out for six. But Tom Moores hit 55 from 30 balls and Tom Banton fell one short of a half-century before Stoinis finished the job as the Rockets kept pace with the front runners.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Rockets' Aussies eclipsed by Southern Brave starlet
Australian trio Ash Gardner, Alana King and Heather Graham were powerless to prevent their Trent Rockets side slipping to a six-wicket defeat by a teenager-inspired Southern Brave in the Hundred at Trent Bridge. Spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman, 17, took 4-13, including Bryony Smith for 10 and England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt without scoring in her opening spell. Gardner, the Rockets captain, showed some defiance, hitting 25 from 16 balls before being bowled by Lauren Bell while King made an undefeated 24. The other batters fell away with Corteen-Coleman going on to dismiss Graham for three and Emma Jones for another duck. With the hosts reeling on 8-55, Kirstie Gordon managed 32 from 27 balls to at least post a competitive total of 106. In reply, Maia Bouchier scored 42 off 30 balls and Sophie Devine was unbeaten on 41 as the Brave reached 4-109 with two balls to spare. Elsewhere, Sophia Smale took 3-13 as Oval Invincibles produced a comfortable victory over Welsh Fire. The visitors, set a target of 151, were skittled for just 111 off 97 balls at The Oval despite opener Sophia Dunkley hitting 56. Invincibles captain Lauren Winfield-Hill had earlier suffered a first-ball duck but Alice Capsey starred with 55 as they posted 5-150. Australian opener Meg Lanning hit 23 before falling lbw and compatriot Amanda-Jade Wellington added 17. Wellington then took the wickets of Hayley Matthews and Georgia Davis to finish with figures of 2-24 while Lanning took two catches.
