Sixteen-year-old schoolkids Sam McLean and Brady Toniello became the youngest captains in the history of Far North Coast Cricket Council's Twenty/20 L J Hooker League when Lismore Workers begin their 2019/2020 campaign in Casino yesterday.

The captaincy was reward for the pair, who played for North Coastal as the side won the McDonalds Country Colts Under 18s Championship in Bathurst, have shown great talent and promise. They were captaining players who were a lot older.

Lismore schoolboys excel in Country Colt Championships

"it was a great experience and we were pretty comfortable so that was a plus," said Toniello, a student at The Rivers Secondary College Lismore High Campus.

"Sam and I went out and we lost both the toss and had to bowl first which is what we wanted as we wanted to chase the runs."

A much-changed Lismore Workers side played the hosts Casino RSM Cavaliers first up and the home side amassed 7/148 off 20 overs with Charles Mitchell, the former Lismore & District Junior player who was also part of the North Coastal side, top scoring with 38. Sam McLean and Gus Legoe both took two wickets with their spin bowling, with legoe have the impressive figures of 2/21 off four overs.

In reply, the Workers' Hamish Clacher top scored with 23 from 21 balls as Workers struggled to 9/99 with Toniello 16 not out.

"Casino bowled very tight," said Toniello. Opening quick bowler Mark Milson bowled four overs and took 3 wickets for just 11 runs.

Then Workers had to get straight back up to play Murwillumbah, who are bottom of the Two Day L J Hooker League.

Murwillumbah scored 8/151 with Vince Quigley top scoring with 30.

"We fell 20 runs short," said Toniello, with Workers 6/126 after 20 overs.

He paid special mention to another teenager Alex Battese.

"He impressed me. I set a field and told him to bowl to the plan and he did execute it very well," said Toniello.

Twenty/20 L J Hooker Competition Round 1 and 2 Results

Casino RSM Cavaliers 7/148 defeated Lismore Workers 9/99, Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino;

Lismore Workers 6/126 defeated by Murwillumbah 8/151, Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino;

Casino RSM Cavaliers 6/207 defeated Murwillumbah 4/143 , Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino;

Marist Brothers Lismore 9/156 defeated by Tintenbar-East Ballina 7/163, Oakes Oval, Lismore;

Cudgen 4/119 defeated Tintenbar-East Ballina 7/89, Oakes Oval, Lismore; 

Marist Brothers Lismore 59 defeated by Cudgen 6/99, Oakes Oval, Lismore;

Alstonville 107 defeated by Lennox Head 4/112, Hill Park Oval, Wollongbar;

Alstonville 8/107 defeated by Pottsville 120, Hill Park Oval, Wollongbar;

Lennox Head 125 defeated by Pottsville 7/148, Hill Park Oval, Wollongbar.