Newcastle's Grant Stewart Tipped as Italy's T20 World Cup Star
Hunter all-rounder Grant Stewart has been touted as one of the Italian players to watch at the upcoming T20 World Cup, with his former country captain Joe Burns singling him out for praise. On the eve of the international cricket tournament, Burns identified Stewart as a key figure during a recent podcast appearance.
High Praise from Former Captain
Speaking on the 360 Show podcast with South African great AB de Villiers, Burns highlighted Stewart's potential impact. "Guys to look out for, I think Grant Stewart from Kent," Burns said. "You want to put him in a position where he's not required to make 80 off 30 like a [Dewald] Brevis [from South Africa] or whoever it is, but it might be a 30 off 10 and finish off a game."
This endorsement comes after Stewart recently demonstrated his finishing abilities, hitting three consecutive sixes in the final over to secure a victory for Italy against full ICC member Ireland during warm-up matches in Dubai last month.
Local Club Support for Italian Campaign
Newcastle cricket club Hamilton-Wickham has thrown its support behind Italy's World Cup campaign, with former T20 marquee player Harry Manenti part of the Italian squad. Manenti played a crucial role for the Pumas when they claimed Newcastle's T20 Summer Bash title in 2022-2023 while based in Sydney.
"Our popular Summer Bash import, Harry kicks off his World Cup campaign with Italy against Scotland on Monday. Wishing you all the best," Hamilton-Wickham posted on social media on Friday.
Italy's Historic World Cup Journey
Italy begins its historic T20 World Cup campaign against promoted Scotland in India on Monday, marking their first appearance in the tournament. The competition opens with a double header featuring Pakistan versus Netherlands and West Indies versus Scotland on Saturday.
Despite helping Italy qualify for the tournament for the first time, Burns was not selected for the upcoming competition, with Wayne Madsen taking over as captain. This adds an extra layer of significance to Stewart's role as a player to watch in the Italian lineup.
Local Cricket Continues
While international attention focuses on the World Cup, Newcastle's local first-grade cricket competition continues this weekend, maintaining the region's strong cricket tradition that has produced players like Stewart who now compete on the global stage.
