Bundaberg completed a hat-trick of Wide Bay Open Goodchild Shield cricket titles undefeated, but had to dig deep to beat a valiant Gympie by 24 runs in the final at Salter Oval yesterday.
After electing to bat, every Bundaberg batsman made a start with eight players reaching double-figures, but none were able to go on with the job.
Opener Michael Loader top scored with 34, but Bundaberg left themselves vulnerable when bowled out for 202 in 46.1 of their allotted 50 overs, with five Gympie bowlers claiming two wickets each.
The Gold City also gave it their best shot with the bat despite losing opener Lance Brady cheaply, bowled by Queensland Country paceman Arden Lankowski.
Like Bundaberg, six Gympie batsmen made it to double-figures but none were able to capitalise, and they were bowled out for 178 in 49.1 overs with Wide Bay representative all-rounder Bryce Mitchell, who was among his side's wicket-takers, also top-scoring with 35.
Bundaberg captain and crafty spinner Chris Duff brought himself on as second-change and gave the hosts the upper-hand with two quick wickets, effecting a collapse of 3-15 after Gympie had clawed their way to 1-39.
First change Dean Krebs and team veteran Dale Steele chipped in with key wickets, while the latter also claimed a run out, before 17-year-old Matthew Jackson cleaned up the tail, snaring 3-29 from his 4.1 overs. Chris finished with 3-26 from his 10 overs.
On Saturday, Norths all but sealed third place on the Rum City Foods Intra Cup table with a second straight come-from-behind victory, this time at the expense of an again disappointing East Bundy Magpies in their penultimate round clash.
Meanwhile, Brothers, who secured second place a few weeks earlier, had a 111-run victory over hosts Hervey Bay, who finished their season without a win in the competition.
Norths recovered from 5-62 to reach 148 before being bundled out in just 35 of their allocated 45 overs, thanks to handy contributions by No.5 batsman Laird McKay (22) and No.8 Alex Turner (20).
But what looked a regulation run chase for the Magpies suddenly became a real test after their recent batting frailties continued when Laird took the new ball and reduced them to 3-0 in the third over, firing out Jayden Larsen, Jesse Richardson, and danger man Arden Lankowski in the space of four balls.
Wickets continued to tumble, with only opener Lennon Childs (38), Arden’s elder brother Keegan (23), and Matt Gauld (27 not out) offering any resistance.
All-rounder Chris Napper, who had led Norths with the bat to a ground-breaking win over the previously unbeaten minor premiers Waves a week earlier, ensured another victory, this time with the ball, having Lennon caught by keeper Brendan Handley and snuffing out the tail and claiming 4-25 from his 8.3 overs.
With one round remaining, Norths are now six points clear of fourth placed East and also have a massive net un rate advantage over them of +.2046 to -.3442, and they will now meet Brothers in what will be a dress rehearsal for their almost certain 2 v 3 semi-final rematch a fortnight later, while the Magpies will take on the might of Waves before they do battle again in the 1 v 4 semi.
On Saturday, Brothers racked up a hefty 6-253 against the Bay, with 16-year-old Dylan Heycox relishing his promotion from the bottom to the top of the order by laying the platform with a superb 59 from 92 balls and No.3 Matthew Jackson blasting 60 from 56 balls.
John Kosmidis was again outstanding for the home-town team with 4-42 after he had carried his bat for an unbeaten 82 seven days earlier.
Hervey Bay tried hard with the bat but were never a chance, being bowled out for 142, with Brent Smith, who has established himself as a key part of Brothers’ attack in their past three games, again their main destroyer with 3-15.
Softball
In Hervey Bay Softball A Grade Ladies, hosts Terrors set up a last-round showdown with Waves Tsunamis this Saturday by outgunning No. 1 seeds and reigning premiers United Firesticks 5-2 at the Bay.
Tsunamis were also victorious at Brothers Sports Club, shooting down last placed Bargara Bullets 10-8.
In Men’s A Grade, United Heat wrapped up the minor title with a 4-1 dispatch of Misfits, while Waves Schooners were beaten by cellar dwellers Bargara Bombers, and Maryborough moved to within one point of second placed Terrors by accounting for them 7-4.
AFL
Across The Waves Eagles laid claim to favouritism for the Wide Bay Takalvan’s Women’s Premiership with a 4.2 (26) to 0.3 (3) first-round triumph over perennial heavyweights Hervey Bay Bombers at Frank Coulthard Complex on Saturday.
Monica Hung kicked the first goal of the new season late in the first quarter, and the Eagles continued on, bagging their second in the third term, and sealing the result with two more in the last quarter while doing brilliantly to keep the Bombers goal-less.
In a strong team performance, Jasmine Fagg, Sarah Pizzey, Rachael Maher, Taylor Jardine, Marie Smith, and Olivia Schneider were the Eagles’ best.
TAKALVANS WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – Round 1:
Across The Waves Eagles 1.1, 1.2, 2.2, 4.2 (26) d Hervey Bay Bombers 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.3 (3).
Eagles – Goal Kickers: Ashley Black, Lana Morden, Monica Hung, Sarah Pizzey. Best Players: Jasmine Fagg, Sarah Pizzey, Rachael Maher, Taylor Jardine, Marie Smith, Olivia Schneider
Bombers – Best Players: Indiana Williams, Kayla Baldwin, Brooke Lewis, Sarah-Anne Smyth, Kate Elmer, Taylah King
Bay Power 0.2, 2.3, 5.4, 6.5 (41) d Gympie Cats 3.2, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3 (27).
Scoreboard
CRICKET:
GOODCHILD SHIELD
Final: BUNDABERG 202 (Michael Loader 34, Tim McIntosh 29, Arden Lankowski 24, Chris Hughes 5-2-25-2, Lochlan Maxwell 7-1-29-2, Dean Chandler 10-2-31-2, Saif Malek 8-1-39-2, Bryce Mitchell 8-0-47-2) d GYMPIE 178 (Bryce Mitchell 35, Ash Batten 31, Nick Laffey 24, Chris Duff 10-1-26-3, Matthew Jackson 4.1-0-29-3).
RUM CITY FOODS INTRA CUP
Round 14: BROTHERS 6-253 (Matthew Jackson 60, Dylan Heycox 59, Jarrod Laycock 36, Luke Solano 34, John Kosmidis 8-0-42-4) d HERVEY BAY 142 (Tom Kidd 22, Brent Smith 8-2-15-3, Sam Pearson 6-1-13-2, Andy Porter 8-2-24-2).
NORTHS 148 (Brendan Handley 22, Laird McKay 22, Ben Davey 4-1-13-2, Arden Lankowski 5-0-25-2, Arty Richardson 7-0-29-2, Dale Steele 9-1-41-2) d EAST BUNDY MAGPIES 122 (Lennon Childs 38, Matt Gauld 27no, Chris Napper 8.3-1-25-4, Laird McKay 7-3-32-3).
DIVISION 2
EAST BUNDY MAGPIES 0-61 (Daniel Clancy 37no) d NORTHS 58 (Martin Green 3.1-2-1-3, Matthew Burgess 4-1-13-3, Ashley Pollitt 7-1-14-2).
BROTHERS 5-202 (Aaron Johnson 105no, Dylan Heycox 63, Vince Differ 8-4-12-2, Mat Fleming 8-0-39-2) d WAVES 116 (Mat Fleming 34, Kyle Stallan 34, Dylan Heycox 6-1-12-2, Jack Rea 3.2-0-15-2, Jackson Rehbein 6-1-24-2, Andy Porter 8-2-26-2).
DIVISION 3
BROTHERS 4-201 (Ashley Helmore 64, Shannan Heycox 52, Scott Lamond 42no, Cooper Rehbein 8-0-40-3) d ISIS 6-199 (Scott Rehbein 78, Martin Ryan 31, Beau Marshman 7-0-24-2).
YMCA 9-214 (Hayden Sarnadsky 47) d EAST BUNDY MAGPIES 211 (Eric Petersen 58, Greg Rehbein 36no, Richmond Felstead 8-0-33-5, Lex Webster 8-0-22-3).
UNDER-16
YMCA 141 (River Felstead 58no, D Carter 4-17, B Scanlan 2-17) d HERVEY BAY BRUMBIES 6-114 (River Felstead 2-18, Tom Chadwick 2-20).
BROTHERS PUMAS 8-143 Oliver Boge 53, Tarah Staines 3-12, Taylor Stumer 2-2) d WAVES 93 (Harry Gardiner 5-16, Beau Marshman 2-25).
HERVEY BAY COLTS 9-181 (Cruz Baker 55, B Loveridge 52, Ned Jenner 3-18, Matthew Parker 3-26, C Farrell 2-27) d NORTHS MARYBOROUGH 76 (Tom Geldard 4-2, Cruz Baker 3-29).
UNDER-14
BROTHERS MUSTANGS 5-301 (Toby Collins 62no, April Mathiesen 49, Sean Millett 36, Riley Collin 31, Kodee Pole 28no, C Barr 3-41) d HERVEY BAY COLTS 133 (C Barr 33, Sean Millett 2-11, Riley Quinn 2-15, Patrick Gardner 2-17, Henry Hirst 2-24).
WAVES 155 (Tahj Coates 48no, Levi Faint 27, Charlie Steele 3-22, Catherine White 2-10, Sam Murton 2-15) d ISIS EASTS 97 (Cooper Rehbein 31, Levi Faint 2-10, Tully Dorgan 2-11).
MARYBOROUGH 9-162 (L Nitschinsk 27no, Riley Pimm 2-12, Jordan Mather 2-17, Ethan Hamel 2-17) d NORTHS MUNTZ MARAUDERS 9-110 (Logan Eade 43no, Jordan Mather 35, N Scanes 3-21, R Robinson 2-7, T Murree 2-8).
JUNIOR CRICKET 2
NORTHS TAIPANS 3-173 (Jaxon Hill 45no) d NORTHS BUNDY POWER 6-150 (Ferdy Jenner 48, Abby Stevens 2-18).
WAVES 7-209 (Marcus Crawford 37no, Nicholas Delacy 37no, Cale Anderson 2-26) d BROTHERS EVERESTS 8-84 (Finn Heads 2-9).
NORTHS MAROONS 4-247 (Beau Donnison 43no, Zayde Kitching 36no, Trent Kapernick 31no) d ISIS EASTS 4-120 (Lawson Baker 37no).
SOFTBALL:
A GRADE LADIES
WAVES TSUNAMIS 10 d BARGARA BULLETS 8; TERRORS 5 d UNITED FIRESTICKS 2.
A GRADE MEN
BARGARA BOMBERS 5 d WAVES SCHOONERS 3; MARYBOROUGH 7 d TERRORS 4; UNITED HEAT 4 d MISFITS 1.
B GRADE LADIES
MISFITS 8 d UNITED CROSSFIRE 5; BARGARA LEOPARDS 7 d WAVES SEASHELLS 6; WAVES BREAKERTS 10 d WEST PANTHERS 2; UNITED CROSSFIRE 17 d TERRORS 8.
B GRADE MEN
BARGARA BULLS 17 d WAVES CRUISERS 12
UNDER-16
WAVES DRIFTERS 15 d WAVES WAVERIDERS 3; TERRORS 16 d UNITED TNT 5.
UNDER-14
WAVES TORPEDOES 14 d WEST TIGERS 8; TERRORS 11 d UNITED BLAZE 7; WAVES RIPTIDES 12 d BARGARA BANDICOOTS 7; BARGARA BANDICOOTS 7 d WAVES TORDEPOES 6.
UNDER-12
WAVES MARINERS 17 d BARGARA BEARS 2; TERRORS 8 d UNITED SPARKS 3.
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