Captain and opener Brendan Handley produced a master class to lead from the front as Norths cruised to an eight-wicket last round victory in the Bundaberg Cricket Tallon-Giles Division 1 T20 Trophy over the previously unbeaten East Bundy Magpies at Salter Oval on Saturday to also clinch a final berth against them.
Waves went into the day equal on points with Norths in second place but with a massive advantage over them on Net Run Rate, but they opened the door for Norths when they were beaten by the Magpies by 10 runs in their first game on Saturday, while Norths moved back into second position with a 27-run victory over the beleaguered Brothers.
But Norths then had to burst the Magpies’ bubble to secure second position, and they restricted East to 6-130, before Brendan oozed class with four fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 69 from just 50 balls, as they raced past their target in 15.2 overs after Josh Winen had also played his part brilliantly with 39 runs from 34 balls in an opening partnership of 99.
Earlier, South Queensland representative paceman Nathan Van Eekeren claimed the big wicket of opener Arden Lankowski for just four, before second change Laird McKay and veteran spinner Bruce Worthington chipped in with one wicket each, and first change Shannon Smith claimed the other big scalp of captain Dale Steele in his 3-32 from four overs.
Bruce and Shannon had earlier co-starred with 3-22 and 2-16 respectively as the restricted Brothers to just 5-105 after having compiled a moderate 7-132.
Dale had scored an unbeaten 55 in a match winning knock for the Magpies early in the afternoon as they chalked up 5-137 before Waves could manage only 8-127 in reply.
Waves bounced back in their second game of the day against Brothers with Ryan Norton blasting eight sixes in his 74 at a strike-rate of 200% in their 8-167, and opener Matthew Pozzebon claiming a hat-trick – with his younger brother Adam taking the catch to complete the feat – as the Brethren finished at 7-154 with half-centuries to 14-year-old opener Lachlan Heycox and veteran Simon Kelly, who had played his first club game of the season earlier on the program.
It was a good day all-around for Norths with their Division 3 team maintaining their perfect record and booking a place in the Tallon-Giles T30 Trophy decider with a penultimate round 68-run triumph over Waves with Shaun Pinney producing another dynamic double of 45 runs and 3-9.
But Norths were beaten by the Magpies in the first round of the Rum City Foods Division 2 Premiership on Sunday despite a career-best 5-48 by spinner and club vice-president Michael Penny.
Meanwhile, Bundaberg made a perfect start to the Wide Bay Age Championships with big first-round victories over Gympie in both under-14 and under-12 at Salter Oval on Sunday.
In U14, Tahj Coates led the batting charge with a polished 68, while Alex Stuchbery produced an excellent double of an unconquered 39 and 3-27.
Archie Webster was a stand-out in U12 with an unbeaten 52.
RUGBY: High-class fullback Layton Chambers racked up 16 points with two tries and three conversions to be a match winner as Turtles Brothers outgunned East Bundaberg Pythons 33-26 in their Rugby Bundaberg Elders Insurance Spring Cup fourth round showdown at Brothers Sports Club on Saturday.
But two-times defending champions Fraser Coast Mariners remain the team to beat after making it four wins from as many matches with a hard-fought 15-7 victory over the previously undefeated West Barbarians.
Hooker Josh Saua was also among the try scorers for Turtles in his first game back since being part of the Queensland Country Heelers team which beat three Brisbane Premier League heavyweights in their three-games series in Brisbane earlier in the month.
Mariners beat Barbarians two tries to one with openside flanker Ethan “Bucket” Ballard continuing his superb form, claiming their Man of the Match award for the second week in a row, but this time having to share it with Delai Moto, who was one of their try scorers.
SOFTBALL: Newly merged team Maryborough West completed a perfect start to the Softball Coral Coast/Hervey Bay Associations A Grade Men’s League, winning their two double-header games in Hervey Bay on Saturday, against Misfits 4-2 and Terrors 7-0 respectively.
They had beaten Brothers United Heat 7-4 in the season opener a week earlier.
United Heat, who were last season’s minor premiers and the 2019-20 champions, however, have got the job in front of them after suffering their second straight defeat, being edged out 4-3 by arch-rivals Waves Schooners, who were playing their first game of the season.
There were no A Grade Ladies matches on Saturday, due to players being away at the Open Women’s State Championships at Caboolture.
Here are all the scores:
CRICKET BUNDABERG
TALLON-GILES DIVISION 1 T20
Round 5:
Norths 7/132(cc) (Chris Napper 40, Nathan Van Eekeren 26, Harry Kuorikoski 3/31) d Brothers 5/105(cc) (Andy Porter 28, Bruce Worthington 3/22, S Smith 2/16).
East Bundy Magpies 5/137(cc) (Dale Steele 55no, Lennon Childs 28, Luke Owen 2/15, C Duff 2/27) d The Waves 8/127(cc) (Luke Owen 25, Hayden Pope 3/20, Trent Seeds 2/17).
Round 6:
The Waves 8/167(cc) (Ryan Norton 74, David Boge 3/20, Dean Krebs 2/17, Luke Solano 2/29) d Brothers 7/154(cc) (Lachlan Heycox 59, Simon Kelly 58, Matthew Pozzebon 3/18 including hat-trick, Mitch Waters 2/30).
Norths 2/131 (Brendan Handley 69no, Josh Winen 39) d East Bundy Magpies 6/130(cc) (Trent Seeds 40no, Shannon Smith 3/32).
RUM CITY FOODS DIVISION 2 PREMIERSHIP
The Waves 1/87(cc) (Brendan Grills 42no, Noel Stitt 25no) d Brothers 85 (Vince Differ 3/19, Ryan Norton 2/7, Jack Munro 2/13).
East Bundy Magpies 10/225(cc) (Priyantha Mudalige 71, Paulson Antony 46m, Keegan Lankowski 31, Michael Penny 5/48, Richie Sharman 4/43) d Norths 9/187 (Richie Sharman 40, Chris Napper 35no, Paul Jenner 33, Farren Rogers 30, Paulson Antony 2/20, Bharat Kumarat 2/30, Lachlan Donovan 2/31, Ben Davey 2/43).
TALLON-GILES DIVISION 3 T30
Round 4:
Norths 6/203(cc) (Shaun Pinney 45, Craig Fritz 44no, Julian Bond 35, Jade Hyde 34) d The Waves 10/135 (Jack Kleidon 37, Brody Coates 30no, Shaun Pinney 3/9, Craig Fritz 2/6, Michael Penny 2/17, Ken Milliken 2/20).
YMCA 4/178 (Brett Woodward 54no, Richmond Felstead 35no, Shannan Heycox 2/12) d Brothers 6/177(cc) (Neil Trebbin 54, Clint Mathiesen 30, Andrew Weeks 27, River Felstead 2/9).
WIDE BAY
UNDER-14
Bundaberg 7/252(cc) (Tahj Coates 68, Nicholas Delacy 46, Alex Stuchbery 39no, Oliver Wendt 30, T Young 2/43) d Gympie 7/182(cc) (L Andreassen 45, R Murnane 36no, C Keogh 33, Alex Stuchbery 3/27, Jimmy Gear 2/32).
UNDER-12
Bundaberg 6/260(cc) (Archie Webster 52no, Beau Donnison 36no, Corin Driver 29no, D Murnane 2/34 M Lynch 2/45) d Gympie 11/133 (J West 38, M Lynch 25, Atlas Felstead 2/2, Atalia Knight 2/15).
RUGBY BUNDABERG
ELDERS INSURANCE SPRING CUP
Round 4:
FRASER COAST MARINERS 15 (Delai Moto, Marika Sevakadrau tries; Filipe Koroibola conversion & penalty) d WEST BARBARIANS 7 (Folau Kovi Ki Tasimenia Latu try; Mathew Collier conversion).
TURTLES BROTHERS 33 (Layton Chambers 2, Cory Hibble, Josh Saua tries, penalty try; Layton Chambers 3 conversions) d EAST BUNDABERG PYTHONS 26 (3 tries, Penalty & 2 conversions – all scores names withheld).
SOFTBALL CORAL COAST/HERVEY BAY
Round 2:
A GRADE MEN
MARYBOROUGH WEST 4 d MISFITS 2; WAVES SCHOONERS 4 d BROTHERS UNITED HEAT 3; MARYBOROUGH WEST 7 d TERRORS 0.
B GRADE LADIES
WESTERN SUBURBS PANTHERS 7 d TERRORS BLUE 5; BROTHERS UNITED INFERNO 18 d BROTHERS UNITED CROSSFIRE 4; BARGARA LEOPARDS 19 d WAVES SEASHELLS 4; WESTERN SUBURBS COUGARS 7 d TERRORS YELLOW 3.
B GRADE MEN
BROTHERS UNITED FLAME 6 drew BARGARA BULLS 6; WAVES CRUISERS 9 d WAVES CUTTERS 1; TERRORS 8 d WESTERN SUBURBS LYNX 6.
UNDER-16
WAVES WAVERIDERS 18 d BARGARA BRONCS 7; BROTHERS UNITED TNT 9 d WAVES DRIFTERS 5; TERRORS 16 d WESTERN SU BURBS LIONS 1.
UNDER-14
WAVES TORPEDOES 14 d BARGARA BANDICOOTS 4; BROTHERS UNITED BLAZE 15 d WAVES RIPTIDES 6; TERRORS 13 d WESTERN SUBURBS TIGERS 3.
UNDER-12
BROTHERS UNITED SPARKS 9 d WAVES MARINERS 2; TERRORS 14 d WESTERN SUBURBS JAGUARS 6.
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