Big hitting opener Lennon Childs produced a gem of an innings with an unbeaten 67 to be Man of the Match as East Bundy Magpies put a heart-breaking last-ball loss to Waves this weekend.
They put the fallout of the same game last year behind them to go on to claim the Bundaberg Cricket Tallon-Giles T20 Trophy, with a hard-fought 11-run final victory over Norths at Salter Oval on Saturday night.
It was a red-letter day for the Magpies in just their second season after they were born with the former Past Highs club affiliating with East Bundaberg Sports Club, also claiming the Tallon-Giles Division 2 T30 Trophy with a nine-wicket demolition of Waves in that final earlier in the afternoon, and contesting the Tallon-Giles Division 3 T30 decider, but going down fighting to Norths.
In Division 1, East recovered from 4-61 to reach 8-142, thanks mainly to Lennon, who scored at a strike-rate of 121% with three fours and four sixes, while captain Dale Steele, a former Past Highs stalwart including during some tough years, also struck 32 valuable runs from just 20 balls.
In their chase, Norths never recovered from the early loss of big gun Brendan Handley, and while four of their batsmen reached 20, none of them were able to go on with the job, and they finished at 5-131 with five East bowlers claiming one wicket each.
In Division 2, Jesse Richardson was Man of the Match with an unbeaten 55, as they chased down Waves’ paltry total of 113 with a calculated run chase.
Captain Shaun Pinney led from the front for Norths in Division 3 with 63 in a total of 7-199, but he was upstaged for Man of the Match by team-mate Craig Fritz, who cut a swathe of destruction through the previously unbeaten Magpies’ imposing top order in his 4-32, but Eric Petersen led a bottom-order fightback until he was the last man out, run out.
In the Aussie Bundy Big Bash, 17-year-old Dylan Heycox notched an excellent double as Headlands Pies claimed the outright lead on the ladder, holding on to defeat fellow first-ups winners Takalvans Taipans by 10 runs on Friday night.
Dylan top scored with an unbeaten 32 in a total of 6-133, before spinning his magic to pick up 2-12 as the Taipans were restricted to 8-123.
SOFTBALL
After losing to Waves Tsunamis in their first game of the season a week earlier, Bargara Bullets fired loud and clear with a 14-7 victory over Terrors in their Coral Coast/Hervey Bay Associations A Grade Ladies showdown at Brothers Sports Complex on Saturday.
Bargara coach and club president Karen O’Neall described it as “a nice win” and said that all her players did well.
“Rachel Bettiens, who is new to softball this season, hit a home run in A grade for the first time, and she’s really enjoying learning the game, and we’ve got others who are also new to A Grade such as Carol Pertzel,” Karen said.
“Meagan Horne has been a regular for A grade, and she also hits the ball well and is a good outfielder, Ruby Bourke, one of Bargara under-18 rep players, is one of our main pitchers and she also did a great job, and Lara Kirk did her job as Catcher nicely, and she is also one of our pitchers.”
Meanwhile, Waves Tsunamis joined two-times defending premiers Brothers United Firesticks at the top of the table, inflicting their first loss of the season, edging them out 6-5.
In A Grade Men, the Composite Maryborough/Bundaberg Western Suburbs team bounced back from their first loss of the season, to Waves Schooners, a week earlier to record their fourth victory, outgunning the winless Brothers United Heat 5-1 to reclaim the outright lead on the ladder.
Western Suburbs stalwart and club president Angela Rohdmann said the Composite A Grade is made of “two-thirds from Maryborough and one-third Bundaberg boys” and their B Grade team Western Suburbs Lynx is “a fairly even affair regards numbers from both centres”.
“Having a great start to the 2021/22 Softball season has been marvelous and a great boost to the confidence of many of our players, new and returning,” Angela said.
“Outstanding players thus far for Maryborough West have been Shawn O'Gorman, Dylan Hard and Jackson Gouge, and for WS Lynx, Taylor Morrison, Shaun Steele and Keenan Brittain.
“When we decided to merge our men’s teams under the Western Suburbs Softball banner this season, we couldn't have been happier as a club.
“Last season we had the numbers for a team, then through other commitments of players we had to put the team on hold, but combining our teams has allowed both of us to become one, with options for players to experience both levels of men’s divisions while being able to field two wonderful sides.
“Our up and coming male juniors can now also step up into the senior ranks and play at that higher level – it's a win-win for both of us.
Meanwhile, Waves Schooners maintained their perfect record from three matches, accounting for Misfits 6-1.
RUGBY
On the weekend that the Milbi (Turtle) Festival was launched, it was fitting that Turtles Brothers continued their roll in the Rugby Bundaberg Elders Insurance Spring Cup with a 32-10 victory over fellow last-start winners Waves Falcons in their sixth round clash at the Waves Sports Complex on Saturday.
Falcons were again competitive, but Turtles simply had too many guns despite being without their tough as teak player/coach Brendon McKeown, with dynamic backs Blake Jones and Dylan Harradine-Hall stepping up to be their best.
Dylan was among their four try scorers, and he also kicked a conversion, as they shored up second place on the ladder behind the unbeaten Fraser Coast Mariners, who missed out on a home match when East Bundaberg Pythons forfeited to them.
Brendon said with four rounds to go, they are really hitting their straps, but they will need to improve further if they are to stop the Mariners juggernaut at Jubilee Park this Saturday after losing heavily to them in the second round in Hervey Bay.
“Especially at training, everything is positive – we are working together and gelling really well – I do believe we have the team to beat Mariners, but it is about turning up on the night – any team can be beaten if you turn up,” Brendon said.
Here are all the scores:
CRICKET BUNDABERG
AUSSIE BUNDY BIG BASH
Headlands Pies 6/133(cc) (Dylan Heycox 32no, Roy Heath 2/21) d Takalvans Taipans 8/123(cc) (Sam Pearson 52, Luke Solano 35, Jeremy Haaksma 2/11, Dylan Heycox 2/12, Hayden Pope 2/13).
TALLON-GILES DIVISION 1 T20 TROPHY
Final: East Bundy Magpies 8/142(cc) (Lennon Childs 67no, Dale Steele 32, Nathan Van Eekeren 3/24, Matthew Parker 1/11, Damian Turner 1/15, Bruce Worthington 1/23, Laird McKay 1/47) d Norths 5/131(cc) (Nathan Van Eekeren 23no, Jaden Bond 23no, Josh Winen 21, Blyton Pendergast 20, Ben Davey 1/13, Hayden Pope 1/15, Dale Steele 1/18, Trent Seeds 1/23, Martin Green 1/32). Player of Match: Lennon Childs.
TALLON-GILES DIVISION 2 T30 TROPHY
Final: East Bundy Magpies 1/117(cc) (Jesse Richardson 55no, David Bonser 42no) d Waves 113 (Luke Owen 23, Vince Differ 22, Lachlan Donovan 2/13, Laurie McCloskey 2/14, Ben Davey 2/28). Player of Match: Jesse Richardson.
TALLON-GILES DIVISION 3 T30 TROPHY
Final: Norths 7/199(cc) (Shaun Pinney 63, John Balaam 36, Greg Rehbein 2/9, Will Barritt 2/20) d East Bundy Magpies 142 (Eric Petersen 69, Craig Fritz 4/32). Player of Match: Craig Fritz.
JUNIOR CRICKET 3-16’S
YMCA/Norths Marauders 5/214 (Lachlan Heycox 57, Ned Jenner 56, Tom Chadwick 33no, River Felstead 25, B Scanlan 3/36) d Hervey Bay Colts 8/200(cc) (B Loveridge 51, F Ignatenko 34, L Harms 28, River Felstead 3/11).
The Waves 187 (Kori Pope 51, Brenton Catasti 31, Tyler Ash 25, N Scanes 2/22, G Collins 2/22, L Nitschinsk 2/28) d Maryborough 99 (G Collins 48, Julie Munro 4/31, Sam Stuchbery 2/0).
Brothers Pumas 7/158(cc) (Toby Lamond 46no, Alex Rehbein 29, Catherine White 4/18, Zayne Donovan 2/21) d Isis 9/83 (Cooper Rehbein 40, Simon Millett 3/6 Toby Lamond 2/5).
JUNIOR CRICKET 3-14’S
Hervey Bay Colts 6/122(cc) d Norths Choppers 66 (B Kington 2/1, R Quigley 2/9, J Hazelden 2/13).
Isis Brothers Mustangs 7/171(cc) (Ryley Gibbs 50, Hugo Baker 40no, Z Harris 34, R Robinson 4/16) d Maryborough 9/115(cc) (N Parry 25no, Hugo Baker 2/9, Xander White 2/12, Charlie Steele 2/19).
The Waves 9/196(cc) (Tahj Coates 76no, Ferdy, Jenner 2/16, Shannon Boyd 2/17) d North Bundy Power 106 (Ferdy Jenner 47).
JUNIOR CRICKET 2-12’S
Norths SEI Strikers 204 (Zayde Kitching 68no, Connor Wright 32, Henri Clegg 2/29, Nicholas Campbell 2/38) d The Waves 4/177(cc) (Thomas Delacy 73, Rune Needer 2/9, Connor Wright 2/24).
Brothers 7/137(cc) (Tyson Melein 24, Ashton Lamond 22no, Isaac Law 21no, Samson Juster 2/13) d Norths Avengers 88 (Zach Honor 2/7, Ashton Lamond 2/18).
YMCA 3/195(cc) (Atlas Felstead 53no, Archie Webster 50no, Lawson Baker 27no) d Isis 168 (Fisher Hill 45, Zak Onoprienko 38, Lawson Baker 4/15, Hayden Hosking 2/38).
RUGBY BUNDABERG-ELDERS INSURSANCE SPRING CUP
Round 6:
TURTLES BROTHERS 32 (Mitch Trims, Dylan Harradine-Hall, Brayden Sander, Douglas Rayment tries; Layton Chambers 2 conversions & 2 penalties; Dylan Harradine-Hall conversion) d WAVES FALCONS 10 (Tommy Akers try; Bailey Brown conversion & penalty).
FRASER COAST MARINERS d EAST BUNDABERG PYTHONS ON FORFEIT.
SOFTBALL CORAL COAST/HERVEY BAY
A GRADE LADIES
WAVES TSUNAMIS 6 d BROTHERS UNITED FIRESTICKS 5; BARGARA BULLETS 14 d TERRORS 7.
A GRADE MEN
MARYBOROUGH WEST 5 d BROTHERS UNITED HEAT 1; WAVES SCHOONERS 6 d MISFITS 1.
B GRADE LADIES
BARGARA BANDITS 13 d MISFITS 5; WESTERN SUBURBS COUGARS 13 d BROTHERS UNITED CROSSFIRE 6; BARGARA LEOPARDS 15 d TERRORS YELLOW 3; WAVES BREAKERS 22 d BROTHERS UNITED INFERNO 12.
B GRADE MEN
BROTHERS UNITED FLAME 3 drew WAVES CRUISERS 3; BARGARA BULLS d BROTHERS UNITED IGNITE ON FORFEIT; TERRORS 21 d WAVES CUTTERS 3.
UNDER-16
BROTHERS UNITED TNT 15 d WESTERN SUBURBS LIONS 2; WAVES DRIFTERS 12 drew BARGARA BRONCS 12; TERRORS 14 d WAVES WAVERIDERS 5.
UNDER-14
BROTHERS UNITED BLAZE 10 d WAVES RIPTIDES 7; TERRORS 19 d BARGARA BANDICOOTS 3; WAVES TORPEDOES 22 d WESTERN SUBURBS TIGERS 4.
UNDER-12
BROTHERS UNITED SPARKS 16 d WAVES MARINERS 7.
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