Defending champions West Barbarians moved to the top of the Rugby Bundaberg Bundy Hot Gas Spring Cup with a 15-13 victory over the previously unbeaten East Bundaberg Pythons in their fifth round duel at Jubilee Park on Saturday.
Both teams scored two tries, but Barbarians got home on the back of a conversion and penalty goal to Isaiah Bullard.
Meanwhile, the ever improving Waves Falcons were again very competitive against perennial heavyweights Fraser Coast, both teams grabbing two tries, but the Mariners got home 18-12 on the back of two penalty goals.
The Pythons will be hungry to return to the winners’ list when they host win-less cellar dwellers Turtles Brothers at East Bundaberg Sports Club at 4pm tomorrow, after accounting for them 19-9 in the season opener.
But Barbarians may face their toughest test so far when they venture to Hervey Bay for a match-up with the Mariners, who forfeited to them in the first round and are yet to really hit their straps.
Results: FRASER COAST MARINERS 18 (Tabakanalagi Acasimolo, Toua Toka tries; conversion, 2 Penalty Goals) d WAVES FALCONS 12 (Tom Akers, Samuel Puusaari tries; John Akers conversion).
WEST BARBARIANS 15 (Lepani Banuve, Ratu sailosi Nawerecaqa tries; Isaiah Bullard Conversion & Penalty Goal) d EAST BUNDABERG PYTHONS 13 (Viliami Ketenalagi, Bennett Otineru tries; Penalty Goal).
Cricket
Five Bundaberg players will represent Wide Bay in the South Queensland Country Championships Under-21 O’Dea Shield in Gatton this weekend, Adam Pozzebon, Jack Munro, Dustin Collin, Kynan Hard and Matthew Jackson.
The team is: Adam Pozzebon, Bailey Perren, Harry Sippel, Riley Sippel, Aidan Bailey, Jack Munro, Dustin Collin, Kynan Hard, Isaac Kelsey, Dhingi Malek, Matthew Springate, Matthew Jackson. Coach: John Howard, Manager: Mitchell Parsons.
They will take on South East Queensland tomorrow and Darling Downs and South West Queensland on Sunday.
Spinner Ben Davey was the destroyer with 5-13 as Bundaberg started their Wide Bay Goodchild Shield campaign in style with a 119-run away victory over T20 champions Gympie.
Bundaberg amassed 9-222 from their 50 overs, led by Brendan Handley with an unbeaten 48, before they routed the Gold City for 103 in 33.5 overs with opener Jeremy Haaksma also snaring three big early scalps in his 3-21.
Bundaberg will host Fraser Coast in the second round at Salter Oval this Sunday, starting at 9am.
The Rum City will also have home ground advantage against Fraser Coast in the second round of the Wide Bay Junior Championships at Salter Oval this Sunday, also at 9am, in Under-16, 14 and 12.
Meanwhile, the win-less Wide Bay will travel to meet Wynnum-Manly, who have won five of their nine games, in round 10 of the Queensland Premier Cricket Under-17 Lord Taverners’ Competition this Sunday.
In the Aussie Bundy Big Bash, title holders and impressive first-up victors Headland Pies will suit up against Betta Heat in a third round blockbuster at Salter Oval tonight at 6.30pm.
In the Bundaberg Rum City Foods Division 1 Premiership at Salter Oval at 11am tomorrow, Brothers will be striving to turn the tables on reigning champions Norths after suffering their only loss so far this season to them when they met three weeks ago.
Waves will also be out to continue on their winning ways against East Bundy Magpies after crushing them by eight wickets at their last meeting.
Softball
After last week’s wash-out, Coral Coast/Hervey Bay Softball resumes tomorrow, and in A Grade Ladies, there is a Local Derby between Waves Tsunamis and Wests Panthers at Brothers Sports Complex at 4.10pm.
At the same time on the next diamond, there is an A Grade Men’s showdown between reigning champions Waves Schooners and Bargara Bombers.
Meanwhile, three-times defending A Grade Ladies champions Brothers United Firesticks will make the trip to Hervey Bay to take on Terrors, while Terrors will also do battle with Brothers United Heat in A Grade Men’s, also at the same time.
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