Latest News

PACEMAN RIP FOR U/17S

Sunday 16 December 2012

Pace trio Nathan Lyons, Trent Arnold and Lachlan Porter have put Queensland in a strong position on the opening day of the top-of-the-table clash against Victoria at the National Under 17 Championships in Hobart.

The fast men claimed nine wickets between them as they reduced Victoria to 5-50 in the opening session and 8-118 before two defiant stands pushed the opposition’s total to 184 all out.

Reliable openers Matt Renshaw and Nick Selman continued their profitable union, surviving for 96 minutes and 27 overs to reach 0-56 at stumps.

“The boys bowled really well – we were very happy to have six wickets in that first session,” said Queensland assistant coach Brody Grogan. “To Victoria’s credit, they stuck at it really well at the back end.

“We would have liked to have knocked them over for less but at the start of the day if we had been offered 184 we would have taken it.

“Then to be no wickets down at stumps again was absolutely vital.”

Lyons and Arnold grabbed the first four wickets between them as the Victorian tail proved more of a handful than the top order.

Keeper Sam Harper (28 off 75 balls) and Matt Bullen (24 off 46) added 33 for the seventh wicket, while the biggest partnership of the innings was the 48-run stand for the last wicket between Kieran Elliott (35 off 91 balls) and Ejaaz Elavi (19no off 46).

Arnold finally got rid of Elliott to finish with 3-38 off 14.4 overs while Lyons took the honours with 4-42 off 16.

Porter finished with a tidy 2-21 off 12.

In reply, Renshaw was unbeaten on 31 off exactly 100 balls, while Selman is 14 off 64 balls.

“Trent and Nathan have been really good for us,” Grogan agreed. “The strength in what they have been doing is simplicity – they just put the ball in the right spot and let the rest take care of itself.

“In saying that, the other bowlers have all done their bit and backed them up really well.”

Grogan added that Queensland were quite happy to lose the toss as there has been rain around Hobart for the last two days.

“It was not an ideal preparation for the groundies but in saying that, the wicket has played pretty well,” he said. “We are using Duke balls for this game and it swung around early, which our boys used to their advantage.”