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QLD STORMS INTO IMPARJA FINAL

Friday 22 February 2013

In the fine tradition of Queensland teams this season, the State's Imparja Cup side has defied the odds to storm into national Indigenous championship final.

Appearing down and out after losing their opening two games of the tournament on Monday, the Queenslanders strung together five consecutive wins, capped by a four-wicket beating of the Northern Territory in Alice Springs today.

It was a similar comeback to the Brisbane Heat in the BBL and the XXXX GOLD Bulls in the Ryobi Cup.

While victory was always going to be a formality this morning with the NT having won a solitary game, Queensland still needed unbeaten NSW to beat WA to ensure they joined the westerners on points but overtook them on run-rate.

The Blues duly obliged, belting WA by 69 runs.

There were some anxious moments this afternoon when Victoria, who also finished with five wins but had a poor net run rate, belted 192 against SA and had the opposition 2-13 after four overs.

A total of 50 or less could have put the Victorians into the final, but SA – who were rolled for 52 by Queensland earlier in the week – rallied to make 7-133.

Queensland finished with a net run rate of 2.0719, which was far superior to WA's 0.8018, and Victoria's 0.9

Queensland did their bit by restricting the NT to 6-93 from their 20 overs, with pacemen Jake Kubinek and Mark Thompson dominating.

Kubinek bowled two maidens in taking the remarkable figures of 2-3 from his four overs, while Thompson scuttled the remainder of the line-up with 4-16 from his four.

Queensland mowed down the runs in just 13 overs, with Brad Stout (22 off 16 balls) and Worrin Williams (32 off 25) putting on 40 for the opening wicket, and Cameron Trask belting an unbeaten 21 off 13 at the finish.

It was Trask's fourth not out in six innings and he takes an average of 69.5 into the final.

Despite not playing today, Glen Martin was easily the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 16 at an average of 7.29.

The final against NSW will be played at Traeger Park from 6pm (Qld time) tomorrow.