Sci-Fleet Motors First Grade Grand Final Preview
University of Queensand vs Redlands
AT A GLANCE:
OVERALL SEASON:
Uni – 6 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss
Redlands – 7 wins (1 outright), 3 draws, 1 loss
BATTING:
Uni – 3197 runs for, 9 centuries (Lovell x3, Street x3, J Clayton, Coetzee, Grady), 13 half centuries
Redlands – 2674 runs for, 3 centuries (Muller, Bazley, Smith), 12 half centuries
Top run scorers
Uni – Lovell 842 @ 84.2 | Street 790 @ 131.67 | J Clayton 359 @ 59.83
Redlands – Smith 450 @ 37.5 | Muller 335 @ 47.86 | Drennan 322 @ 32.2
BOWLING:
Uni - 129 wickets taken, 3 five-fas (Street, Sale, Crook)
Redlands – 136 wickets taken, 4 five-fas (Stimpson x2, Sinfield x2)
Top wicket takers
Uni – Crook 30 @ 19.3 | Sale 28 @ 22.11 | Street 26 @ 18.15
Redlands – Stimpson 33 @ 18.58 | Sinfield 24 @ 21.08 | Sumner 21 @ 26.71
Overview of the Sides:
Looking through the team lists and diversity of high performers across both sides, it’s clear why these two sides finished 1-2 on the ladder and have made the Grand Final. Their style of play differs slightly, which is evident in their statistics.
University play a game style which relies heavily on scoring a mountain of runs, before pressuring the opposition into losing their wicket. Uni’s batting has been all about Bryce Street and Angus Lovell this season. The two batters have shown their desire to bat for hours and score big hundreds. Adding to their immense batting depth is Jack Clayton returning from his Queensland duties.
To go with their batting strength, they have multiple bowlers who are capable of quality overs and proven they can take wickets consistently. Nick Sale’s left arm off spin has proved highly effective this season for the students, their second leading wicket taker with 28. Sale bowls Uni’s spin overs in between their pace attack of Willans, Crook, Street and Henderson.
Redlands have scored over 500 runs less than Uni this season, the difference in match ups really being a player or two having stellar seasons like Street and Lovell. The statistics might be slightly deceiving though, with gun player Bazley coming off a massive 160 in the last round and also missing most of the two day year. Simon Milenko also comes into the Final in form, as does the reliable Leigh Drennan.
Additionally with their bowling stats, Redlands have lost their third highest wicket taker in James Garrett, however get Bazley back from state duty and Milenko comes into the fold. Pair these two state level seamers with leading wicket taker Jon Stimpson and Queensland offie Jack Sinfield and it’s easy to see why they’ve made it this far in the season.
Neither team is short of finals cricket. Both sides have played a number of semi-finals and finals across the past few years, so their players know what to expect. University most recently won the two-day competition in the 2021/22 season, while Redlands beat Uni all the way back in 2015/16. In that final, Milenko took 11 wickets for the match, while Jon Stimpson and Sam Heazlett also played.
Reading between the statistics, it will be a match which comes down to who can withstand pressure the longest. They both match up terrifically, which should constitute a highly competitive game which goes the distance. May the best team win!
Key Matchups:
Street & Lovell vs Stimpson & Sinfield
Uni have thrived on their dominant batting this season, while Redlands have relied on their bowling unit to get the job done. This looms as the key battle for the match.
Street and Lovell have proven they are two batters who can bat long and accumulate big runs, while Stimpson and Sinfield operate in long spells and apply pressure. Both Stimpson and Sinfield average more than 20 overs bowled per match. This is a terrific matchup which will test the patience and skills of both sides, whichever gaining ascendancy likely swinging the match in their favour.
Sam Heazlett vs Jack Clayton
Not only battling for their club teams, Heazlett vs Clayton looms as a key battle in their domestic futures. Heazlett is a proven performer for Queensland, most notable for his exploits at the top of the Queensland order in the One Day competition.
The slightly younger and less established Jack Clayton has roared onto the domestic scene this season, his match winning 87 not out in the Sheffield Shield against NSW a highlight of the summer. Heazlett and Clayton are uncanny with their similarities: left hand dominant and left handed batters, excellent pullers of the ball, use timing and elegance as opposed to brute aggression, they are even both very similar in terms of height and body profile, and they’re both modern athletes who are noted for being excellent in the field.
Returning from a back injury, Heazlett has struggled for form this season compared to his lofty standards. Just the one half century to his name and averaging 25.63 in red ball cricket, he will be looking to show his batting excellence and class. Clayton has enjoyed a better summer, scoring one century and three half centuries in seven innings for the students this season.
Not only will their batting play a huge part in this match, but also their experience in playing long form cricket and their outstanding fielding capabilities.