While rain might have affected the latest round of Katherine Raymont Shield women's First Grade games, the Saturday rounds of men's First Grade matches produed a string of stirring batting performances. CAM VELLACOTT puts the spotlight on the latest from the KFC Queensland Premier Cricket competition.
Premier Runs To Fore
There were two big mammoth run chases and a dominant outright victory in what was another ripping weekend of Premier Cricket.
Wests registered their first victory after falling short by the barest of margins in their previous two matches, while the grand final replay saw Redlands again reign supreme.
Ipswich continued their hot start to the season with an outright win against Sandgate-Redcliffe.
The Hornets were dominant from the outset as fast bowlers Adam Smith (4/66), Harry Wood (2/24) and Sean Lutter (2/54) were able to take consistent wickets.
Sandgate’s Hiri Hiri (59 off 82) managed to help set Ipswich a target score of 132. Bryn Llewellyn (59* off 92) and Harry Wood (25* off 11) helped the Hornets notch the win with 7 wickets to spare.
Coming off the back of a victorious KFC T20 Max campaign, the Hornets have had the perfect start to push for further silverware later this year.
The Sunshine Coast batted on against Norths, eventually declaring 9/372. Left with 82 overs to chase the score, the powerful Norths batting line up was hampered early when Josh Brown was run out in the second over.
Connor Carroll (65 off 93) notched his first half century of the season in first grade, putting on a 131 run stand with Scott Palombo. Palombo continued his stellar summer, notching his second century with 105 (175).
Norths were 3/239 when Palombo was dismissed, still needing 133 off 25 overs. Rav Srivastava (55 off 85) set his side a platform, before new Hobart Huuricanes BBL signing Nikhil Chaudhary (54* off 48) and Kendel Fleming (42* off 37) launched Norths to victory with two overs and four wickets to spare.
On Jack McLaughlin Oval, home side Wests were able to register a cracking win for their first of the red ball season. Chasing Toombul’s big score of 6/362d, openers Pranav Susarla (105 off 212) and Isiah Snell (90 off 159) got into their groove and capitalised on a good batting wicket.
With three overs remaining in the day, Wests were 7/329 and needed a further 33 runs. Step up Rex Tooley (56* off 32).
Hitting five sixes, two of which came consecutively in the third last over, Tooley was brutal and breathtaking. Needing 8 off the last over, it went wide, 2, 2, dot, six – Wests win! Preston White (5/105) was again invaluable for Toombul.
Redlands resumed 2/55 in pursuit of University’s 186.
Things seemed to be going smoothly for the home side in their run chase, until an inspired Callum Henderson (5/83) saw Uni roar back to life.
From 4/110 to 7/148, the match turned very quickly with key wickets James Bazley (31 off 30) and Leigh Drennan (17 off 49) both falling to Henderson. Another wicket saw Redlands 8/170, Uni pushing hard. Bailey Stewart (27 off 26) and Jasper Sumner (31 off 52) managed to hold off and see their Tigers to victory. Eventually bowled out for 236, Redlands sent University back in and managed to take 6/100 by stumps.
A near full strength Gold Coast side proved to have too much batting class for Souths, which again were dogged in their match play.
Chasing 178, Ashton Gumm (60 off 58) only managed to add one run to his score last week to have the Coast 3/124.
Caleb Ziebell (54 off 138) was then joined at the crease by Queensland Bulls trump Ben McDermott (112* off 160). McDermott settled in for the afternoon, showing patience, class and some brute strength in his knock.
The Gold Coast won with 6 wickets in hand, before pressing onto 7/292d. In reply, Souths opener Lucky Peterson notched a neat century off 127 balls to help fend off any outright aspirations. Souths finished 8/184d at stumps.
Valley continued their undefeated start to the red ball campaign with a sound win against Wynnum-Manly. Resuming 2/38, Wynnum batters Corey Hunter (53 off 124) and Reuben Burger (72 off 113) started well.
The first wicket came over 90 minutes into play, Hunter walking down the wicket looking to take on young debutant Saxon Jeh (2/33). Jeh read the play and dug it in short, Hunter playing an uncontrolled pull shot to fine leg.
After Burger’s dismissal at 4/164 it was all Valleys. Vidler, Boyce, Zanden and Saxon Jeh all took two wickets each as Wynnum-Manly lost 6/49 to be bowled out for 213.
Dylan McLachlan (67 off 64) then blasted Valley to 1/111d. With 16 overs to face, Wynnum finished 3/62 with Boyce (2/7) again taking a pair of wickets.
Bad weather took its toll on the Sunday women's T20 fixtures, although there were wins to University of Queensland (5-88) over Sandgate-Redcliffe (8-87) and Sunshine Coast (4-113) over Western Suburbs (7-112).
Sunshine Coast also won a DLS thriller over Sandgate-Redcliffe, scoring 4-33 from 4.3 overs to overcome the Gators 2-58 from 12.1 overs.
The KFC Queensland Premier Cricket TOTW was:
- Pranav Sursula 105 (212) Western Suburbs
- Emmanuel Peterson 100 (127) South Brisbane
- Scott Palombo 105 (175)
- Lily Bassingthwaighte 47 (38), 44* (31) Western Suburbs
- Ben McDermott 112 (160) Gold Coast
- Mikayla Wrigley 49 (41) Sunshine Coast (WK)
- Bree Craven 37 (37), 1/22 (4) University of Queensland
- Preston White 5/105 (30) Toombul
- Ruby Orchard 2/12 (4) Sunshine Coast
- Mia Ryan 3/16 (4) University of Queensland
- Callum Henderson 5/83 (21) University of Queensland
Each week The Courier-Mail covers the Premier Cricket round with 3-2-1 points from matches. Their latest reports are available here (note subscription required):
https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/mcdermott-peterson-susarla-and-palombo-deliver-100s/news-story/6d814be4a45e47d0f98704e62fc29cb3