Massive Start For T20 Max!

T20 Max Wrap | Week 1

This season’s KFC T20 Max has kicked off with a bang, as all clubs, teams, and players strive to make their mark early and make this season one to remember. The competitive and see-sawing results over the weekend highlighted how quickly form and momentum can shift in T20 cricket, adding to the thrill of the KFC T20 Max.

Many teams and players experienced huge swings in performance, showcasing the strength of the competition. There's no doubt that the Brisbane Heat’s success in both the men’s and women’s Big Bash Leagues has had a positive impact on the KFC T20 Max, with local players rising to a higher standard and professionals eager to showcase their skills.

The women’s program began on Wednesday, with Wynnum-Manly facing Wests under a stunning sunset at the beautifully refurbished Allan Border Field. The men’s campaign launched the following evening at the same venue, with two star-studded sides, Valley and Redlands, taking to the field.

In the opening men’s game, two local stars took centre stage. James Bazley (86* off 33) blasted 7 sixes to power Redlands to 4/208. Jack Wildermuth (85 off 38) did his best in Valley’s chase but ultimately fell short, with Valley finishing on 7/192 off their 20 overs. Tom Straker impressed for his new club, Valley, with the new Queensland rookie taking 3/34.

Redlands secured 3 wins from 3 games, finishing the first weekend on top of the ladder. Jimmy Peirson (71 off 43) and Jack Sinfield (2/21) were standouts in their dominant win over University. Tasmanian fast bowler Kieran Elliot (4/5) delivered one of the weekend’s top performances, dominating against Sandgate to cap off a great weekend for the Tigers.

In the same match, young Sandgate leg-spinner Lakshdeep Singh took a stunning hat-trick against the First-Class trio Jimmy Pierson, Marnus Labuschagne, and Daniel Drew. Despite a tough loss to Redlands, it was a strong weekend for the Gators, who mustered two solid wins, including one off the bat of South Australian Jake Winter. Winter (139 off 64) sent Toombul’s bowlers all over the park, including hitting Ronan McDonald for six sixes in an over.

Norths, Valley, and Wests also only lost one match over the weekend. Jack Wildermuth is returning to top form for Valley with both bat and ball. Valley’s all-round performance against Uni on Monday evening was particularly impressive. Posting 8/222, Valley’s batting unit saw four players from the top six score over 30. Cam Boyce (3/16) then proved unplayable for Uni’s batters.

Norths continue to be a force in all formats, with their depth being a standout. Norths bowling all-rounder Sam Neale (71* off 31) took the Sunshine Coast to task, while new recruit Bailey Kenzie (10* off 2) secured a last-ball win against Ipswich in the grand final rematch.

In that game, South Australian Liam Scott (71 off 43) was crucial as Ipswich posted 8/183. Norths looked set for victory when Ipswich’s Jem Ryan dismissed set batter Mitch Doolan (23 off 18) and Sam Neale (0) in consecutive balls to finish the 18th over. Tensions rose as Norths needed 7 off the last 3 balls, with Jem Ryan defending the score for Ipswich. Ryan managed to dismiss Rav Srivastava (34 off 21) with the fourth ball of the over. Kenzie then came to the crease and hit a boundary off his first ball. With three runs needed to win, Kenzie shuffled leg-side and punched a drive over mid-off for six, securing victory for Norths.

Gold Coast and Ipswich both finished the first weekend with 2 wins and 2 losses. Mixed results will be disappointing for both sides, who boast proven premiership-winning ability. However, with another weekend to play, there are multiple chances to surge back into finals contention.

Toombul, Souths, Wynnum-Manly, and University each have one win. Despite only managing one victory, Toombul, Souths, and University were dominant in their respective wins. Toombul punished local rivals Norths, dismissing them for 97 and chasing it down with one wicket lost. University restricted the Gold Coast to 7/117 and chased it without losing a wicket. Souths chased down Wests’ 3/166 with four wickets and three overs to spare.

The Sunshine Coast are yet to secure a win but have plenty of talent to upset any side in the competition.

In the women’s competition, West Australian and Sydney Sixer Mathilda Carmichael (78 off 51) made a mark in her interstate debut for Wests. Carmichael guided Wests to 7/151, with Wynnum-Manly’s experienced First-Class bowlers Zoe Cooke (3/25), Hayley Silver-Holmes (2/17), and Nicola Carey (2/36) hampering any further momentum for the batters. In reply, Wynnum’s interstate star Elyse Villani (41 off 26) started their innings strong before Scorchers batter Chloe Piparo (45* off 29) guided their six-wicket win home.

Wynnum-Manly surged to the top with 4 wins from 4 games. Arguably the KFC T20 Max’s biggest recruit in either men’s or women’s competitions, Elyse Villani was unstoppable all weekend, posting scores of 41(26), 104*(63), 118(67), and 83(54).

Sandgate’s Kiwi international Molly Penfold leads the wicket-takers with 11 wickets, while Queensland young gun Lucy Hamilton sits second and has been enormous for the Scorchers.

UQ’s Emma Jackson has hit a whopping 11 sixes and is third in the run-scorers list. Having only lost to Wynnum-Manly, University is looking dangerous. New Zealand swing bowler Emma Black proved difficult to face, taking 7 wickets including 3/18 against the Gold Coast. Maddie Penna (86* off 59) did her best to lead Uni to victory against Wynnum, but the Seagulls’ 191 proved too many.

Sunshine Coast’s emerging stars Lucy Hamilton and Bonnie Berry both proved they belong at the First-Class level across the first weekend. Hamilton (3/15) and Berry (3/18) decimated the strong Valley batting line-up for 83, while they both also took 3 wickets in their side’s loss to Sandgate-Redcliffe.

Wests also lost only one match over the weekend. Carmichael led their run-scoring and was well supported by Lily Bassingthwaighte, who scored 48 (42) in their win against Ipswich. Reigning Kath Smith Medallist Ruby Strange was again at the forefront for Wests, taking 3/12 against the Gold Coast and averaging nearly 25 with the bat.

Sandgate-Redcliffe finished the weekend with two wins and two losses. Without superstar opener Georgia Voll, their batting unit looked to struggle for the consistency required in what is a very close competition. The Gators’ two wins showcased their quality, with Tess Cooper (40 off 26) and Caitlin Mair (51 off 48) guiding a resounding win against the Scorchers. They held on in a final-over thriller against Valley. Jemma Barsby (42* off 33) led the Gators to 4/149. Valley’s young star Sianna Ginger (59 off 47) was set and needed 9 runs off the final over to win. However, Ginger was run out returning for two after a magnificent throw from the long-off boundary by Barsby. Sandgate spinner Jess Cremin then held her nerve for the Gators to secure victory.

Jess McFadyen (76* off 50) and Tabatha Saville (47* off 28) led Ipswich to a strong win against the Gold Coast. The duo combined for a big partnership, with Ipswich chasing 145 for the loss of only one wicket. The win was Ipswich’s first of the weekend, their batting unable to match the First-Class quality of other sides. It was a tough weekend for both Valley and Gold Coast, who are yet to claim points. Both sides played in close matches and showed that their capabilities are there.

Stay tuned for this weekend’s games. They promise to be full of entertainment, with endless quality cricket on display!