North Queensland Cricket Alliance: Best performances revealed from thrilling weekend of rep action in Mackay
Go inside the performances that shaped a cracking weekend of North Queensland Cricket Alliance representative action in Mackay with our 3-2-1 votes. See who starred.
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There were centuries and five-wicket hauls as the North Queensland Cricket Alliance representative tournament wrapped in Mackay over the weekend.
North Queensland’s three wins was enough to see them take the open men’s crown back up the highway, despite a last round loss to Mackay-Whitsunday.
In the under-25s, Mackay-Whitsunday pipped Central Queensland on run rate to take out the title, with both sides finishing on three wins apiece.
Central Queensland took on North Queensland in three matches in the open women’s, with a final NQ Alliance side selected from the matches.
Discover all the standout performers, and our 3-2-1 votes, from the weekend’s games below, with three votes awarded to the best player in each game.
Open Men
North Queensland Open (211) def Central Queensland Open (209)
3. Travis Busch (NQ)
The bowling of Busch was pivotal to North Queensland’s defence, conceding less than two runs an over and snagging three scalps to finish with 3-19 from his allotted 10 overs. Given the high economies of his teammates, it was a match-winning display.
2. Jeff Case (CQ)
Extremely stiff to miss out on the three votes given he finished with 97 from 113 in a knock that included seven 4s and four 6s, but it wasn’t enough as Case’s Central Queensland fell an agonising two runs short of NQ.
1. Hayden Searle (NQ)
Searle played a pivotal steadying hand in North Queensland’s 211, striking a 65-ball 72 from number three. His knock included eight 4s and two 6s.
Special mention: Central Queensland’s Joe McGahan put in a strong performance with the ball, taking 3-21 from nine overs.
Mackay-Whitsunday Open (235) def Far North Open (223)
3. Lane Kohler (MW)
Stepping out to the crease at number seven, Lane Kohler played the perfect hand in Mackay-Whitsunday’s batting innings. Not only did he steady the middle to lower order, he did so while scoring at an exceptional clip to finish with 71 from 54 balls. Occupied the crease with his brother Mason, who provided a handy 31 from 55 balls, and backed it up to open the bowling and take 1-52 from 8.3 overs.
2. Tyron Brown (FN)
Only narrowly pipped for the three votes, Brown was tremendously effective with ball in hand to claim 5-7 for his 4.3 overs.
1. Shaun Austin (MW)
You could’ve thrown a blanket over the top three performers in this game, as former Australian under-19 representative Austin controlled the start of Mackay’s innings with an 81-ball 76. The knock included 13 boundaries.
Mackay-Whitsunday Open (190) def North Queensland Open (128)
3. Chris Mceldowney (MW)
McEldowney spun a web as Mackay-Whitsunday skittled North Queensland, finishing with 5-38 from his 10 overs.
2. Darryn Dyer (MW)
Dyer continued his strong start to the season with a handy knock of 68 opening the batting on the final day of the carnival. He needed just 55 balls to do his damage in a display that included six 4s and four 6s.
1. Herbie Heuir (NQ)
Heuir was gallant in defeat for North Queensland, claiming a miserly 3-31 from his 10 overs, including four maidens.
Central Queensland Open (190) def by Far North Open (6-191)
3. Andrew Phelps (FN)
Phelps played a steady hand at the top of the order to guide Far North to victory, finding the rope on 10 occasions in his 74 off 80 balls.
2. Brent Hartley (CQ)
Hartley provided some handy middle to lower order runs 53 coming off 64 balls at number eight. He struck eight 4s.
1. Seth McGinty (FN)
McGinty was Far North’s chief destroyer with the ball in the final game of the carnival, finishing with 4-38 from 10 overs.
Under-25 Men
Mackay-Whitsunday U25 (234) def Far North U25 (144)
3. Wes Dyer (MW)
The younger brother of Darryn played an exceptional game for Mackay-Whitsunday’s development side on Saturday. He was his side’s middle order rock, plundering 68 from 93 balls with three 6s included, before backing it up with the ball to take 5-41 from 10 overs with his off-spin.
2. Chris Day (MW)
Day didn’t let a busted finger hold him back en route to a decisive 67-ball 78 at the top of the order. He had no issues finding the rope either, striking 12 4s and two 6s.
1. Kobi Johnston (FN)
Johnston was a solid contributor with ball in hand for Far North, finishing with 3-30 from his eight overs.
Central Queensland U25 (9-274) def North Queensland U25 (159)
3. Jack Humphreys (CQ)
Humphreys impressed for CQ with an 86-ball 76 that included a lone 6 and 11 4s. He also opened the bowling and took a tidy 1-19 from five overs.
2. Stian Koen (CQ)
It was a flip of the coin between Koen and Humphreys, but the number six bat narrowly missed out due to his teammate’s slightly better bowling performance in the CQ v NQ development clash. Koen was in blistering form during his stay at the crease, finishing with 71 from 56 balls. He also managed 1-38 from five overs with the ball
1. Christian Payne (NQ)
Despite going at over a run a ball over the course of the innings, Payne picked up more than his fair share of wickets to finish with five scalps, his final figure 5-62 from 10 overs. Wasn’t as successful with bat in hand, finishing with three from 14 balls.
Central Queensland U25 (4-268) def Far North U25 (9-263)
3. Bow Connor (CQ)
The Central Queensland keeper played a crucial hand in his side’s impressive 263-run total. Opening the batting, Connor plundered an unbeaten 83 from 122 balls. It was a well-constructed and hard fought innings that contained only six boundaries.
2. Stian Koen (CQ)
Koen backed up his 71 on the Saturday with a 76 off just 57 balls to cap off a fine weekend of performances.
1. Mason Blaney (FN)
Blaney could consider himself unlucky to pick up the one vote, but his 68-ball 81 wasn’t enough to lift Far Noth’s development side over Central Queensland, as the team ultimately fell five runs short. He did however plunder a staggering 15 4s along with a lone six.
Mackay-Whitsunday U25 (208) def North Queensland U25 (155)
3. Todd Dixon (MW)
Dixon bowled Mackay-Whitsunday’s development side not only to victory, but to the North Queensland Alliance title in their final game of the carnival, finishing first ahead of Central Queensland with a net run rate superior by 0.41. Finished with 4-19 from his six overs.
2. Harrison Holmes (MW)
Holmes was another crucial contributor with the ball for the Mackay-Whitsunday outfit as they defended 208. He finished with 3-19 from 7.1 overs.
1. Etienne Pretorious (MW)
Pretorious took his time at the top of the Mackay-Whitsunday order, plundering 59 off 116 balls. The knock included seven 4s and a lone 6, and was enough to lift his side above the 200-mark, which his bowlers defended more than aptly.
Open Women
In the open-aged women’s NQ Alliance cricket, the following eleven players stood tall, earning selection in the final North Queensland Cricket Alliance team:
Grace Abdy (CQ)
Grace Rethamel (CQ)
Lila Atkinson (CQ)
Abby Toshach (FN)
Abbey Harvey (CQ)
Courtney Hewitt (NQ)
Meghan McCartney (MW)
Aleisha Middleton (MW)
Ruby Strange (CQ)
Taylah Rix (NQ)
Isabella Sammu (MW)
Ryleigh Wotherspoon (MW)
Chloe Murphy (NQ)
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