Sunshine Coast Cricket Division 1 latest with Pat Drew

A Glasshouse gun has blasted past the 8000-run mark while Tewantin-Noosa have put the competition on notice in Division 1 Sunshine Coast Cricket action, writes Pat Drew.

Glasshouse captain Jeremy Schultz.

Tewantin-Noosa has completed the perfect pre-Christmas section of the SCCA Division 1 season, recording 17 fixture victories and three finals wins, putting the T20 and One Day trophies on the sideboard.

The Thunder record shades that of the 2014 Caboolture side, at the peak of the Snakes’ reign, which at the same stage of that season, while undefeated, had a 16 win-1 draw ledger.

To boast a complete winning record the Thunder now has to battle not just the competition, but the weather, to log the ideal season.

This pair of clubs have left the field behind at year’s end, with third placed Maroochydore 43 points behind Caboolture and 53 less than Tewantin, the first two spots in the semi-finals look set, with the third and fourth less certain.

Below the Swans is Glasshouse, trailing by a dozen points, roughly the comparative of a good win over a loss.

The Rangers have already played Tewantin, but for Maroochydore the final two rounds comprise Caboolture then the Thunder, a real test for a side defending its Premiership from last season.

The top two dominate the personal stats as well, as would be expected, but individual excellence has shone through to inspire teammates from a number of sources.

Glasshouse captain Jeremy Schultz.

Glasshouse Grand Master Jeremy Schultz, already an historic pacesetter as the leader in matches, with 325 one and two-day appearances, has passed the 8000-run mark, with an unbeaten 127 his latest best.

His passion for the middle can be revealed in the fact that his last eight centuries are all not outs.

Caloundra has the 502 runs from Brendan Kelly to bolster a batting squad of old and young heads, while Nambour’s Nick Wallace has subdued the health problems that cost him all but one appearance last season with three centuries for Nambour, and averages 92 in the one and two-day formats.

His teammate Jatinda Singh has emerged from the Cutters’ third grade ranks to post 15 wickets at 12 average in the two-day rounds.

Maroochydore’s Luke McInnes and Gold paceman Brycen Mitchell join the top shelf of wicket-takers as does Kaleb Weil from Glasshouse, stepping into the big shoes of Steve Heise.

And from the young Coolum Sharks, Tiaan Scheepers has led the way with the ball, entering the top 10 for a personal and club first time with his 26 dismissals.

Allrounders are essential in a good XI and the foremost effort this season has been from Caboolture’s Preston White.

With 47 wickets and 732 runs going into the New Year, his personal bests of 8/32 and 114 demonstrate the quality of his contributions, and a successful post-Christmas campaign could set a milestone for the current competition, where the three formats T20, One-Day and Two-Day are amalgamated.

Eight days of cricket will lead to the semifinals, and the New Year always brings surprises, be they weather, upsets or personal performances. 2022 will be no different.