AIC First XI Cricket: Ashgrove’s Will Nickelson is averaging 100 as the premiership race hots up
A Marist batting ace has bumped his average up to Bradman-like triple figures as the AIC First XI cricket headed for a thrilling four way premiership log jam. Full report here.
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A Marist College Ashgrove schoolboy has established a Bradman-like batting average as the AIC First XI competition premiership race remains on a knife’s edge.
Ash’s batting ace Will Nickelson has bumped his average up to triple figures (104.25) after another century against St Laurence’s College, his second century of the season.
Last week we reported the AIC competition housed arguably Queensland’s best schoolboy batsman - St Patrick’s Steve Hogan - but Nickelson is not far behind that milestone.
Last week his 42 run effort against St Patrick’s College provided Ashgrove with their biggest and most important win of the season.
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In terms of the competition, both St Patrick’s College and Marist lead the competition on 10 points, with St Peters and Villanova on eight points. Iona College was fifth.
On McMann Oval in Ashgrove, the Marist Brothers blitzed their way to 199 courtesy of another groundbreaking Nickelson knock (100).
The form on the kid— nothing short of remarkable.
He faced 156 deliveries and was in the middle for 154 minutes. I think it’s safe to say he enjoys spending his Saturday’s with pads on, playing mind games with rival bowlers.
He sent four six hits over Ashgrove’s wonderful white picket fences, and added four boundaries too.
But, as is the case every week, Nickelson made a living off one’s and two’s- rotating the strike with whatever partner joined him in the middle.
Ben Ferguson (18) returned from injury nicely and James Brandon (29) did his thing.
Brandon’s value in the middle order is exceptional, the No.5 always adding crucial runs in the latter stages of an innings.
Xavier Santos (1-14), Evan Chamberlin (1-42), Thomas Vaseo ((2-54) and skipper Mackenzie Douglas (1-35) took the wickets for Laurie’s.
Xavier Santos (40) also stood up at the batting crease, staying put while his teammates were removed by the likes of Louis Morris, Sam Lewis, Joey Whitten and of course Nickelson behind the stumps.
In the chase, Laurie’s managed 78.
High praise to Ash’s Joey Whitten who enjoyed claiming the scalp of Laurie’s captain Douglas for just six.
Whitten is a talented young bowler who has been injected into the side after spending time in the Second XI as well as 12th man in this powerhouse team.
On another side, Whitten would be a strike bowler.
Tom Stenhouse (10) was the only other batsmen beside Santos to crack double figures, highlighting the mission the Marist side were on with ball in hand.
With Ash claiming their fifth win on Saturday, they are edging ever so close to the Premiership.
Round 7 of the competition has never been so eagerly anticipated with Paddies, Peters and Villa trailing in hot pursuit.
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The St Peters’ bowlers rose to the occasion to dismiss Padua for just 57 to keep their side in a remarkable premiership race.
It is the Saints best season in years, with four wins propelling them close to the title.
A stunning bowling effort in defence of 8-206 did the trick, with Sree Bachu 2-12, Sebastian Sinnot 2-8. Matt Harvie 0-21, Ashish Neredumilli 4-10 and Dyer 2-1 all bowling the house down.
St Peters need to beat Villanova next week and hope results go their way to be a chance of the premiership. They are still outsiders, but what a reward for the squad to be at least have a remote chance at the title.
Earlier, St Peters batted first and Aarav Pant and Matt Harvie recovered from the loss of an early wicket to send their side beyond 50, 60 and 70.
Plackett had claimed Nelson with a glistening new ball, but the St Peters batsmen did not go into their shell.
Then came a mini collapse as Nathan Black claimed Pan, stumped by Pecic, while Harvie was run out by Broadhurst.
The wicket of the dangerous Sree Bachu, snared by outstanding Padua all-rounder Will Tozer, after a run-a-ball 18 then positioned Padua nicely. Those scalps slowed St Peters progress, although Saints were still well positioned at 4-100 after 28 overs.
Padua bowlers Will Webster and Cameron Plackett had done a great job keeping the St Peters batsmen restrained with their efforts.
Dyer and McCormack then consolidated the AIC innings, and with 10 overs remaining the Saints were well placed at 5-146, with Dyer (65 not out) still at the crease.
With St Peters 7-173 with five overs remaining, Dyer was the key to a 200-plus total as Padua’s bowlers kept chipping away.
In the Iona v Villanova encounter, Villa’s Tristan Bailey (59) was a batting anchor in support of stroke makers Finn Thallon (41 not out) and Connor Moloney (36, 39 balls) who powered their side to victory via the Duckworth-Lewis calculation.
Villa were chasing an imposing 7-211, but finished with 5-188 from 43.5 overs.
With rain threatening Moloney upped the ante with three fours and two sixes during a blistering late innings effort while Thallon batted to be not out 41 (45 balls).
Hats off to Bailey for his 129 minutes at the crease which cemented the innings.
It was a big chase after Iona’s batsmen fired.
Batting first Liam Johns fired Iona beyond 50 after the early loss of Zayne Thomas (25).
The stylish Thomas was run out, but then Harley Malpass joined Johns in a partnership that saw their side reach the fabulous staging ground of 1-100 in the 28th over.
Johns moved past his 50 through 100 balls, while Malpass was the pacesetter, a free-flowing batsmen who both found the boundaries, but also ran aggressively between the stumps.
Malpass reached 50 from 55 balls as Iona approached the 150 mark with around 13 overs left in reserve. It was an excellent launching pad.
Johns eventually fell for a terrific 67, a grand openers knock which had complimented the stroke play of Malpass and Thomas.
Liam Carter then pushed on with Malpass who also scored 67 (68 balls) before Villa captain Tom Rieck claimed his vital wicket.
Rieck then claimed Collins, while Thallon ran out Bragger but those efforts could not prevent Iona posted a 200-plus total.
St Edmund’s College produced its best batting of the season - 8-192 - only for St Patrick’s to storm to 9-182 and win via Duckworth-Lewis after a rain stopped play.
But full marks to St Edmund’s for giving it a crack, with its first innings effort setting up a thriller they almost won.
Earlier, Eddie’s’ openers Cooper Read (23) and Liam Costello (41) got off to a great start with a 54 run opening partnership before skipper Ben Naish (25) and Costello combined for 43.
After Stevie Hogan’s off spin removed Naish, and his fielding Ryder Rundell (4), Ethan Ketelhohn (33) and Pat Albion (25) tallied 59 together- an excellent response after losing two wickets for no runs.
Eddie’s we’re gifted 34 runs worth of extras on their way to their second highest score of the season with 192.
Noah James was superb with the ball for Paddies, coming away with figures of 3/26, taking three wickets in a row to invoke a lower order collapse. Ryan Jessep (2-25) bowled beautifully too.
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