Epic game of the season sets up exciting premiership race
GPS First XI cricket: The Southport School stretched its premiership lead but read why they were not past the post - along with our Team of the Week following an epic 512 run feast between BBC and Nudgee.
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Bonus points kings The Southport School has stretched its competition lead following victory over Churchie.
TSS were now on 36 points, ahead of giant-killing Toowoomba Grammar School (31) and a resurgent Brisbane Boys College (29) after both those schools had wins on Saturday, with BBC (259) upsetting Nudgee (254) at Nudgee during an extraordinary day of batting when 512 runs were scored.
Storylines flowed left, right and centre following the remarkable match between BBC and Nudgee, while Ipswich Grammar School’s Luke Wegner took six wickets in a losing side. Amazing.
But despite TSS’s lead, they do have a bye looming when they will accumulate no points, which points to a last round shoot off between the trio.
GPS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR, SENIOR THRILLERS
And of course this Saturday’s round 7 blockbuster between TSS and TGS in Toowoomba will go a long way to decide who remains in the premiership frame.
TSS then play Nudgee College in round 9, a challenge regardless of whether Nudgee were still in premiership contention.
Both TGS and Brisbane Boys College have two home matches in their last three games.
With three rounds to play, the premiership table looks like this.
1. TSS 36
2. TGS 31
3. BBC 29
4. Nudgee 25
5. Churchie 19
6. BGS 12
7. BSHS 12
8. Terrace 10
9. IGS 10
The road ahead will see:
TSS v TGS (away), bye, Nudgee (home)
TGS v TSS (home), Nudgee (home), IGS (away)
BBC v IGS (home), Terrace (home), BSHS (away)
Nudgee v Churchie (home), TGS (away), TSS (away)
RELATED LINKS
GPS FIRST XI CRICKET ROUND 5 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
GPS CRICKET GUNS STAR IN UNDER 19s
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
BBC v NUDGEE COLLEGE
James Martens (BBC)
Martens set the highest of standards with a run-a-ball 81 that sent BBC hurtling toward a 250-plus total. A class act, Martens had started the season in such style before dipping a little, only to enter the big stage on Saturday and deliver. He was so dominant, he scored 81 of the first 132 runs scored. Martens also claimed the vital wicket of Jackson Andrews (52, 58 balls) who, if he had batted on, would have won the match for Nudgee. Pure and simple.
Blake Armstrong (BBC)
The BBC allrounder was handy with the bat (he scored 17 in an opening stand of 38 with James Martens) but the talented spinner was remarkable with the ball. In a game featuring 512 runs, he bowled 10-3-29-3, including Nudgee openers Matt Fielding and the dangerous Dane Neilsen.
James Alexander and Ryan Atley (BBC)
After James Martens had his way with the Nudgee attack over the opening hour and a half, Alexander (35) and Atley (34) picked up the baton and carried their side beyond 200. At 3-200 BBC had wickets in hand and the freedom to continue chasing a flurry of runs. Alexander was taken too with the ball - he conceded 67 runs - but he also took two early wickets, including Nudgee captain Jack Balkin, and he also dismissed Angus McLean late and produced the run out of Carter Corless. What a performance. And gloveman Atley also came up with a third over stumping.
Jackson Andrews and Mitchell Graham (Nudgee)
They almost did it. Andrews and Graham put together a withering partnership, a union only broken when Graham was forced to retire hurt for 62 after a breezy 65 ball knock. Andrews, having bowled very well (1-39) earlier in the day in a high scoring game, then pushed on to make 52 (58 balls). Andrews almost did it, dismissed by James Martens with victory in sight after cajoling tailender Carter Corless (12) along with him in a partnership which also secured a remarkable win. Allrounder Noah McFadyen also had a big match. He scored 45 (61 balls) and claimed 3-39 (six overs),
Jack Balkin (Nudgee)
In a match where 512 runs were scored, to have figures of 10-3-23-1 was absolutely remarkable for an off spinner on a small ground. The Nudgee captain was a gem at the bowling crease, while credit must also be given to Ed Kasprowicz (3-40) who held it together to claim late wickets despite the ball coming onto the bat.
After all that action at Nudgee, is there room for any other Players of the Round? Absolutely there is. Read on.
BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL v IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Callum Vidler (BGS) and Sam Brown (BGS)
Since Vidler’s return from Australian under 19 it is no coincidence that BGS has won both its matches, with his bat and ball effort against IGS yesterday a match winning performance.
He scored 49 from 46 balls to send BGS racing to almost 250, ensuring great early work by Sam Brown (60, 58 balls), Ethan Du Payne (42) and captain Brad Mackintosh (46, 61 balls) did not go to waste. How skipper Mackintosh must love tossing Vidler the ball because he surely puts fear into the batsmen, such is his pace. Yesterday he helped arrest BSHS’s momentum with a 10 over spell of 0-23. Hats off also to Du Payne who was the rock of the innings, batting for nearly two hours.
Luke Wegner (Ipswich Grammar School)
It is not often a bowler takes 6-36 in a losing side, but that is what Wegner achieved. The South Brisbane junior had BGS 2-9 in the blink of an eye, then returned to confront the Brown, Du Payne and MacIntosh onslaught in the middle of the innings, before bowling out the match. It was a fabulous performance. It is the second time this season he has entered into the Players of the Round story following a spirited round 2 performance.
Jack Matthews and Ollie Skerl (BGS)
The pair did their bit by curtailing a promising IGS batting line-up which at stages looked capable of challenging BGS’s 243. Matthews, a veteran of last season’s premiership success, bowled a net and tidy 10-2-29-1 while Skerl finished with 9.5-1-26-1. They benefited from the pressure exerted by Vidler during his mid-innings bowling effort.
BSHS v Terrace
TSS v CHURCHIE
Zac McDermott and Dushyant Thaman (TSS)
McDermott is fast mounting a case for GPS bowler of the year after another four wicket haul in his team’s victory over Churchie. The son of Test champion Craig, McDermott took 4-22, again being rewarded for great control, swing and building pressure. Around him left arm orthodox spinner Thaman continued to impress, with the year 10 student bowling a fabulous 10-1-20-2 burst. Outswing bowler Ryan Summers again contributed and all in all it was a tremendous bowling effort by TSS to dismiss Churchie for 102.
Griff Williams and Jacob Bath (TSS)
We are used to writing about Williams’ fast bowling, but this season his batting has been a big factor in TSS’s premiership winning position. Again he fired from No.4, scoring 55 from 67 balls before being run out. Bath (51) also set a high standard at the top of the order, and together with Ned Hanrahan (39), he set up the game for TSS with an opening stand of 97.
Henry Hillier and Charlie Moore (Churchie)
Left arm spinner Hillier (1-33 and a run out) and leg spinner Moore (0-28) have been two of Churchie’s best this season, and against quality opposition the pair again rose to the occasion. If they are not taking wickets, they are building pressure. Big hearted paceman Dan Boreham has also been excellent for Churchie this season.
BSHS v Terrace
Jack Sonter (BSHS)
Lightning struck twice with Sonter delivering the goods seven days after scoring a treasured GPS hundred. The Queensland under 17 batsman was again at his classy best, with 46 from 59 balls during BSHS win over Terrace. It was the top score in a low scoring game.
Pranshu Dave, Jem Du and co.
BSHS has been under the hammer for most of the season with its batting not holding up. But one thing has been consistent - the bowlers have dug deep and produced, even when facing forlorn situations. For the last two weeks, however, they have enjoyed bowling off the front foot courtesy of Sonter’s two innings, and were now cashing in for hours of toil earlier in the summer. Dave took 4-32 from his 10 overs, but around him Du (2-10), Jake Kranen (3-8), Tom Moloney, Max Isoardi and Dan Skipwith did their jobs.
Tom Stubbin (Terrace)
The Terrace skipper did everything possible to keep his team within striking distance of BSHS with another big hearted performance with the ball. Stubbin claimed 3-21 from 10 overs, bowling four maidens in an inspiring performance that restricted BSHS to 153. Indeed the entire bowling unit of Hallion, Ilott, Eustance, Morgan and Frost did their jobs, but Stubbins was the ants pants.
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