GPS First XI cricket: Player of the round; Team of the Week
Who was the Player of the Round after last weekend’s dramatic four matches - and what does the Round 3 Team of the Week look like? All revealed here.
Local sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Brisbane Grammar School all-rounder and captain Angus Tolhurst was our Player of the Round after a dramatic round 3 of action which saw star efforts left, right and centre.
Tolhurst bowled his 10 overs of off-spin against St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace for just 12 runs - then scored 45 not out in a tense run chase to get his team home.
But there were other highlights included:
+ Toowoomba Grammar School skipper Callum Galvin was also rewarded for his leadership after Grammar snared victory over The Southport School at The Village Green
+ Churchie’s Hamish McDonald was a match winner with the bat against Nudgee College.
+ Rex Tooley’s 56 not out from just 39 balls to help send TGS hurtling to victory against TSS
+ Jack Hogarth made a dramatic impact with bat and ball for BBC in its gripping win over IGS.
+ BBC’s Sam Bell was again a high class contributor with bat and ball.
RELATED LINKS
TEAM OF THE WEEK
1. KANE NEILSEN (Nudgee College)
Did rain prevent Neilsen from scoring a century? We will never know after his two speed 74 not out (215 minutes) positioned Nudgee into a winning position - before heavy showers disrupted the round.
Neilsen was both assertive and then watchful when Nudgee lost 4-11 mid-innings. In an era of fast food cricket, it is wonderful to see an opener adapt to the circumstances and maximise his time at the crease. I hope Brisbane Heat players, officials and coaches take note of the way he goes about his cricket.
2. PAARTH MENON (TGS)
Menon was the foundation on which the TGS run chase was constructed against The Southport School. Menon scored 51 in 103 minutes, punishing anything loose while patiently looking to work the ball. He shared a second wicket partnership of 75 in swift time with Arshvir Singh which sent a message to the dressing room that the 208 target could be reached.
3. CALLUM GALVIN (TGS)
The TGS skipper has led from the front with bat and ball this season and it was fitting he was in the thick of it when he joined Rex Tooley in running down the TSS total on Saturday. He scored 39 not out in just over an hour. Galvin is a man for all seasons who can put his head down, consolidate and work the ball, while also being capable of scoring quickly as was the case against TSS. With the ball he also took 1-31 (10 overs).
4. REX TOOLEY (TGS)
Tooley (56 not out, 39 balls) was aggressive in moving Toowoomba Grammar School to the victory target (208) against TSS at the Village Green. If you get a chance to be positive against TSS at home, you have to seize the moment and Tooley did just that. He also contributed to a run out.
5. HAMISH McDONALD (Churchie)
He took the new ball bowling leg spin but it was McDonald’s batting which proved the difference when Churchie emerged from out of the rain showers to steer Churchie to a thrilling run chase win. He scored 67 from just 48 balls and kept his nerve when Nudgee came late and hard - getting Churchie over the line despite his side losing 4-2. Earlier, he started Nudgee’s mid-innings collapse by dismissing Nudgee ace Jack Balkin.
6. ANGUS TOLHURST (BGS)
He proudly led BGS onto the field in the absence of regular skipper Hugh Weibgen and showed his team the way to victory with ball and bat. After an amazing new ball effort of spin (0-12, 10 overs), the left handed Tolhurst scored a match high 45 not out in almost two hours. He absorbed the pressure to take his team from 5-64 to 110. He also had a hand in a run out.
7. SAM BELL (BBC)
Bell was captain marvel in his team’s gripping win over Ipswich Grammar School. After scoring 37 (91 balls) in a low-scoring match, his leg-spin yielded 2-23 at a time when IGS were pushing closer to the victory target.
8. JAVEN D’SOUZA (BBC)
He may have missed out with the bat but D’Souza was Bell’s spin twin partner, snaring 3-18. Tall, and with a wristy grip of the ball upon approach, it is the second time in three matches that Javen has made a significant impact with the ball after taking 4-40 when under pressure against BSHS.
RELATED LINKS
GPS FIRST XI – PLAYERS TO WATCH
GUN GPS FIRST’S OLD BOYS XI TO HELP THE HEAT, BULLS
9. CHARLIE THOMAS (BGS)
Thomas was one of BGS’s fast bowling enforcer against Terrace (2-17), but he displayed a calm head with the bat in scoring 17 not out in a tense 69 minute, 45 run partnership under pressure with Tolhurst.
10. JACK HOGARTH (BBC)
Would BBC have won without the late partnership between Jack Hogarth (26) and James Alexander (46 not out). No. That partnership took BBC from 7-85 to 156 - giving their side a fighting chance. Hogarth then iced his contribution by taking 3-17 and was so close to being our Player of the Round, it was not funny.
11. CALLUM VIDLER (BGS)
Probably the fastest bowler in the competition, his seven over effort yielded 3-19 after Tolhurst and Will Sheedy had subdued Terrace batting early on. Tolhurst and Sheedy kept Terrace quiet, creating a perfect storm for Vilder and Thomas (mentioned above) to attack Terrace.
12. HENRY ZIETSCH (Churchie)
Left arm pace bowler Zietsch (2-16) came back strongly after having no ball problems the week before to lead from the front and challenge the Nudgee batsmen.
RELATED LINKS
GPS TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 1
GPS TEAM OF THE WEEK - ROUND 2
SPECIAL MENTIONS
MICHAEL HARPER (Terrace)
Harper did everything within his power to protect Terrace’s unbeaten start to the season with wickets and a key run out which left Terrace an uncertain 5-65 chasing 109. The off-spinner (2-16, 10 overs) placed tremendous pressure on BGS early by claiming two wickets and bowling tightly.
ZAC McDERMOTT (TSS)
McDermott challenged the Toowoomba Grammar School batsmen with the ball (7-3-14-0) and then as a batsman he put his patience cap on and was the middle order rock when the TSS innings had wobbled to be 3-50. He scored 34 runs from 97 balls. Both Harper and McDermott were unlucky Team of the Week omission.
HARRY SHEPPARD (IGS)
We would love to have found room for Sheppard in our Team of the Week. He did everything in his power to get Ipswich Grammar School over the line in what was the team’s third thriller of the season. He scored 39 runs, claimed a wicket and was involved in a run out.
TOM MALONE (Nudgee)
The wickets kept coming for the left arm swing bowler who claimed 3-25 against Churchie.
JACK GELDARD (IGS)
Gee, Geldard is having a huge say with his efforts this season. He took 1-21 (10 overs) at the weekend after coming off 1-18 in round 1 and after scoring 34 in round 2.
OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES ON SATURDAY
ROUND 4
Brisbane State High School v Terrace
The Southport School v Churchie
Ipswich Grammar School v Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Boys College v Nudgee College
Bye: TGS
FOOTNOTE: Test greats Allan Border and Matthew Hayden will attend a Valley District Cricket Club Back to Valley Day at Ashgrove on Saturday from 2pm.
Valley, junior club to many of the GPS past and present players, has 1550 playing members this season and wants to show case its progress to past players on Saturday.
Valley’s now boasts 13 senior men’s sides, two senior women’s sides, almost 1400 junior players and Junior Blasters and Master Blasters programs.
“The club is also going through an exciting clubhouse upgrade,’’ a spokesman said.
2025 QRSS calendar released exposing key clashes
The 2025 Queensland Representative School Sport calendar has been released, with some surprise clashes posing questions for many cross-code athletes across the state. View the full list:
Qld’s 40+ top junior female cricketers from U15-19 revealed
Meet the Queens of female youth cricket, 40+ elite U15-19 years players storming through the ranks en-route to representing Queensland. FULL LIST