GPS First XI cricket round 2:
GPS First XI cricket round 2: Churchie and Ipswich Grammar in last ball thriller, TGS rookie Cooper Webster snares catch of the season.
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Churchie scrambled a last ball win over Ipswich Grammar School while one of the great catches by Toowoomba Grammar School rookie Cooper Webster could not prevent St Joseph’s Nudgee College from back to back wins.
Playing at home, Churchie scored 6-188 after IGS had set the match up with 9-187.
Churchie gloveman Jayden Draper and Riley Devereaux sprinted the nine runs needed from the last over in one of the great contests (report below).
And there was another thriller at Northgate, with Angus Tolhurst a hero for Brisbane Grammar School in a three wicket win against BSHS.
Nudgee’s big cousin, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace (8-207), also made it two from two after allrounder Tom Campbell (86), Hayden Evetts (3-18) and off-spinner Michael Harper (4-12) starred against Brisbane Boys College (83).
At Ross Oval, Nudgee, coming off a win over The Southport School, defended its 7-196 by dismissing TGS for 136.
But it was TGS rookie Webster’s astonishing reaction to reel in a full blooded square cut by inform Nudgee opener Kane Neilsen had tongues wagging at Ross Oval.
Indeed Nudgee coach Terry Oliver, a former Queensland Sheffield Shield winning coach, said Webster’s performance was possibly the finest catch he had seen in GPS cricket.
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The diminutive Webster, a Year 10 student and one of the new chums in the TGS side this season, also had an outstanding day with the ball, taking 2-27 with off-spin and seriously undermining Nudgee’s bid for a big total.
At 5-83 Nudgee were no sure things, but Jack Balkin (62) and James Kuzevich (49 on debut), turned things around to get the home side to 7-196.
Kuzevich sent the game away from TGS with a run-a-ball 49.
The strongly built Kuzevich was circumspect to start, but ramped up Nudgee’s innings with a fearless performance.
Earlier, Nudgee had been challenged by TGS fast bowler Jem Ryan (1-44) who got plenty of bounce.
When TGS batted they were 3-52 after 10 overs, pinned down by Nudgee’s Balkin (10-4-16-2) with his accurate, fast off-breaks.
Balkin was also the beneficiary of a fine catch, this time in the deep, where Carter Corless collected the ball near the deep backward square boundary.
TGS captain Callum Galvin (37, 117 minutes) dug in for the long haul and Jem Ryan counter-attacked with 32, but Nudgee were always ahead of the game after a new ball surge which included pressure from left arm paceman Tom Malone.
Corless was again impressive for Nudgee, but it was Daniel Seaton (4-23) who swept out the tail.
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At Northgate, BGS allrounder Angus Tolhurst stood up as his team survived a spirited rally by Brisbane State High School.
Defending just 142, BSHS displayed great spirit to turn 2-83 into 7-132 after a tremendous team bowling effort by Singh, Nanayakkarawasam, Mclean, Kranen, Meegama and Mahaarachch.
But it was BGS’s Tolhurst (40 not out) who kept his nerve across an 82 minute innings when BGS lost their way. He farmed the strike so No.9 Charles Thomas faced just three balls during their 12 run partnership.
BSHS started like a train when Dylan Crees (42) and Paavan Singh (21) raced their side to 0-44 after an hour of batting.
But fast bowlers Charlie Thomas and Callun Vidler (2-21), who is a genuine quick, reeled BSHS back and around them off-spinner Angus Tolhurst bowled tightly.
When Jack Sonter (25) and Josh Martin (13) were looking to get BSHS back on track, Will Sheedy struck with a run out while Toby Matthews claimed a wicket - all in the one over.
Chasing 144 to win, Sheedy (38, 48 balls) played positively as BGS moved to a winning position of 2-80 after over 20 overs.
BGS’s Hugh Weibgen also contributed 23 batting and 1-23 with the ball.
At Churchie, there was drama aplenty after Churchie’s Jack Ryan (60) batted for nearly three hours to steer his side toward a win - after taking a sensational catch earlier in the morning.
Churchie needed 37 runs off 36 balls and then 26 runs off 18 balls.
But Joshua Welsh (20) went bash and crash to get the tally down to 13 runs required from 12 balls - only to be run out by Ipswich Grammar’s Jackson Evetts.
Entering the last over Churchie required nine runs to win, with Draper and Riley Devereaux scrambling the runs.
In the morning session, IGS’s Cody Dalziel led a splendid comeback as IGS posted 9-187 - after being 3-66 20 overs into the innings.
Lachlan Cooper’s brilliant direct hit run out of IGS batting mainstay Harry Shepperd (29) was merely a glancing blow as Zane Newton (12), Lucas Sefont (24) and Jack GELDARD (34) batted with Dalziel.
For the second week in a row Churchie leg-spinner Hamish MacDonald bowled well for his side along with left arm orthodox spinner Henry Hillier (0-26, nine overs).
Medium pacers Stuart Hawker (2-33) and Cooper were also more than competitive and the IGS bats did well to mount the total they did.
IGS left hander Sheppard was threatening, pouncing on anything short as Churchie used six different bowlers inside the first 16 overs.
Ryan took a screamer for Churchie at slip off Stuart Hawker from the blade of Ipswich batsman, Lucas Sefont.
The edge went toward third slip - Ryan was at first slip - and he stretched as far as he could to pull down what Churchie supporters say is one of the greatest ever GPS catches.
When Churchie batted, they overcame the loss of an early wicket to work themselves to 2-86 after 30 overs courtesy of Henry Zietsch (21), Jack Ryan (60, 141 balls) and Lochie Butterworth-Love (21).
But Butterworth-Love was bowled by Zane Newton and tight bowling from Lachlan Holmes ensured Ipswich Grammar School had their nose in front entering the championship rounds.
Earlier in the innings, big heart Hayden Bloomfield gave his all in a six over burst (1-11) and finished with
On the Internationals Field at Tennyson, Terrace all-rounder Tom Campbell (86) displayed his class as his team made 8-207 against Brisbane Boys College (83).
Weston (36) and Harry Dutton (30, 31 balls) supported their ace, as Campbell moved to within sight of a century before being bowled by James Alexander (4-40) - one of four wickets.
Campbell struck six fours and a six during his 139 minutes as BCC spinners Javen D’souza and Sam Bell fought hard to quell the Terrace innings.
In reply, Terrace paceman Hayden Evetts rocked BBC early and the visitors never recovered.
Evetts claimed D’souza and danger man Darcy Graham for ducks, and from 2-5, BBC were soon 5-38.
BBC just could not get Campbell’s off-spin away despite the best efforts of Bell (15) and Declan Fawkner (16), there was no way back.
Michael Harper then claimed four late wickets with his off-spin - two caught and bowled and another bowled. He finished with the amazing figures of 4-12 from 7.3 overs. Sam Loch was an unsung hero again with 1-10 from seven overs, including the top notch wicket of BBC captain Bell.
ROUND 3
The Southport School v Toowoomba Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School v Gregory Terrace
Anglican Church Grammar School v Nudgee College
Ipswich Grammar School v Brisbane Boys College
Bye: BSHS
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