GPS First XI premiership goes down to the wire; unsung heroes revealed
Who have been the unsung heroes of GPS First XI cricket this season? And who is in the box seat to claim the coveted premiership next Saturday? We have the answers to both questions here.
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Toowoomba Grammar School’s Connor Walker scored a cherished GPS First XI century as TGS moved within a whisker of leaders The Southport School in the premiership race entering next week’s final round.
Walker, a year 11 boarder, raised his 100 from 132 balls as TGS (5-265) generated enough bonus points to close the gap on The Southport School.
TSS has 43 points and TGS 41 points, meaning TSS must win to ensure its premiership.
Brisbane Boys College slipped to third and were out of contention after they lost to a Tom Stubbin-inspired Terrace who defended (8-187).
Bonus point kings The Southport School had their round 7 match washed out, followed by a bye yesterday.
It was TGS who took their chance, with the Darling Downs’ boys accounting for Nudgee (148) despite 59 not out from Jack Balkin.
GPS FIRST XI 90 IMAGE PICTURE GALLERY
GPS HEAD OF THE RIVER PICTURE GALLERY
The road ahead will see:
TSS v Nudgee (home)
TGS v IGS (away)
BBC v BSHS (away)
Walker, who was eventually run out for 110, scored his first 50 from just 69 balls before reeling things in a little before scampering two runs to reach 100 from 132 deliveries.
Hundreds don’t come easily in this prestigious competition and his milestone on his home ground of Mills Oval sparked great celebration around the school community.
Prior to this innings Walker had had a steady summer, but nothing to indicate he would join an elite band of batting brothers with three figures next to their names.
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ROUND 7 PLAYERS OF THE ROUND HERE
GPS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR, SENIOR THRILLERS
In partnership with Walker, Oates again fired with thrilling batting.
It was blast off time for Oates who crashed 56 runs from 31 balls after Charlie Bignall (42) and Joe Sippel (25) had laid an early platform alongside Walker.
Oates and Walker added 98 runs in just 52 minutes as TGS reached the safety of 5-265.
When Nudgee batted, the TGS attack bowled beautifully in unison as Samarawickrama (2-27), Webster (2-25), Lachmund (1-36), Malhotra (3-26) and Kruger (1-32) bowled well.
Terrace unseated BBC after Theodore Bacalakis (68) and Harry Frost (64) added a match defining 144 for the second wicket.
Despite BBC’s recovery to restrict Terrace to 8-187, the BBC (116) batting did not stand up to Stubbin, Eustance and Ilott who took eight wickets between them.
In the BSHS v Brisbane Grammar School clash, Callum Vidler (45) influenced the match with the bat this time as BGS claimed victory despite Oliver Peck’s four wickets for BSHS.
BGS scored 8-205 with Vidler top scoring, and then the inform Soham Sane unleashed for BGS with three wickets.
Vidler also claimed one and with masterful bowling by Ollie Skerl, the target proved too great for BSHS (168) despite Daniel Skipwith blasting 72.
In Ipswich, Churchie paceman Dan Boreham (4-19) and spinner Charlie Moore (4-18) claimed eight wickets between them to roar through Ipswich Grammar School for 96.
There was also grand support from the Storen boys, Henry Hillier of course and Tighe Morris who bowled eight overs for just 11 runs.
When Churchie batted they overcame the loss of two early wickets to win by seven wickets, with Jack Ryan and Clancy Brady both 30m not out.
HERE’S OUR UNSUNG HEROES OF THE SEASON
Blake Armstrong (BBC)
He went within one scoring shot (97) of a cherished and rare GPS First XI premiership, and offered a fine support role with his slow bowling. His valuable contribution was highlighted again in round eight with the new ball when he bowled 10-6-9-0. Aside from his runs, he snared seven wickets while also conceding around 2.80 runs an over which helped build pressure down the line.
Tom Stubbin and James Eustance (Terrace)
The right arm swing bowler and hard hitting all-rounder had a fine season for Terrace, with his bowling the foundation of his season. Stubbin claimed a match winning 3-23 in Terrace’s upset win over BBC and along with James Eustance, bowled their side to victory. Eustance (13 wickets at 16) upgraded his season ranking from good to very good after his three wicket haul yesterday as well. The promising William Ilott also had a good season.
Carter Corless (Nudgee)
Corless entered the season slightly understated given a Kasprowicz (Ed), another McFadyen (Noah), and even a Balkin (Jack) - all well known names in GPS sporting circles - were part of the Nudgee attack. But Corless did a great job breaking partnerships across the summer. Right arm out swing bowler Angus McLean, no relation of the great Paul McLean, was also Nudgee’s pace bowling enforcer and had a bit of x-factor about him, while Kasprowicz was economical.
Jayden Draper (Churchie)
Churchie were blessed to have such a craftsman behind the stumps and the great news for the college is that he will be back again in 2023. Under the coaching of former Queensland gloveman Peter Drinnen, Draper continues to impress and the 2022 Queensland Schoolboys keeper is sure to have a major leadership role waiting for him next summer. He does not have the batting of Matt Fielding (Nudgee) or Ryan Atley (BBC), but by heavens he has the glovework.
Jacob Bath and Ryan Summers (TSS)
Entering next week’s final round, Bath has been a tremendous asset to his team with economical bowling, six wickets and a half century with the bat. One of the best all-rounders in the competition, he provided balance to the almost perfectly weighted TSS team which is on the cusp of yet another premiership. Summers was also called upon following Griff Williams limited bowling and did a tremendous job, maintaining pressure (2.89 runs per over) and chipping in with six wickets.
Matthew Fielding (Nudgee)
Are we talking ahout the best wicketkeeper batsman in the competition? Probably. Although he missed out yesterday, he has had a good summer confronting the new ball and despite missing out yesterday in Toowoomba, Fielding still has almost 250 runs at 35 with a fluent strike rate of 72.
Ryan Atley (BBC)
If Fielding is not the best wicketkeeper batsman in the competition, then Atley is. He has been a revelation for BBC at No.5 and again threated yesterday with a dozen before his dismissal. He has 238 runs at 38, delivering some telling mini-innings that have helped BBC no end.
James Martens (BBC)
Martens started the season in a blaze of batting glory, but ultimately it was his bowling which would ensure he was mentioned on our list of Unsung Heroes. Martens batting - he scored two half centuries - was not understated, but his bowling was as he averaged a wicket a match in support of a workmanlike attack.
Sewmith Samarawickrama (TGS)
The Queensland under 17 national medium pacer was almost impossible to get away with the new ball.
While he also took some handy wickets, it was the pressure he built early which helped carve a pathway toward success for the giant-killing TGS. Also, don’t underestimate the contribution of all-rounder Cooper Webster, who aside from his batting and bowling, was a terrier in the field. Kruger Ewald will also be a very, very strong contender for our Team of the Year.
Oliver Skerl and Oliver Spence (BGS)
Spencer had a good season with the bat and was handy with the ball, while Skerl mesmerised opponents with his spin and guile. As a bowling unit they provided variation and support to inform Sane and of course Callum Vidler when he appeared late in the season.
Jem Du, Jake Kranen and Dave Pranshu (BShs)
Before Jack Sonter started on his run scoring feast, the BSHS bowling attack battled bravely with no runs to play with. Du, Kranen and Pranshu were a part of a gallant bowling group who ensured opposing batting line-ups had to work hard for the victory, with the threesome keeping pressure on with both wickets and heaps of dot balls. And there is a late season wildcard in the BSHS pack, Oliver Peck, who claimed four wickets yesterday.
Henry Hillier and Charlie Moore (Churchie)
Hillier was like a Boa constrictor, pinning batsmen and building pressure as he hustled through his overs, almost always with the new ball. Exhibit A was yesterday when, against Ipswich Grammar School, he bowled his 10 overs for 1-15. Moore, who claimed four wickets yesterday, was even more economical across the summer and it was through no fault of this pair that Churchie did not stay in the premiership race after a promising start.
Luke Wegner (IGS)
The right arm off-spin bowler will be back bigger and better next season after experiencing the rigours of First XI cricket for the first time. He had a good season with wickets complementing a low economy rate, and was promising with the bat.
Kori Ramdsen and Raziel Bhandari (IGS)
Ramsden had a good summer with the ball and although he went for more than four an overs, he had a low strike rate and did his best to lead by example. Bhandari was slightly less economical and also took wickets, and should be well pleased with his contribution.
Jack Heelan (BBC)
Heelan was a terrific bowling option for BBC, coming on fourth or fifth change when batsmen were looking to rough up the bowlers. But he held up his end of the bargain with wickets that kept the pressure on the opposition, and his team contribution was highlighted yesterday when he snare a vital wicket and then sparked a run out which got BBC back in the match against Terrace.
Dan Boreham and Ed Storen (Churchie)
The enforcers of the Churchie attack took more than 20 wickets between them after a big hearted summer. Boreham, a right arm medium pacer, was a terrific foil to left arm spinner Henry Hillier, regularly striking with the new ball as he did again in yesterday’s round eight match when he claimed three early wickets. Storen mirrored Boreham’s summer and they were unsung heroes of the competition.
Joe Sippel (TGS)
Sippel showed his class with a near century - 92 - in a summer which saw him play a support role in the batting line-up around his striking teammates, all the while keeping wickets with aplomb. Even yesterday he did not get big runs - he scored 25 - but was a part of a 65 run opening stand in run-a-minute time which highlighted his team contribution.
Fergus McFadyen (Nudgee)
McFadyen was handy with both ball and bat, with his contribution at the bowling crease, in particular, completing strike bowler McLean, off-spinner Balkin, Kasprowicz and the forever probing Carter Corless.
Ethan Du Payne (BGS)
Du Payne had a good season with the bat, fighting hard for his 188 runs which have come during 417 minutes of toil this summer at an innings average of 37. He has been a real fighter.
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