QLD U17s thrash NSW Metro at the 2023 National Cricket Championships
Meet the Queensland Cricket U17 team members side who demolished arch rivals NSW Metro to win the 2023 national championship this week.
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Queensland were the under 17 national champions after a landslide win over New South Wales Metro this week.
In its return to the representative calendar for the first time since 2020, the competition culminated in a supreme bowling and field effort from Queensland which restricted NSW to 92 from 43.2 overs.
You knew it was a strong Queensland bowling unit team when a leading wicket taker in the under 16 Lord Taverners competition, Brayden Meegama (University of Queensland), missed the selection boat.
And so it was as Grif Williams, Jack Balkin, Thisaja Samarawickrama, Cairns quick Seth McGinty, Alex Procopis and Jamie Alexander had the Blues’ bats tripping over themselves.
The final: Queensland 1/93, 28.4 overs (D Skipwith 32 not out, B Garnhan 28) def
NSW Metro 10/92, 43.2 overs (Boulton 25, Wright 19, Adlam 14, Williams 2-13, Balkin 2/11) lost to
Alex Procopis (Northern Suburbs)
The cricket ball must have looked the size of a beach ball used by frolicking backpackers on Bondi Beach for Procopis who scored a classy 83 at the carnival. But the all-rounder also contributed with the ball (seven wickets) as a part of the best bowling unit in the competition.
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Amitoj Sidhu (Toombul)
Sidhu entered the tournament on the front foot having snared 29 wickets at just 20.17 during his Lord Taverners under 16 season and the youngster, who is also a handy bat, did not disappoint during the tournament.
Bailey Garnham (Gold Coast)
What a moment for the Mudgeeraba Nerang & Districts’ Cricket Club to have two Queensland representatives in the title winning Queensland under 17s. Gloveman Garnham joined Grif Williams as their journey through junior representative sides reached new, dizzy heights. Garnham got four starts at the national carnival.
Carter Simpson (Sandgate-Redcliffe)
The Caboolture product who once played senior cricket with his dad Clayton, Simpson’s presence with bat and ball gave his team depth in both departments, with the Lord Tavener all-rounder playing a key role in Queensland’s success.
Curtis McAllister (Sunshine Coast)
McAllister earned his selection in the batting line-up with a steady summer and scored 18 in Queensland’s semi-final win.
Jamie Alexander (University of Queensland)
The Brisbane Boys College captain of cricket is a genuine all-rounder who chipped in with the bat, ball and in the field, including in the final when he snared a wicket.
Daniel Skipwith (Western Suburbs)
The exciting young batsmen who has a season of GPS First XI cricket ahead of him ensured there was no miracle fightback by NSW in the final when he dropped anchor for two hours (118 minutes) on his way to an unbeaten 32 not out. The BSHS First XI player was composed to underpin Queensland’s successful chase of 93 to win the grand final.
Eshwin Kapoor (Toombul)
From the Toombul Bulls, he was one of the younger members of the squad who helped bowl Queensland to victory with six wickets. The young leg spinner entered the tournament full of gusto after a Lord Taverners season had yielded him 30 wickets.
Griffith Williams (Gold Coast)
Another valuable bowling all-rounder, the Mudgeeraba Nerang & Districts’ Cricket Club rookie worked hard to typify Queensland’s team performance. The TSS rookie confirmed his place in the hotly contested Queensland side when he claimed 24 wickets at just 12 before Christmas in the under 16 club competition, and he kept the pressure on in the final by bowling four maidens on his way to snaring 2-13.
Jack Balkin (Toombul)
The elite all-rounder and captain helped skittle NSW Metro for a paltry 92 with a clever slow bowling spell of 2-11 from eight overs, an extraordinary return in a pressure cooker match. A smart thinker who has a profound knowledge of the game, the Nudgee College First XI all-rounder was always in the game with scores of 52, 28 and 22, along with eight wickets.
Jack Sonter (Western Suburbs)
Sonter is a classy right handed batsmen with all the shots around the wicket. The graceful batsmen got starts in five or his six innings without going right on with the job and was no doubt looking forward to his second season in the GPS First XI competition with BSHS.
Seth McGinty (Rovers, Cairns)
The Rovers first grade fast bowler, McGinty claimed a crucial grand final wicket as Queensland’s bowlers encircled their rivals to choke them to death in a lopsided grand final.
Thisaja Samarawickrama (South Brisbane)
The popular Samarawickrama known as TJ opened the bowling for Queensland where he set the highest of standards, claiming 12 wickets while never conceding more than 32 runs. Samarawickrama will revert to GPS First XI cricket this weekend where he will skipper Toowoomba Grammar School.
Jackson Steinhardt (Wynnum Manly)
Steinhardt has been an outstanding junior player on the bayside who, three years ago, made his grade debut aged just 13 years. He played in the final after initially being named a reserve.
Coach: Gavin Fitness
Assistant Coach: Ryan Harris
Reserve Squad Members
Brayden Meegama (University of Queensland)
Talon Reichert (Sunshine Coast)
Fergus McFadyen (Northern Suburbs)
REPLAYS: AFLQ Schools Cup, SEQ secondary quarterfinals, Day 1
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