GPS cricket: The round 5 Team of the Week named as The Southport School remain in the box seat for another First XI premiership
The GPS First XI round 5 Team of the Week is revealed here as the premiership race hots up ahead of the championship rounds.
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Title contenders TSS and Terrace both had commanding wins during round five of GPS First XI cricket.
The Terrace bowlers were able to envelop the Churchie batsmen, dismissing them for just 118, while The Southport School’s batsman Jaxson Davies (88 not out) was in a rampaging mood against Nudgee. Davies took his side to a win with 14 overs to spare.
In other matches, BBC opener Zac Robinson (97) was brutal against Ipswich Grammar School (125) while BSHS (8-97) won a thriller against BGS (96).
The top four sides, TSS, Terrace, BSHS and BBC, were yet to have a bye which added intrigue to the title race given there were still plenty of bonus points up for grabs.
PREMIERSHIP LADDER: 1. TSS 29, 2. Terrace 24, 3. BSHS 21, 4. BBC 20, 5. Nudgee 16, 6. BGS 12, 7. IGS 11, 8. Churchie 9, 9. TGS 9
TEAM OF THE WEEK
1. Zac Robinson (BBC)
The Sunshine Coast junior and former Queensland U17 representative continued his outstanding season with a high tempo 97 (123 balls) against IGS.
Robinson has been the form opener of the competition, making 33, 54, 14, 1 and 97. His near century performance included 11 fours and one six.
2. Abhay Dhaliwal (Nudgee)
The baby of the competition, Abhay Dhaliwal played a superb innings (83) against the well drilled TSS bowling and fielding line-ups.
He had earlier made starts, scoring 15 and 17, but went on with the job in a big way against the premiers.
Abhay would have earned the respect of the TSS bowlers who would have been taken a little by surprise as he mixed defence with 11 fours and four sixes.
3. Theodore Bacalakis (Terrace)
The Queensland U17 representative did it all again, scoring 48, taking 2-13 (nine overs) with his leg spin and being a panther in the field.
Bacalakis set the tempo of the innings with his sparkling innings which lasted just 64 deliveries.
4. Cameron Sinfield (TSS)
The Mr Entertainment of GPS First XI openers, Sinfield again set the tempo of the innings with a blazing 51 from just 56 deliveries.
Two towering sixes were included in his highlights reel package as he and Jaxson Davies attacked Nudgee with force four velocity. He also took 1-46.
5. Jaxson Davies
Alongside BBC’s Blake Armstrong, Davies would be the most feared batsman in the competition.
He was at his aggressive best against Nudgee, making the famous Ross Oval look like a junior ground on his way to 88 from 82 balls. Cars parked on Northumbria Road were in danger as Davies unleashed.
6. D’Arcy Satharasinghe (BBC)
Are we talking about the player of the round here? D’Arcy Satharasinghe has been another one of the form players of the competition, with the all-rounder’s aggressive batting and penetrating spin impressing win, lose or draw. Also an elite football player, Satharasinghe’s explosive 65 from 52 balls lit up IGS’s Main Oval. Then at the bowling crease he also captured 3-23 from 10 overs.
7. Charles Hinze (BSHS)
Hinze has had a mighty season with bat and bowl, and his high standards continued in a low scoring game against BGS.
His left arm orthodox spin spell of 10-4-16-1 was instrumental in his side dismissing BGS for just 96, and then he top scored with a fighting 29. That innings was difference between a win and a loss for his side.
8. Cruz Baker (BGS)
Baker deserved his place in the Team of the Week after another wholehearted effort.
He top scored with 24 in a lowing scoring innings, then dragged Brisbane Grammar back into the match with an inspiring spell of 10-3-15-2.
9. Ashton Clark (BBC)
Talented leg spin bowler Clark (3-23, 10 overs) is another player from BBC who will be pushing hard for Team of the Season honours. He always bowls through the middle and toward the end of the innings, never failing to deliver the goods. Indeed his most expensive spell this season was conceding 26 runs from 10 overs.
10. Jordan Hook (BSHS)
Hook went bang, bang and bang at the start of the BGS innings to take three quick wickets, pushing them onto the backfoot from the outset. The left arm swing bowler bowled a controlled seven overs which included two maidens. It is the second time this season Hook has featured in the Team of the Season after his round one appearance.
11. Hayden Trevethan (TSS)
Trevethan (3-24) did the heavy lifting for The Southport School, working his way through the Nudgee College middle order. The big wicket was Queensland representative Hayden Hamilton who was set on 38, but he also ousted a dangerous Charlie Henderson who had flowed to 32, and the talented Thomas Bayo.
12. Kethmin Meegasdeniya (BSHS) was magnificent in a winning effort. His wonderful spell of 2-12 (eight overs) kept the pressure on, and then at the death he survived seven balls to score one not out to help his team scramble a thrilling win over BGS.
Special mentions
Harry Langdon (BGS)
The Queensland representative had claims for a Team of the Week placement after ripping through the BSHS middle order. The fast bowler claimed 3-18 from five overs.
Jackson McDonald (Terrace)
The rising all-rounder was on song with the bat against Churchie, working his way to 56 (run out) in what was his most authoritative innings in First XI cricket so far. McDonald, who also never fails to take a wicket when he bowls medium pace, has been the rookie of the season – so far.
Sree Shauri Parthiv Bachu and Liam McGrath (both BSHS) were superb with the ball, with Bachu snaring 2-23 and McGrath two wickets.
Harry Klatt (Terrace)
Klatt blew the top off the Churchie innings by snaring the important wickets of opener Liam Stieper and No.3 Daniel Desmet. From there, Terrace bowlers Theodore Bacalakis (2-13), Harry Jackson (2-36) and George Hales (3-43) in his second spell never took their foot off the throat of their rivals.
Samuel Drinnen (Churchie)
Drinnen was rewarded for effort with a nice haul bowling first change. His 3-31 against an aggressive batting line-up on Saturday was a gallant effort by the son of a gun – his dad Peter played Sheffield Shield for Queensland.
Colby Rudd (IGS): This very fine cricketer again contributed to Toowoomba Grammar School, top scoring with a defiant 37.
Dushyant Thaman (TSS) and Ellis McCarthy (TSS) both claimed two wickets, McCarthy with his pace and Thaman with his spin.
Sean Hansen (Churchie) stood up to the Terrace attack, making 42 not out from 67 balls.
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