Villa throw pigeon in the works while St Pat’s batsmen fire and Ash bowlers deliver the goods

AIC First XI cricket: The Villanova College bowlers have tossed a grenade into the premiership race by ambushing Iona, while St Pat’s and St Peters won today.

QST_AICROUND1_WK50 Saturday, 15 February 2025 - AIC First XI match between Villanova and St Edmund's.

Villanova College ambushed their arch rivals Iona, generating a shock result which has thrown the race for the AIC First XI premiership wide open.

In the match of the season, Villa won by one wicket after Fraser Smith (22 not out) pushed his side to 9-156 chasing Iona’s 155.

On a beautiful sunny day, Villa’s bowlers delivered shock and awe strikes with the new ball, at one stage reducing the premiers to 6-66 from 32 overs. More on that match below.

ROUND 3 TEAM OF THE ROUND

And in another round four highlight, St Peters bowling leader Lars Sagorski claimed 5-25 as his side somehow defended just 90 against Padua.

In addition, St Patrick’s Queensland U17 representative Theo Tsingos smashed 80 not out from just 52 balls as his side reached a winning score of 6-310 against St Edmund’s.

St Pats v St Edmonds Nick Weedon.

In the main match, Smith was a hero with the bat, scoring 22 not out and scampering a vital run score by No.11 Lucas DAmore.

Smith kept his cool across 51 deliveries, watching wickets fall around him but never losing his focus. It was a wonderful innings.

The Iona bowlers had done so well as a unit. Finn Haller (2-26), Jesse Haller (3-42) and Liam Johns (2-30) almost did it for Iona - but Smith was too good.

Villanova earlier in the season against St Edmund's.

Earlier, Villa ace Finn Thallon and off spin bowler Oscar Tesch led the way with an extraordinary opening spell that rendered Iona listless - until Flynn Donnelly’s dramatic 52 for Iona helped his side to 155.

St Pats v St Edmonds Alex Featherstone

Villa had Iona 4-46 which became 6-66 from 32 overs as Iona crept along, trying to wriggle free of Villanova’s vice-like hold.

Villanova’s best player, Thallon bowled 7-1-17-2 while Tesch bowled his 10 overs through to claim a remarkable 2-12.

In his debut season, Year 12 student Tesch continued to build pressure when right arm medium pace bowler Samuel Pauli entered the bowling crease at the other end.

Pauli then claimed two wickets.

Luke Biddle (15), Jess Haller (20) and Donnelly (52) then resuscitated the innings with a late scramble.

Donnelly was magnificent ahead, taking on the Villa attack to elevate his side to the high water mark of 155. No one saw that total coming, and full credit to Donnelly and also Haller and James Turner (13 not out) for their support roles.

St Pats v St Edmunds batsmen have a drink.

St Peters captain Sagorski was enormous with his five wicket haul on a day for bowlers against Padua.

He took 5-25 as Padua were dismissed for 81. Yashveer Khatkar (2-12), Isaac Krause (1-23), Harrison Brown (0-17) and Hugo Kelly (1-4) all helped out, but it was Sagorski who took a bow.

Earlier, Padua bowlers with Alex Kirkpatrick (3-27), Quinn Walton (2-20) and Ryan Out (3-15) were outstanding.

Iona batsman Ryan Out AIC First XI cricket game. Padua V Iona Saturday February 24, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Off spin bowler Out bowled superbly after the new ball bowlers had done their thing.

It was a wonderful team bowling performance by Padua and as a result they had the match in hand at the halfway point in the game.

Villanova earlier in the season against St Edmund's.

Late in the innings Isaac Nixon (1-12) also contributed, as Saints were kept to just 90.

St Peters then fought hard with the ball, reducing Padua to 4-40 in reply after Sagorski snared three quick wickets to give his side a chance.

Hugo Kelly, Yashveer Khatkar and Isaac Krause all built pressure around Sagorski.

QST_WSN_GPSROUND8_WK50 - Larz Sagorski

The Ashgrove versus St Laurence’s match was won by Ash after they dominated from start to finish.

Ash bowlers Will Easter and Joey Laner lassoed their rivals early, then Archie Tallon bowled first change to bowled his 10 overs unchanged - 10-2-10-2.

Thomas Vaseo (25) tried to break the bowling open, but Jack Watson then chimed in with another two wickets and St Laurence’s were bogged down at 7-93 from 43 overs.

Leggie Joshua Pope also chipped in for a wicket for Ashgrove.

Jack Watson. Picture courtesy of Denver Jensen.

Watson (3-10) actually took the bowling honours, but the ground work was done by Tallon, Laner and Easter before he reached the top of the bowling mark for his first ball.

Archie Murray (1-16) also bowled well as Ashgrove were able to restrict their rivals to just 117, a score inflated by St Laurence’s Eddie Grimwade (17) hitting out at the death.

Ash won by six wickets, with Braidyn Polich making 43 and Jack Watson 33 not out.

St Pat's batsmen await their time at the crease.

St Patrick’s batsmen jumped the gun against St Edmund’s at Curlew Park, with Nic Weedon dropping anchor as Marlin Jones (32), Carter McSweeney (20) and Austin Tsingos (18) played shots around him.

They hoisted Paddies’ to 3-145 at the 33rd over mark, a wonderful launching pad for the bayside boys. This was despite St Eddies’ Samuel Morris and Rylan McDonald bowled splendidly for their side.

St Pats v St Edmonds - Eddies' bowler Sam Morris.

As mentioned earlier, Theo Tsingos went nuts with a big hitting innings alongside of Henry Moore whose 55 (39 balls) was almost as quick.

Not even the return to the bowling crease of Morris and McDonald could curtail the runaway Tsingos.

Tsingos then claimed two wickets, while McSweeney collected three. Will Mortimer two and Adam Hogan three.

St Pats v St Edmonds William Schriber.