Bradman Cup: North Coastal claim title with outrageous win
There were more twists and turns than a Hollywood thriller in Wollongong as the Bradman Cup was decided in circumstances that need to be seen to be believed.
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North Coastal has been crowned under-16 country cricket champions after some dramatic late hitting saw the team claim the Bradman Cup in remarkable circumstances.
Coming into the final round clash against Southern Districts one point ahead of Newcastle on the ladder, many thought a simple win against their last-placed opponents would be enough to hand the North Coast side the title.
However the situation radically changed halfway through North Coastal’s innings when word came in that the Novocastrians had demolished Riverina with a bonus point victory that would have handed them the title on net run rate.
Chasing 160 to win, the side was travelling comfortably at 4-89 from 22 overs when it suddenly found out that it needed to win the game inside 30 overs to earn a bonus point and claim the title.
From here, Brody Felton and Taylor Gilbert exploded, belting the ball to all parts of the field as they chewed through the required runs.
Felton scored 28 from 23 balls, Harry Kershler contributed a crucial nine from five deliveries, while Gilbert brought the title home with an incredible 34 not out from just 16 balls as the team scored at an incredible 11 runs an over in the final stages to reach the total seven down after 28.3 overs.
The bonus point victory took North Coastal to 33 points on the ladder, one ahead of Newcastle, to secure a famous Bradman Cup title.
“Very pumped right now, mate,” said coach Justin Gilbert. “It’s absolutely fantastic considering we were told 22 overs in that we needed a bonus point to win the whole thing, and to get that we needed to win before 30 overs.
“We had to go at nine and a bit per over to win the whole thing, and we ended up doing it with an over to spare,” he added. “So yeah, it’s pretty damn good.”
The team finished the seven-round tournament with six wins and just one loss. After sitting in fourth place after the first three rounds of the competition in December, North Coastal turned on the fireworks this week with three bonus-point victories from four games in an undefeated meet in Wollongong.
“We’re very lucky we have great depth in the squad,” said Gilbert.
“What really made the difference this week was that our fielding was so good and so consistent, and our running between the wickets was what really set us apart from other teams.”
With plenty of talent all round, Gilbert said it was hard to single out any players for what had truly been a team effort.
“I actually don’t think I can pick anyone. No one was out there really scoring hundreds or taking five-fors, everyone was just chipping in and doing their job. I don’t think I could pick one name over another.”
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Southern Districts made a positive start to the innings with openers Joshua Mattick and Nethul Nandasena doing well to see off the new ball and deny the North Coastal attack.
The pair got the 12th over and worked their way to 40 before Nandasena skied one to mid-off to be caught for 16. It proved to be a difficult little spell, as Mattick got a top edge to slip five balls later to undo much of the good work and leave Southern Districts at 2-40.
The North Coastal bowlers really started turning the screws as scoring became difficult.
Bryce Kellar was the next batsman to go, slashing to point for six to give Jameson Dawes his first wicket of the day.
Isaac Roxburgh has been Southern Districts’ best performer during the tournament and once again looked in good touch until he chipped a gentle caught and bowled back to leggie Dawes to be dismissed for 21.
From here North Coastal took control, dismissing Jay Knight (16), Jake Cosgrove (1) and Patrick Bruckshaw (16) in quick succession to leave the team struggling at 7-113.
Some late resistance from Mikah Miller (21 not out) and Jontae Thompson (15) pushed the team to 9-159 from its 50 overs.
Riley Weir (2-23), Lachlan Barnes (2-25) and Dawes (2-32) all picked up two wickets, while Joe Parsons (1-15 from 10 overs) was outstanding as North Coastal gave themselves a great chance at claiming the title.
In reply, North Coastal took a cautious start as Southern Districts opening bowlers Lincoln Reynolds and Frederick Jones kept things tight.
Opening batters Daniel Craig and Quinn Cooper kept things steady as they moved to 0-34 from the first 10 overs.
The pair continued to go about their business and moved to 71 from 17 overs until Craig lofted one to mid-off to be caught for 35.
As so often happens, another wicket fell straight after, with Cooper similarly dismissed swinging the bat for 22.
Southern Districts bowlers Jake Cosgrove and Patrick Bruckshaw were on a roll, with the pair picking up Kai Dalli (7) and Weir (1) respectively to have two each and reduce North Coastal to 4-82.
While the game was travelling at a steady pace, once the team got word that they needed to win inside 30 overs to claim a bonus point, it took on a different intensity as North Coastal launched all-out attack on Southern Districts’ bowlers.
While wickets continued to fall, the runs also flowed, with the team belting a remarkable 72 from six and a half overs, with Gilbert smashing a boundary to seal not only the game but also the country championship.
Southern Districts 9-159 (Millar 21*, Roxburgh 21; Weir 2-23, Barnes 2-25) lost to North Coastal 7-161 (Craig 35, Gilbert 34*; Bruckshaw 2-18, Cosgrove 2-34) by three wickets
NEWCASTLE GO BALLISTIC IN EPIC FINISH
Newcastle has lit up the tournament with one of the most explosive performances of the week, only to fall agonisingly short of taking out the overall Bradman Cup final in a dramatic final day’s action in Wollongong.
The team experienced all the highs and lows of sport within a couple of hours after moving into first position on the table following its huge bonus-point victory over Riverina before North Coastal surged back ahead with a late flurry of runs.
Desperate for a big win to give itself every chance to win, Newcastle sent Riverina into bat.
While scoring was hard to come by as the Newcastle openers kept things tight, Riverina batsmen Joshua Cameron and Kynan Laursen were stubborn as they held out the bowling attack.
After seeing off 15 overs and adding 49 to the total, Noah Westcott made the breakthrough by bowling Cameron for 29. That was the first of a double blow, with Westcott knocking over Max Thompson for a golden duck the very next ball.
This was a major turning point in the game, with leg-spinner Tyler McInnes dismissing Laursen for 15 and getting Braith Gain stumped for six as Newcastle ripped through the Riverina middle order.
All up, the team lost 6-12 in a dramatic 10-over spell to be 6-61.
It could have been a whole lot worse if not for some late-order hitting, with Riverina eventually bowled out for 110.
Westcott, McInnes and Jonah Rheinberger all picked up two wickets in what was a fantastic team bowling performance.
Knowing they’d need to chase the runs down quickly in order to earn a bonus point, Newcastle came out swinging from the outset, scoring seven from the first over before Harry Price edged one to the slips in the second over.
But this didn’t slow Newcastle down, with opener Austin Berry – fresh from a blistering 87 a day earlier – smacking a six and four to get his innings going.
He partnered with round six century-maker Lucas Vincent to dispatch the ball to the boundary for fun.
From 1-49 after six, to 1-68 after eight and 1-80 after 10, the pair piled on the runs as they chewed into the total.
Vincent in particular was a man possessed, with his strike rate of more than 200 at one stage making Berry’s better than run-a-ball innings look slow.
With just 17 to win, Vincent chipped one to mid-off and was caught for 45 from 31 balls.
Just like in Riverina’s innings, the dismissal led to a flurry of wickets, with off-spinner Braith Gain bowling Berry for a well-made 38 in the next over, before doing the same and knocking over Rheinberger’s stumps with the very next ball.
While Gain missed out on his personal hat-trick, Riverina had taken three wickets in three balls for a memorable team hat-trick.
Wickets were going down like flies, and when Sam Voigt was given out LBW for a duck, Newcastle had lost 4-2 to be 5-96.
However wickets weren’t really the issue, time was, and Hunter Palmer and McInnes helped the team secure the bonus point by winning after just 16.2 overs.
The victory moved the Hunter side into the lead amid hopes of a second-straight Bradman Cup. All eyes then turned to the Croome Regional Sporting Complex, where North Coastal’s heroics pushed the side into second place by the narrowest of margins.
Riverina 10-110 (Cameron 29, Laursen 15; Westcott 2-11, McInnes 2-14) lost to Newcastle 5-113 (Vincent 45, Berry 38; Gain 2-14, Donohue 1-8) by five wickets
GREATER ILLAWARRA SECURE PODIUM FINISH
Two individuals shone with bat and ball respectively to round off a solid tournament for Greater Illawarra with a win over Central Coast.
Batting first, it was Blake Cattle once again stealing the show, improving on his 66 not out from rund five with a massive century, hitting an unbeaten 123 in a dominant batting display.
Sam Harwood (61) and Logan Jensen (43) also put in decent shifts at the crease to partner Cattle, helping the team to post a total of 254 from its 50 overs with just three wickets falling.
Central Coast struggled to hit such highs with the bat, with Raj Sharma (30) the highest scorer with the bat.
The headlines were made with the ball though, with Jackson Taylor taking a big five-wicket haul, conceding just 10 runs from 7.2 overs. Vice-captain Lucas Kay also chipped in with two wickets.
This terrific effort saw the side to bowl out the Central Coast for 149 by the 44th over to claim victory and secure third spot in the Bradman Cup ladder, with the Central Coast finishing in sixth.
Greater Illawarra 3-254 (Cattle 123*, Harwood 61; Wheeler 1-47, Sharma 1-50) defeated Central Coast 10-149 (Sharma 30, Smith 25*; Taylor 5-10, Kay 2-27) by 105 runs
WESTERN END ON A HIGH
Western finished its tournament on a high after a well-rounded bowling display and a strong partnership at the crease helped the team to a big victory over Central Northern.
Bowling first, Western got off to the perfect start, dismissing both Central Northern openers, including the dangerous Harrison Dunn, for ducks.
Finn Macleod was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Hayden Griffith and Blayde Burke took two each, with the latter also taking three catches. Impressively, all six of the Western bowlers contributed with wickets in the win.
Central Northern’s best performances with the bat came through Samuel Davis (35) and Keanu Botha (30), but overall the side was bowled all out for 157.
With the bat, opener Cooper Townsend batted through the whole innings, finishing with an impressive 70 not out that included five fours and two sixes.
His partner in crime for the bulk of the innings was Cooper Pullen, who ensured he ended on a round 50 not out thanks to a boundary on the last ball.
The bonus point win pushed WEstern into sixth on the final standings, while Central Northern finished in fourth.
Western 3-160 (Townsend 70*, Pullen 50*; Long 2-42, Callan 1-32) def. Central Northern 10-157 (Davis 35, Botha 30; Macleod 3-34, Griffith 2-26)
ROUND SIX WRAP
The Bradman Cup will come to the final day after some upsets and statement performances highlighted a dramatic round six in Wollongong.
With four teams kicking off the day as genuine contenders for the title, the cream rose to the top and now two teams remain in the hunt for the championship.
On top of the crucial wins, there were some stellar individual performances as tournament records were broken across the day’s play.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
RAMPAGING NEWCASTLE SET UP FINAL DAY SHOOT-OUT
Newcastle has ensured that it will go into the final day of the competition with a chance of taking out the title after turning on the fireworks with the bat in its 148-run win over Western.
A stunning 87 from Austin Berry and the carnival’s first century to Lucas Vincent saw the Hunter side post a remarkable team total of 306 before a bowling barrage ripped open Western’s top order to secure the big win.
Smarting from its last start loss to Greater Illawarra, Newcastle elected to bat and started with plenty of intent, with Berry and Oliver O’Brien doing well to build a solid platform for the team.
When Oliver was bowled by Cooper Pullen for 18, the team was travelling well at 1-69 in the 15th over.
Unfortunately for Western, the wicket only brought Berry and Vincent together at the crease.
The pair really started to put the foot down, finding the boundary regularly as the run rate lifted. They took the Western attack to all parts of the field and brought up the 100-run partnership at better than a run a ball.
Closing in on a ton, the devil’s number claimed another victim when Berry was caught on the boundary for an excellent 87 from 88 balls, with the team on 2-185 with 18 overs remaining.
By this stage Vincent was seeing them like watermelons and brought up his century – the first of this year’s tournament – from just 89 balls.
After hitting nine fours and five sixes, his wonderful innings of 119 from 98 balls was brought to an end with the team on 275 in the 46th over.
Hunter Palmer also batted well with 38, while a late cameo of 23 not out from 17 balls from Harry Price took the team total to 5-306 at the end of its 50 overs, just four shy of this year’s tournament record set by Riverina in round three.
With a mountain to climb, Western’s task soon became near impossible when Newcastle quick Rohan Power bowled Toby Middleton and Cooper Giddings in consecutive balls to reduce Western to 2-5 in the third over.
Harry Price continued his good day by running out Pullen for 14, then leg-spinner Tyler McInnes made his presence felt by jagging the triple breakthrough of Cooper Stephen (16), captain Blayde Burke (1) and Archie Morgan (7) to leave Western reeling at 6-49.
Newcastle was on fire and McInnes was almost unplayable, at one stage holding the figures at 3-4 from three overs.
While the collapse seemed imminent, Fletcher Byrne and Finn Macleod showed plenty of ticker to dig in and resist the Newcastle attack.
In a resilient partnership, the pair put on 75 until Power came back into the attack to dismiss the latter for 46. He claimed his fourth shortly after by knocking over Hayden Griffith for four.
Led by Byrne, who scored a stubborn unbeaten 40 from 120 balls, Western finished its 50 overs on 9-158.
Power finished with the brilliant figures of 4-23 from 10, while McInnes was exception with 3-10 from 10.
The victory put Newcastle just one point behind tournament leaders North Coastal, with the team taking on Riverina in a final round blockbuster.
Newcastle 5-306 (Vincent 119, Berry 87; Lewis 2-31, Pullen 1-26) defeated Western 9-158 (Macleod 46, Byrne 40*; Power 4-23, McInnes 3-10) by 148 runs
CENTRAL NORTHERN SHOOT UP LADDER WITH BIG WIN
Central Northern have picked up an upset victory over the in-form Greater Illawarra thanks to a lethal bowling display.
Electing to bat first, Central Northern’s opener Harrison Dunn continued his excellent tournament, anchoring the innings with 64.
He was well supported by top-order partners Rhys Tyrrell (22) and Keanu Botha (28) as the team got off to a strong start against the second-placed South Coast side.
The momentum started to shift once spinner Harrison Deck entering the fray, picking up Tyrrell, Botha and Harrison Hamilton.
The tweaker was the standout bowler for Greater Illawarra, picking up three wickets and bowling three maidens in a stellar display, while Logan Jensen and Lucas Kay also contributed with two wickets apiece.
While Central North’s middle- and lower-order batters got plenty of starts, they couldn’t go on to make big scores as the team finished its 50 overs on 9-204.
Although sound with the bat, Central North was excellent with the ball, ripping through the top order to at one stage reduce Greater Illawarra to 6-53.
This included dismissing both openers for single digits, as well as round five’s match-winning hero, Blake Cattle, for 14.
Stirling Strachan recorded the best figures with 4-27, while Thomas Long and Keanu Botha also picked up a couple each.
Dunn also backed up his excellent dig with the bat with three catches behind the stumps at wicket keeper.
And while Greater Illawarra rallied, with Liam Gammone posting 38 and number eight and nine Noah McWilliams and Elijah Guyatt scoring 20 and 22, respectively, the result was never in doubt as the team was bowled out for 134.
Central Northern 9-204 (Dunn 64, Botha 28; Deck 3-26, Harwood 2-24) defeated Greater Illawarra 10-134 (Gammone 38, Guyatt 22; Strachan 4-27, Botha 2-12)
CENTRAL COAST BATTERS FIND THEIR GROOVE
Central Coast’s batsman have finally clicked with a resounding display as the team secured just its second win of the competition against Southern Districts.
Choosing to bat first, the team, which prior to the game had averaged just 94 with the bat, combined for an impressive total of 272 as some of the side’s big guns came to the fore.
Koby Smith was the standout performer, falling agonisingly close to a century with an excellent 94 from 113 balls.
Bailey Chapman (60 not out) and captain Vincent Thornley (59) were also in fine touch as the batting line-up finally clicked in gear as the team finished its 50 overs four down for 272.
As a team that has also had its troubles with the bat, Southern Districts overcame the loss of its openers to build into a solid position, with young gun Issac Roxburgh taking control of the innings with some powerful hitting that included four fours and five sixes.
He finished with a well-made 68 to continue his strong tournament. However, unfortunately for Southern Districts, the lower order wasn’t able to match his flair, save for a fighting 25 not out from Patrick Bruckshaw, and the team finished its 50 overs well short on 9-167.
And while it handed the Central Coast a handsome victory, the total was Southern Districts’ second-highest of the tournament and showed a continued improvement of the side.
Hugh Wheeler and Thornley were the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets each.
Central Coast 4-272 (Smith 94, Chapman 60*; Jones 2-40, Kellar 2-58) def. Southern Districts 9-167 (Roxburgh 68, Bruckshaw 25*; Thornley 2-10, Wheeler 2-46)
NORTH COASTAL SURGE TO THE FRONT
North Coastal has put itself in the box seat to claim the Bradman Cup after a crucial bonus point victory over Riverina in a top-of-the-table clash at Keira Village Park.
A series of starts from some of the team’s key batters gave the side something to bowl at, before a demolition of Riverina’s batting line-up secured the 105-run win and ensured that the team will enter the final day of the competition in first place.
Batting first, North Coastal overcame the loss of star opener Brody Felton for five to build a solid platform, with Quinn Cooper and Riley Weir working well together.
The pair moved the scoreline to 53 until Cooper was bowled by Braith Gain in the 15th over for 27 to cap off an even opening between the two sides.
Weir was joined and crease by Kai Dalli, and the pair were building nicely until a triple breakthrough from Riverina bowlers Nicholas Oliver and Lucas Holgate left North Coastal floundering at 5-106.
With the team in trouble, the middle and lower order made a series of starts, with Maison Simmons (33), Daniel Craig (27) and Harry Kershler all making key contributions.
Riverina fast bowler Holgate was excellent, coming back on to clean up the lower order and finish with four wickets as North Coastal was bowled out for 189 with one over to spare.
In reply, Riverina got off to a tough start, losing openers Joshua Cameron (14) and Kynan Laursen (11) early as Weir knocked over the top order.
Things became desperate shortly after when Jameson Dawes ran out Max Thompson for nine to reduce Riverina to 3-38.
Leg spinner Dawes then did the business with the ball, getting Gain stumped for four. And then when Lachlan Barnes knocked over Baxter McDonald for seven, North Coastal were right on top as Riverina were reduced to 5-52.
Dawes certainly wasn’t done, picking up his second when Oliver was caught in the deep, before dismissing Jonathan Whiting and Sam Williamson to dismantle the Riverina lower order and finish with the outstanding figures of 4-13 from 10.
Cooper then came on to pick up the final wicket to bowl Riverina out for 84 and secure a bonus point.
The victory sees North Coastal take a huge step towards the title, with the team to play the winless Southern Districts on the final day of the tournament.
As for Riverina, despite coming into round six on top of the table, the loss has now made any attempt at taking out the championship extremely unlikely.
North Coastal 10-189 (Simmons 33, Weir 32; Holgate 4-41, Oliver 2-33) defeated Riverina 10-84 (Whiting 18, Cameron 14; Dawes 4-13, Weir 2-23) by 105 runs
ROUND FIVE ACTION
The Bradman Cup has come to life after a scintillating round five in Wollongong.
With two rounds to play, four teams have emerged as genuine title contenders in a day of upsets, explosive performances and huge statements of intent.
In particular, some of the tournament’s highly rated players really stepped up to the plate for their sides with some match-turning and, in some cases, matchwinning performances.
There was some clutch batting, devastating bowling and excellent fielding in another action-packed day of cricket.
Catch up with a wrap below.
RIVERINA SOAR TO TOP OF TABLE
Riverina has moved to the top of the Bradman Cup ladder after round five following victory over Central Coast.
Batting first, Riverina struggled to impose themselves on the scoreboard at all due to some lethal Central Coast bowling and fielding.
Sairam Patil was the pick of the bowlers, wiping out large chunks of the top and middle order with four wickets to his name.
Captain Vincent Thornley was also dynamite in the field with three catches, while Fletcher Gersbach also took two from wicket keeper.
It took an excellent knock from the middle of the order from Jonathan Whiting to save the Riverina innings, hitting 55 not out off the bat, by far the most impressive score in the side, bringing the target to 152.
Central Coast struggled to build any meaningful partnerships at the crease during their chase.
While the game was in the balance, Riverina ultimately managed to take regular wickets, eventually bowling Central Coast all out for 124 and taking the win.
BIG GUNS FIRE CENTRAL NORTH HOME
A dominant batting performance from some of Central North’s big gun players has driven the team to a comprehensive win over Southern Districts.
An excellent 83 from Harry Dunn and classy 69 from Keanu Botha helped the team to the second-highest team total so far in the tournament before the latter ripped through the Southern Districts top order to secure the 93-run win.
After sending Central North into bat, Southern Districts got the early breakthrough they were looking for when Frederick Jones dismissed Rhys Tyrrell for three.
Unfortunately for the bowling side, that just brought Dunn and Botha together, who were also selected in the Central North under-19s representative side earlier this summer.
In one of the most dominant partnerships in recent carnival history, the pair hit the Southern attack to all parts of the field as they piled on the runs.
The bowlers appeared to have no answer for the Maitland duo, who put on 135 runs together before Nethul Nandasena finally broke the stand by dismissing Botha caught and bowled for 69 from 78 balls.
The quick from Crookwell was on a roll, knocking over Harrison Hamilton and Archie McMaster to make it three in three overs.
While Dunn was anchoring the innings, one of Central North’s top performers throughout the tournament, Samuel Davis, joined him at the crease and belted an exciting 35 from 34 balls.
When the opener was finally caught out for 83, the team had moved to 5-225.
But that wasn’t all, with Thomas Long (28 not out) and Stirling Strachan (18 not out) putting in late cameos to push the total to 7-277, with Long personally belting 19 from the final over.
Fresh from a great knock, Botha carried his form over to bowling, remarkably knocking over Southern Districts’ first three wickets to leave the team reeling at 3-16.
The team had struggled with the bat so far in the tournament, and it appeared as though it was heading for another small total until the middle order staged a fightback.
Jay Knight (20), Bryce Kellar (32) and Nandasena (28) all got starts to push the total beyond 100, while Patrick Bruckshaw showed plenty of flair with an unbeaten 36 from just 32 balls.
In new-found resilience in the batting line-up, he combined with some excellent late hitting from Mikah Millar (27) to see Southern Districts finish its 50 overs on 8-180. And while Southern Districts were still well off the target, it was comfortably the side’s best innings of the tournament.
Botha took the bowling honours with 3-3 from two, while McMaster finished with 2-26.
Central North 7-277 (Dunn 83, Botha 69; Nandasena 3-25, Jones 2-41) defeated Southern Districts 8-180 (Bruckshaw 36*, Kellar 32; Botha 3-3, McMaster 2-26) by 97 runs
GREATER ILLAWARRA UPSET FAVOURITES WITH STATEMENT WIN
Greater Illawarra bounced back from defeat to record an impressive win against the previously undefeated giants Newcastle.
Living up to his hype as one to watch this tournament, Blake Cattle was the star of the show with both bat and ball for the home side to get them over the line in the four-wicket win.
Batting first, Newcastle got off to a tough start by losing top-order batters Oliver O’Brien and Lucas Vincent cheaply to fall to 2-33.
However skipper Tyler McInnes combined with Hunter Palmer to get the innings back on track.
Under pressure from some tight bowling, the pair weren’t allowed to dominate the Greater Illawarra attack but steadily built up the score to move past 100.
McInnes looked the most comfortable at the crease and brought up his half century before Cattle took control of the contest.
The spinner got the all-important breakthrough by dismissing the Newcastle captain for 53.
The wicket led to a huge shift in momentum. Lucas Kay got Samuel Voigt cheaply, before Cattle went bang, bang, bang to dismiss Palmer (38), Jonah Rheinberger (4) and Austin Berry (3) in quick succession to turn the match on its head and reduce Newcastle to 7-128.
The Keira Cricket Club young gun finished up four wickets, keeping things tight with an economy rate of 2.7 as Newcastle was bowled out for 146 in the 46th over.
In reply, Greater Illawarra got off to a horror start with openers Noah McWilliams (0) and Kay (1) dismissed in the first two overs.
With his team in trouble, that man Cattle came to the crease to anchor the innings.
Batting with Sam Harwood, the pair put on a steady 88-run stand before another star performer had his way with the match.
Newcastle’s Lucas Vincent, who going into the week was the leading runscorer in the tournament, picked up Harwood for 38 and then took a leaf out of Cattle’s book by knocking over Liam Gammone and Logan Jensen cheaply.
And when Newcastle quick Darcy White got in on the action to bowl Archie O’Hara for a duck, suddenly the Newcastle players had their tails up with Greater Illawarra slumping to 6-105.
However just as the momentum had swung, Cattle’s cool head at the crease stopped the rot. He and Tobias Eyland (22 not out) took control of the innings to guide the side home comfortably with more than 10 overs to spare. In the end, Cattle finished on 66 not out in what was a five-star performance for Greater Illawarra that has really shaken up the table.
Greater Illawarra 6-150 (Cattle, 66*, Harwood 38; Vincent 3-22, White 2-26) defeated Newcastle 10-146 (McInnes 53, Palmer 38; Cattle 4-27, Kay 2-16) by four wickets
NORTH COASTAL EXPLODES WITH HUGE WIN
North Coastal has surged into contention for the title after a monster 193-run demolition of Western at Ziems Park.
An excellent team batting performance led by Riley Weir and Kai Dalli pushed the side to a strong total of 265 from its 50 overs, before an absolute clinic with the ball led to golden ducks galore as Western was bowled out for just 72.
Coming off a strong win against the previously undefeated Greater Illawarra in round four, North Coastal started with the same momentum against Western, with openers Brody Felton and Quinn Cooper seeing off the new ball and setting a strong platform for the side.
The pair brought up their 50-run partnership at a decent click before Felton was bowled by Cooper Pullen for 27 in the 10th over.
The wicket brought Weir to the crease, and he and Cooper continued to build until the latter was stumped by keeper Tom Glasson off the bowling of Blayde Burke for 34 with the side at 2-91 in the 23rd over.
Rather than hinder North Coastal, the wickets seemed to speed things up, with Dalli joining Weir in the middle to lift the run rate with some aggressive, attacking batting.
The pair put on 88 for the third wicket until Dalli became Pullen’s second victim for an entertaining 46 from 56 balls.
And while Weir fell shortly after for a composed 59, North Coastal kept charging on as Taylor Gilbert (13), Maison Simmons (30), Daniel Craig (12) and Lachlan Barnes (11) all made contributions to see the side finish its 50 overs on 9-265.
Pullen and Cooper Stephen both picked up two wickets, while Burke continued his strong form with the excellent figures of 1-25 from 10 overs.
In reply, Western’s chase simply could not have started any worse, with Gilbert dismissing opener Toby Middleton with the very first ball of the innings.
It wasn’t the only golden duck, with Gilbert once again striking a couple of overs later to send danger man Cooper Townsend back to the pavilion first ball. The quick from Dorrigo was outstanding, terrorising the top-order bats with the remarkable figures of 2-4 from six overs.
Then when Riley Mitchell snagged the wicket of Cooper Giddings for 13, Western were in dire straits at 4-17.
While Byrne and Burke rallied for Western, Lachlan Barnes entered the fray to rip open the middle order.
In a devastating spell, the left-arm quick knocked over Stephen, Byrne and Tom Glasson – the latter for a golden duck – in quick succession to finish with the brilliant figures of 3-0 from two overs and reduce Western to 7-31.
While skipper Burke rallied with a fighting 22, it was merely a consolation as his side was cleaned up for 72 inside 25 overs.
The win places North Coastal in a four-way logjam towards the top of the table as the side takes plenty of momentum into the final two games.
North Coastal 9-265 (Weir 59, Dalli 46; Pullen 2-27, Stephen 2-40) defeated Western 10-72 (Burke 22, Giddings 13; Barnes 3-0, Gilbert 2-4) by 193 runs
ROUND FOUR WRAP
After a month break, the Bradman Cup resumed on Monday as the best under-16 country cricketers descended on Wollongong for the final rounds of the tournament.
The players were met with wet and cold conditions in what was a heavily rain-affected round four.
Despite the delays, organisers managed to secure results in all fixtures, with a final-over thriller highlighting the day’s play.
There was no shortage of standout performers as some of the big guns of the competition got their teams home.
Catch a wrap of the day’s action below.
NEWCASTLE MARCH OUT IN FRONT
Newcastle has moved into the outright lead after a five-wicket victory over Southern Districts at King George V Oval.
Some tidy bowling and explosive hitting proved too much for Southern as the Hunter side continued its unbeaten run at the tournament.
With overcast skies above, Newcastle sent Southern Districts into bat hoping to make early inroads.
While the openers survived the first five overs, Newcastle quick Tasman Davidson struck in the sixth, trapping Joshua Mattick on the pads to be dismissed LBW for five.
Shortly after the heavens opened, with Southern Districts on 1-22 when play was suspended.
After a huge break that took in most of the day, play finally resumed and Davidson wasted no time getting back into the swing of things, bowling Jason Moloney with the first ball back.
This brought Isaac Roxburgh and Jay Knight to the crease. The pair went about lifting the run rate, with Roxburgh in particular taking a liking to Newcastle’s spinners, hitting three sixes to race into the 20s.
He looked the most likely to cause some damage for Southern Districts, however he was bowled by spinner Lucas Vincent for an entertaining 29 from 26 balls to move his team to 3-57 in the 13th over.
Southern were travelling at a decent click, but in the search for quick runs, a combination of sharp work from fielder Austin Berry and indecision from the batters saw skipper Bryce Kellar run out for eight.
They were soon five down when Rohan Power jagged the wicket of Jay Knight for 19, before a couple of late wickets saw the team finish up on 7-93 from 21 overs.
In what was a clash of an undefeated team against a winless side, Newcastle sought to make light work of the total, hitting 11 runs from the first nine balls before in-form opener Harry Price nicked off to the bowling of Lincoln Reynolds for two.
This brought the competition’s leading runscorer Vincent to the crease, and he combined with Berry to pummel 40 from the next five overs before Berry was bowled by Mikah Millar for an entertaining 27 from 19 balls.
From here, Southern Districts made some inroads, with Vincent (19), Jonah Rheinberger (2) and Hunter Palmer (8) dismissed as Millar and Jason Moloney both picked up two wickets to leave Newcastle slightly nervous at 5-67.
But despite the team conceding a couple of quick wickets, Tyler McInnes (18 not out) and Oliver O’Brien (17 (not out) took control with some assured batting to secure the five-wicket win in the 19th over.
Southern Districts 7-93 (Roxburgh 29, Knight 19; Davidson 2-8, White 1-9) lost to Newcastle 5-102 (Berry 27, Vincent 19; Moloney 2-9, Millar 2-19)
CENTRAL COAST GET HOME IN RAIN-AFFECTED THRILLER
The Central Coast has recorded its first win of the tournament with a thrilling rain-affected victory over Western.
All-rounder Raj Sharma was the hero for the Central Coast, putting in a resilient dig with the bat before unleashing a devastating late bowling spell to hand his side the win when Western looked destined for victory.
After struggling with the bat in the opening rounds, the Central Coast sought to build a solid platform with openers Simon Alderson and Vincent Thornley working their way to 22 from the first seven overs when rain delayed play.
Despite the positive start, disaster struck after the break, with Alderson bowled by Finn McLeod with just the second ball after the resumption of play.
It got worse a minute later when Thornley was caught without adding a run to his pre-break total, and then Koby Smith was run out for 11, the Central Coast was in trouble at 3-38 in the 13th over.
With Western on a roll, off-spinner Blayde Burke rammed home his side’s advantage with a brilliant spell that saw him claim the wickets of Fletcher Marshall, Bailey Chapman and Charlie McKee in three consecutive overs to reduce Central Coast to 6-62.
While another small total loomed, number seven Hugh Wheeler and number eight Sharma combined to rescue the innings with a 52-run stand to take the team at 6-114 from 33.3 overs when rain stopped play again.
Then, in what was a common occurrence throughout the day, the bowling team struck with the first ball directly after the long break when Fletcher Byrne bowled Sharma for a well-made 22.
The Central Coast then finished the rain-reduced 35 overs at 7-118, with Wheeler top scoring with 27 not out from 36 balls.
Burke was the standout of the bowlers, finishing with the impressive figures of 3-29 from 10, while opening bowlers McLeod and Hayden Griffith were also strong in picking up a wicket each.
Given the rain delays, Western was set a revised total of 131 from 35 overs.
Fresh from starring with the bat, left-arm quick Sharma made an instant impact, bowling Western opener Toby Middleton with the first ball of the second over to leave the side with the unique figures of 1-1 from 1.1.
Sharma and fellow opening bowler Harry Askey were excellent early on, restricting Western to 1-10 from the first five overs. The pressure started to show, with Cooper Giddings run out by Sairam Patil to leave the side at 2-11.
Things looked dire for Western, however Cooper Pullen and Cooper Townsend combined well to get the innings back on track.
The pair racked up a half-century partnership and looked destined to bring the team into triple figures before Townsend was dismissed for an important 43 to leave the side well placed at 3-99 in the 30th over.
While Western were looking good for the win, the wicket triggered an almighty collapse as Sharma and Askey combined – along with some sharp fielding – to the rip through the rest of the order.
Under incredible pressure from the quicks, Western lost a remarkable 7-15 in just 2.5 overs to be bundled out for five runs short for 126 with two balls to spare.
Sharma was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 4-24 from seven, while Askey was also excellent, taking 2-22 from 6.4 to bring home the team’s first win.
Central Coast 7-118 (Wheeler 27*, Sharma 22; Burke 3-29, Byrne 1-1) defeated Western 10-126 (Pullen 51, Townsend 43; Sharma 4-24, Askey 2-22) by five runs via DLS
NORTH COASTAL KNOCK OVER BIG GUNS
North Coastal recorded its first one-day victory of the tournament and in the process knocked over the previously undefeated Greater Illawarra with commanding performance with both the bat and ball.
Electing to bat first, the North Coast side got off to a difficult start, with the loss of early wickets leaving the team floundering at 4-51 as Illawarra bowlers Liam Gammone, Jack Allen and Elijah Guyatt knocked over the top order.
While wickets fell around him, opener Brody Felton was a rock with the bat, and he combined with Daniel Craig to get the innings back on track.
Felton in particular looked in good touch and brought up his first half century of the tournament.
The pair put on 73 before the opener was dismissed by Harrison Deck for a crucial 67 from 89 balls. Deck struck again shortly after by bowling Craig for 35.
And while this triggered somewhat of a lower-order collapse, some smart batting from Riley Weir (34 runs from 24 balls) pushed North Coastal to 9-190 from its reduced 38 overs.
Gammone was the pick of the Greater Illawarra bowlers with three wickets, while both Deck and Allen finished with two each.
In response, the Greater Illawarra chase got off to a terrible start, with both openers Lucas Kay and Noah McWilliams dismissed for ducks.
Blake Cattle (19), Sam Harwood (29) and Tobias Eyland (23) steadied the ship with starts to keep their team in the hunt, however a crucial spell from Joe Parsons proved to be the difference.
He picked up the key wickets of Eyland, Logan Jensen (10) and Archie O’Hara (15) to put North Coastal right on top, before Quinn Cooper cleaned up the tail, taking 3-14 from just 2.1 overs to bowl Greater Illawarra out for 150 in the 37th over and seal a North Coastal win
North Coastal 9-190 (Felton 67, Craig 35; Gammone 3-25, Allen 2-31) defeated Greater Illawarra 10-150 (Harwood 29, Eyland 23; Cooper 3-14, Parsons 3-28)
RIVERINA MAKES A CHARGE
Riverina has continued its impressive tournament and in doing so moved into second place on the ladder with a comfortable victory over Central Northern.
Opening bowler Sam Williamson was the hero, claiming five wickets as he ripped through the Central North batting order.
Batting first, Riverina overcame the loss of a couple of quick wickets to build a solid platform.
In particular, Joshua Cameron (42 from 50) and Max Thompson (23 from 27) ensured the team was scoring at a healthy run rate.
Baxter Wilson and Chad Brookes picked up where they left off, putting on a 52-run stand before Central North bowler Thomas Long got the breakthrough, dismissing Wilson for 32.
From here the Central North attack found some teeth, picking up regular wickets to bowl Riverina out for 183 in the 39th over.
Every team dreams of an early breakthrough with the ball, and that’s exactly what Riverina skipper Williamson gave his side, picking up dangerous openers Harrison Dunn and Rhys Tyrrell for just one run each in a blistering opening spell.
Keanu Botha (17) and Harrison Hamilton (21) kick-started the rebuild, with number five and six Archie McMaster and Samuel Davis then combining for a 66-run stand that put their well and truly back in the game.
Just when the pair were looking comfortable, Riverina turned to its main strike weapon. And just like at the beginning of the innings, Williamson delivered, getting the crucial breakthrough by picking up the wicket of McMaster for 25 to leave the side at 5-122.
It triggered a collapse as the big quick ripped through the lower order to collect his five-for.
Davis was batting beautifully for Central North and remained his team’s best hope of victory. However when he was dismissed by Lucas Holgate for an excellent 50, it brought an end to the chase, with the team bowled out for 158 in the 40th over.
Riverina 10-183 (Cameron 42, Wilson 32; Holmes 2-25, Long 2-39) defeated Central Northern 10-158 (Davis 50, McMaster 25; Williamson 5-23, Holgate 2-19)
ROUNDS 1-3
Newcastle and Greater Illawarra loom as the teams to beat as the Bradman Cup kicked off over the weekend.
As part of the first three rounds, all teams played one 50-over match and two T20s.
The Northern Pool, consisting off Central Coast, Central North, Newcastle and North Coastal, faced off in Kempsey while the Southern Pool teams of Greater Illawarra, Riverina, Southern Districts and Western played their matches in Wagga Wagga.
Newcastle, the defending premiers, dominated the Northern Pool with three victories while Greater Illawarra proved to be the top side in the Southern Pool with an undefeated weekend in Wagga. The teams will all meet in Wollongong for the final four rounds of the competition in from January 8-11.
Find out how all teams performed and which players stood out for their sides.
1st – Greater Illawarra
Greater Illawarra are perched at the top of the Bradman Cup ladder after the opening weekend with three wins from three.
It was the heavy-hitting of the team’s batting line-up that shone in the first three matches, doing enough to dispatch of Riverina by DLS victory, before setting a target far too high for Southern Districts in the second T20 and comfortably chasing down Western’s total in the one-day format.
Touted as one to watch this tournament, Blake Cattle was a standout for Greater Illawarra with both bat and ball. The Keira cricket club star scored 83 off the bat across his three stints at the crease, the best being a 41 against Western, while also picking up five wickets with the ball, the only Greater Illawarra bowler to strike in every match so far.
Supporting Cattle in making runs at the crease were the likes of opener Sam Harwood who averaged 26, and Liam Gammone, who scored 63 runs and was only dismissed once across his three innings. Archie O’Hara also put forward his case to rise the batting order after his performance against Western, scoring 57 not out in his first dig with the bat this tournament.
Cattle wasn’t the only one taking wickets for Greater Illawarra, with a number of bowlers claiming three-wickets hauls in great individual performances. Kasey Barton took 3-30 against Riverina, Jack Allen claimed a very impressive 3-4 in just three overs against Southern Districts, while Harrison Deck was the star man with the ball against Western with 3-22.
Overall, Greater Illawarra weren’t troubled by any of their first three opponents. They were on track to chase down Riverina’s total in round one prior to the wash out, they ruthlessly demolished Southern Districts for just 42 runs in round two, before chasing down Western’s 153 total in the 39th over in round three.
Confidence will no doubt be high for the team as they turn to the upcoming northern opponents.
2nd – Newcastle
Newcastle has kept its title defence well and truly on track with three from three to not only clean sweep pool A but also sit equal top of the ladder after the opening weekend.
Both batters and bowlers stepped up at various stages as the team recorded a comfortable six-wicket win against the Central Coast in the first T20, got home by 12 runs in a tighter affair against Central North in the second 20-over match before putting on a far more complete performance to down the previously undefeated North Coastal by a comfortable 67 runs in Sunday’s one-dayer.
The only player from last year’s championship-winning squad to return this year, Lucas Vincent was a standout with the bat, smashing 140 runs across three digs to be the competition’s highest runscorer.
This included a crucial 39 from 38 balls as he top scored to help guide the team home against the Central Coast and a brilliant 82 to set the platform as Newcastle posted 202 in the 50-over match against North Coastal.
He was well supported by Harry Price, who hit 92 runs at an average of 46, with the left-handed opener putting in an ultimately matchwinning knock of 47 not out as he batted through the whole innings in the T20 win over Central North.
As for the bowlers, Newcastle’s spinners well and truly proved their worth with some match-turning spells.
Tyler McInnes yielded the best return, picking up five wickets at 14 over the weekend.
This included a brilliant 3-23 as the team rolled the Central Coast for just 89 in the first game and a crucial 2-15 against Central Northern, which included the scalps of key danger men and NSW Country reps Harry Dunn and Keanu Botha.
He worked brilliantly in tandem with fellow leggie Jonah Rheinberger, who ended up with four wickets at 18.
His 2-23 against Central North proved crucial as he and McInnes took four of the team’s five wickets to keep their rivals just 12 runs short, while he also bowled an excellent 1-30 from 10 to tie down and frustrate the North Coastal batters in their 50-over chase.
3rd – Riverina
Riverina were slow out of the blocks, slumping to back-to-back defeats in the T20 matches after a DLS loss to Greater Illawarra and a final-ball defeat to Western.
They were greatly contained by the Greater Illawarra bowling line-up in the first match, with opener Hunter Hall (37) the only to really impose himself on the scoresheet, before taking just the three wickets for 76 runs prior to the rain.
Against Western, some solid middle order batting performances from Braith Gain (43*), Lucas Holgate (29*) and Max Thompson (21) combined for a respectable total of 144.
Their bowling attack, however, struggled for breakthroughs, taking just four wickets across the full innings as Western eventually chipped away at their total and surpassed it on the final ball.
Despite this tough start, a devastating total of 310 set in their first one-day match against Southern Districts will no doubt give them some confidence going forward in this competition.
There were three half-centuries notched up between the dominant Riverina batters: Kynan Laursen (54), Braith Gain (66) and top performer Baxter Wilson (67*).
Their bowlers were finally able to get some momentum going as well, with David Caldow, Nicholas Oliver and Braith Gain all taking two wickets each, dismissing Southern Districts by the 45th over.
Showing their strength in the one-day format, Riverina will be confident going forward despite their early setbacks.
4th – Central North
It was a mixed weekend for Central North, who bounced back from two tight losses in Saturday’s T20 games to record a thumping win over the Central Coast in Sunday’s 50-over match and sit in fourth place overall on the ladder.
It was an opening day of fine margins for the side, who saw North Coastal chase down its total of 113 with just three deliveries remaining in the opening match, before falling just 12 runs short of Newcastle’s total in the second.
Overall, it was a weekend where the side’s bowlers shone most, doing well to restrict ladder leaders Newcastle to 107 in the T20 clash and then skittling Central Coast for just 77.
Right-arm quick Jacob Callan was the most consistent of the lot, taking wickets in every game to finish with four wickets at 12.75, while left-arm opener Thomas Holmes and spinner Tom Long both finished with three wickets.
Meanwhile, in the demolition of the Central Coast, tweaker Sam Holz proved to be the destroyer for Central North, taking an incredible 4-12 from nine overs in what was a brilliant performance.
As for the batting, it was a slightly difficult weekend as the team struggled to build significant momentum with the bat in all three of its games. Even in the bonus-point victory over the Central Coast, they only managed to score 144 before being bowled in the 50th over.
Harry Dunn was a standout at the top of the order, hitting 91 runs across three digs to be the team’s leading runscorer. This included a team-high 45 in the narrow loss to North Coastal and a patient 35 in the one-dayer.
Elsewhere, all-rounder Sam Davis was excellent in the middle order, often coming in after a batting collapse to stabilise the innings or move the scoring rate along.
In the end he finished with 87 runs and an average of 43, with his 46 against the Central Coast proving crucial as he rescued the innings to drag his team to a half respectable total.
On the back of a strong bowling performance and a heavy-hitting batting line-up, Central North will be confident of making a move in the final week of competition in January.
5th – North Coastal
In a similar vein to quite a few teams, the North Coastal side had a mixed weekend that featured both good and bad with the bat and ball.
After doing well to chase down Central North’s total in the final over and then demolishing Central Coast’s batting order to be two from two, the team suffered a disappointing loss at the hands of Newcastle in Sunday’s 50-over match against in what was a clash of the previously undefeated teams in the Northern Pool.
Despite having a powerful top order, the team didn’t quite live up to its potential over the first three rounds.
While batting well to finish on 4-115 and chase down Central North’s 113 in the final over of the first T20, the team struggled in its final two matches with the bat in hand.
It finished six down chasing just 62 against the Central Coast and was bowled out for a disappointing 135 against Newcastle after being set 203 to win.
Kai Dalli was the pick of the batters, hitting 83 over the weekend, which included a fighting 58 against Newcastle as his teammates fell around him.
Elsewhere, Quinn Cooper also showed some form with the bat, smashing 47 from 51 balls in what was ultimately a matchwinning dig to knock over Central North.
While the batting struggled at times, it was the team’s bowling that stood up in Kempsey.
After restricting the strong Central North batting attack to a chaseable total of 113, the team’s finest effort no doubt came in skittling the Central Coast for just 61 in the second T20 on Saturday night.
Left-arm spinner Harry Kershler ran riot by taking an incredible 4-6 from 3.1 overs as he finished the weekend as the team’s – and competition’s – top wicket-taker with seven at an average of just 8.9.
He was well supported by Riley Weir and Taylor Gilbert, who both took four wickets, with Weir’s 3-15 proving to be a match-turning spell in the team’s opening last-over victory.
Just as with Central North, North Coastal will be hoping its powerful top order can strike form at the right time and give the side a good chance of causing some damage in the final four rounds of the competition.
6th – Western
Western made an impressive start to this year’s Bradman Cup with double victories across T20 matches against Southern Districts and Riverina.
The team was awarded a DLS victory against Southern Districts. They were on 4-71 and well on course to chase down the required total of 94 by the time the rain came in the 15th over.
However, the victory against Riverina required real grit, going right down the final ball when Finn Macleod smashed a boundary off his first ball faced to secure victory.
This win was set up by the stellar opening partnership of Archie Morgan (46) and Cooper Giddings (67*), who smashed 11 boundaries between them as they put on 76 for the opening stand.
Giddings has been the standout batter so far this competition for Western, scoring 26 in the first match against Southern Districts. Another solid performer with the bat has been Cooper Pullen, posting scores of 14 not out and 39 across his two stints at the crease.
On the bowling front, Andrew Ridge is the only bowler to have picked up wickets in every match so far, while Blayde Burke had the best individual showing with a 3-28 against Riverina. On the whole though, Western will be looking to improve their strike power moving forward.
Their loss to Greater Illawarra in their only one-day match so far has them down in sixth, however morale should still be high on the back of their T20 victories.
7th – Central Coast
It was a tough weekend for the young Central Coast side, who remains winless after the first three rounds.
In particular, the team struggled with the bat, with overall team scores of just 89, 77 and 61 highlighting the Central Coast’s most pressing issue.
Koby Smith’s 27 against North Coastal was the team’s highest individual batting score as he topped the side’s run chart over the weekend with a cumulative 55.
But while there were struggles with the bat, the team showed plenty of promise with the ball at various stages.
The Central Coast bowlers did well to restrict the strong Central North batting line-up to just 144 in Sunday’s 50-over match and managed to rip through the North Coastal middle order to have the team six-down as they chased a low total of just 62 for victory.
Harry Askey was pick of the bunch for the Central Coast, taking wickets in every game to finish with five at an average of 13.
Sai Patil also bowled well to finish with three wickets, while Simon Alderson bowled one of the spells of the opening weekend when he finished with the quote remarkable figures of 1-9 from 10 overs against Central North.
8th – Southern Districts
It’s been a tough start for the new kids on the block, with Southern Districts falling to three straight defeats in their maiden Bradman Cup campaign.
A DLS defeat to Western, followed up by convincing losses to Greater Illawarra and Riverina have unfortunately left the side at the bottom of the table.
Bowling has been one of the main concerns for Southern Districts, with the team allowing Greater Illawarra (4-162) in the T20 and Riverina (8-310) in the one-dayer to record unchaseable targets.
Captain Samuel McGregor had one of the few bright patches of bowling against Riverina, picking up four wickets and a maiden from nine overs of bowling. However, this wasn’t enough to inspire the rest of his side. Interestingly, all 10 of the Southern Districts outfielders bowled at least one over in that match.
With the bat, despite the challenges there were a few glimpses of promise.
Issac Roxburgh was the pick of the batters, hitting 30 against Western and 46 against Riverina. However, not even he could do anything to help his side against Greater Illawarra, where not one of the batters managed to hit double digits as the team was bowled out for just 42.
Overall, work to be done for Southern Districts to remain in the mix.
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