Bradman Cup final round: Newcastle claims NSW under 16 country championships
Newcastle has claimed its first Bradman Cup in a decade after defeating Riverina in a winner-takes-all final round clash at Lake Macquarie. Find out how it all happened.
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Newcastle has won its first Bradman Cup since 2011, with a final-round victory over Riverina enough to see the side crowned NSW under 16 country champions on home turf at Lake Macquarie.
In what was a first-versus-second contest at Warners Bay’s Feighan Oval No 1, Newcastle prevailed by 74 runs to give the team a record of six wins and one loss over the course of the tournament.
Newcastle finished on 34 points, a whopping 10 clear of second-placed Riverina, who finished with a record of four wins and three losses.
“I’m really pleased, it’s a group that’s come together,” said coach Neil McDonald. “They’re mainly under 16s – we’ve got one player in the under 15s – and the talent between them all is exceptional.”
He added: “You never know what going on around the rest of the state, there are eight zones if you include the ACT. I kept getting told that our group was pretty strong, but you never know until you play the other teams.”
The victory is even more remarkable considering that Newcastle actually finished in last place last season, despite having around two-thirds of the current squad.
“I think extra year helped,” said McDonald.
“There was a bit of a burning desire from them to atone for last year. Most of them are playing reasonable, high-grade cricket within the grade set-up here, so it’s probably a combination of that and what they’re doing in winter programs.”
While Newcastle scored the second-most runs (1333) in the tournament and lost the second-fewest amount of wickets (45) – largely thanks to a team that bats all the way down to number 11 – McDonald noted that there was much more to the team than an outfit of big hitters.
“The bowling group got us out of trouble once or twice,” he said.
In fact, in impressive figures, the team took the most wickets across the carnival, with 66, and conceded the third-fewest runs (1012).
In a team where most of the squad contributed to victories at different stages throughout the tournament, McDonald said it was hard to single out players, however made note of the performances of opening batter Austen Hiskens, who starred with 97 in the final match.
“Austen Hiskens has been a standout with what he’s done at the top of the order.
“Another one is Lachie Williams. Lachie peeled off a hundred up in Kempsey. He missed out today, which is unfortunate, but he’s pulled off a couple of sixties in addition to the hundred, and if you’d ask me who I’d have batting for my life, I’d back him in.”
Round seven
Newcastle v Riverina
In the round seven fixture Newcastle won the toss and elected to bat.
The team built its innings around outstanding opener Austen Hiskens, who scored 97 from 121 balls. He was well supported by a patient 36 by Thomas Cover and some middle-order hitting from Kel Wilson, who scored 21 from 17 balls.
A flashy cameo from Kade Sutton (18 not out) at the end of the innings helped the side to a competitive total of 227, with Newcastle bowled out in the final over.
In fact, for quite a while it looked like Newcastle was set for a total north of 250, however some excellent stump-to-stump bowling from Jay Lavis (4-31 from 10 overs) kept Riverina in the game.
Despite Lavis’ efforts, the visitors’ run chase didn’t start well, with Newcastle’s Lachie Rail running out Riverina opener Cooper Rand for just two inside the opening overs, and dangerous opener Edward Kreutzberger caught behind for two shortly after.
Apart from the stubborn resistance from player of the series Shaun Smith, who made a fighting 50 from 63 balls, Newcastle were largely untroubled in defending their total, with Smith the only player in the top eight to score more than 11.
Some late-order hitting from Flynn Stewart (21) and Eden Breust (20 not out) improved the scorecard for Riverina, however the team was ultimately bowled out for 153 after 43 overs, with Newcastle going on to claim the prestigious Bradman Cup.
Newcastle (10-227) def Riverina (10-153) by 74 runs
In the other round seven fixtures, the Central Coast (10-160) defeated Greater Illawarra (10-119) in a low-scoring affair, the ACT (6-166 from 42 overs) got over the top of North Coastal (10-202) via the DLS method in a match-affected match, while a brilliant century from Keanu Botha (100 from 127 balls) wasn’t enough to get Central North (6-244) over the line against Western (7-322) in the highest-scoring match of the tournament.
Round 6
The organisers couldn’t have planned it any better.
The Bradman Cup is set for an explosive finale with Newcastle to take on Riverina today at Lake Macquarie in a first-versus-second clash to decide the NSW under 16s country championships.
The teams will face off in a 50-over match at Feighan Oval No 1, Warners Bay, with the winner to take home the prestigious cup.
Newcastle hold the advantage, going into the match in first place on 28 points, however Riverina - second on 24 – could overtake the hosts with a victory.
The blockbuster match caps off a wonderful tournament, with some spectacular batting, bowling and team performances lighting up the previous six rounds over the past couple of months.
In the other matches, fifth-placed Western will take on eight-placed Central North next door at Feighan No 2, Central Coast meet Greater Illawarra at Charlestown Oval, while the ACT play North Coastal at Ron Hill Oval at Toronto.
Round 6
North Coastal v Riverina
Riverina has ensured that the final day of the Bradman Cup will play host to a first-versus-second playoff for the championship after defeating North Coastal in a rain-affected match during round six of the Bradman Cup.
After winning the toss, Riverina bucked the trend of the day and sent North Coastal in.
The north coast side got off to a solid start, with top-order batsmen Rory McLean (22), Taylor Gilbert (35) and Maison Simmons (46) all making solid starts.
Along with 23 from middle-order batter Kai Dalli, North Coastal moved to 4-145 and appeared to be on the way to posting a strong total.
However, as has happened to numerous teams throughout the course of the competition, North Coastal suffered an almighty collapse that saw the team lose six wickets for just 25 runs to be bowled out for 169 inside 40 overs.
Hunter Hall was the pick of the bowlers for Riverina, taking 3-21 from eight overs, while Toby Hoskin snared 2-30 from six.
Riverina were never seriously troubled in the rain-reduced chase, with opener Edward Kreutzberger leading the way with an unbeaten 64 not out, and Caleb Walker chiming in with an unbeaten 25, to see their side finish on 3-145 from 31.3 overs and chase down the revised target with seven wickets remaining.
Riverina (3-145 from 31.3 overs) def North Coastal (10-169) by seven wickets via DLS
Greater Illawarra v Central North
Greater Illawarra jumped back into the winner’s circle with a crushing nine-wicket victory over Central North at Cardiff No 2 in a match that witnessed one of the most explosive and incredible batting knocks ever seen in the Bradman Cup.
In a repeat of some of the troubles that have hampered Central North throughout the tournament, the top order struggled after the team won the toss and elected to bat.
Hayden Lucas (21) and Keanu Botha (17) were the only batters in the top order to record scores of note as the team fell to 6-63 after some excellent bowling from Blake Cattle (3-15) Baxter McDonald (3-26).
Central North were headed for a scored under 100 before some lower-order hitting from Jordan Lewington (27) and Thomas Long (16 not out) helped the side reach 8-119 from 43 overs.
As for Greater Illawarra’s chase, two words suffice: Jackson Ingram.
The opener went to town on the Central North bowlers in one of the most destructive innings ever seen in the Bradman Cup.
In a knock that featured 11 fours and five sixes, Ingram scored an incredible 101 not out from 64 balls to ensure that Greater Illawarra reached Central North’s total and after just 17.5 overs, finishing on 1-122.
To show just how dominant Ingram was, the opener scored all bar 21 of the team’s runs, with Jacob Coleman scoring 11 from 31 balls and Liam Barlow finishing on three not out from 14 deliveries.
Greater Illawarra (1-122) def Central North (8-119 from 43 overs)
Central Coast v ACT
Some patient lower-order batting has helped the Central Coast to a nailbiting win over the ACT at Ron Hill Oval at Toronto.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Canberra side got off to a mixed start, with the loss of regular wickets hindering some of the progress made by opener Samuel Smith, who top scored with 33.
As wickets continued to fall, number seven Hugh Taylor (26 from 69 balls) offered stubborn resistance, while some late hitting from Dylan Shillington saw the ACT reach 152 before they were bowled out in the 43rd over.
With the ball, Jaylen Johnston was the chief destroyer for the Central Coast, finishing with the impressive figures of 4-31 from nine overs.
It was a similar story for the Central Coast side in reply, with regular wickets undoing the good work of opener Cameron Wehrle, who scored 33.
A middle-order collapse left the team at 7-80 and in dire straits, before the tail order combined for some wonderfully stoic batting to get the team over the line.
Number eight Harry Levi was the rock, scoring a match-winning 28 not out from 92 balls, while number nine Austin Milne (15) and number 10 Logan McLoughlin (16 not out) also played their part as the Central Coast reached the ACT’s total with seven and a half overs to spare and two wickets remaining.
Central Coast (8-153 from 42.3 overs) def ACT (10-152)
Newcastle v Western
Newcastle has ensured that it will enter the final round of the Bradman Cup in first position and with its destiny in its own hands after an excellent batting performance set up a strong win against Western at Cardiff No 2.
After winning the toss and batting first, Newcastle’s top order delivered, with all of the top six making starts to build a solid platform for a healthy total.
Austen Hiskens (35), Jett Saxby (51) and Lachlan Williams (65) were the most impressive, with Williams’ match-high knock helping Newcastle to 8-274 after its 50 overs – the second-highest total in the tournament so far.
Although it was a difficult day with the ball for Western, Max Richards was by far the standout, taking 5-51 from his 10 overs.
Facing a daunting total, Western made a sound start, with its top order also making starts.
In fact, Western’s top eight batsmen all reached double figures, with Cooper Giddings top scoring with a feisty 37 from 26 balls, Harry Roscarel making 30 and Tom Blowes 26.
Despite the strong start, the inability of any of the top order batters to carry on with a big score ultimately hurt Western, who were bowled out for 218 with two overs remaining.
Lachlan Williams backed up his excellent knock with team-best figures of 3-43 from seven overs to cap off a man-of-the-match performance.
Newcastle (8-274) def Western (10-218) by 56 runs
Round 5
There was action galore during round five of the Bradman Cup in Lake Macquarie, with some electric batting and a dramatic tie highlighting a remarkable day’s play.
Riverina broke a number of records in its excellent batting display against the Central Coast, while there was a massive upset in the clash between Central North and the ACT.
Newcastle maintained its lead at the top of the ladder as the competition reaches the pointy end with just two rounds to play.
Newcastle v Greater Illawarra
Newcastle ensured that it will enter round six on top of the Bradman Cup ladder with a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Greater Illawarra at Kahibah Oval.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Greater Illawarra found itself in deep trouble early on, with just one of the top five making it to double figures as the team slumped to 5-47.
The middle and lower order was forced to do a rescue job, with Joshua Garnero (40) and Lukas Kay (24) helping to lift Greater Illawarra’s total to 142 before the team was bowled out in the 34th over.
Newcastle’s frontline bowlers did the damage, with Jamie Dickson (4-28) and Jonah Roser (2-27) ripping through the top order to help set up the win.
In reply, the home side had few troubles, with all batters getting a start during the run chase.
In a patient innings, Austen Hiskens top scored with 47 from 71 balls, while Kade Sutton (34 not out from 70) and Thomas Cover (24 from 31) provided good support to get the team over the line with 13 overs remaining and seven wickets in the shed.
Newcastle (3-146 from 37 overs) def Greater Illawarra (10-142) by seven wickets
Riverina v Central Coast
Riverina batsman Shaun Smith stole the show with an incredible batting performance as his team recorded the highest team total by far against the Central Coast at Feighan Oval No 2.
Electing to bat first, Riverina lost two early wickets to leave the side at 2-34.
The momentum seemed to be with the Central Coast until opener Edward Kreutzberger teamed up with number four Shaun Smith.
The pair put on a remarkable 100-run partnership, before Kreutzberger was dismissed for 44 from 76 balls.
Smith then lifted the tempo as he batted with the lower order, smashing 154 from just 129 balls, the highest individual score in this season’s Bradman Cup, as Riverina finished its 50 overs at 7-320.
The total was far and away the highest scored in the competition so far this season, a whopping 66 more than the previous best of 256 recorded by Western.
In a sign of Smith’s dominance, he was only dismissed via run out late in the innings as he was pushing for more runs.
Facing this daunting total, Central Coast lost two early wickets to leave the side at 2-22.
Zac Graham (62) and Lewis Gifford-Cock (41) started the fightback with a 69-run partnership, with Graham adding another 78 with Kolbi Goldie (51) to potentially give the side a chance.
However the total proved to be far beyond their reach, with the Central Coast finishing on 8-213 from 42.3 overs after rain interrupted play in the afternoon.
Riverina (7-320) def Central Coast (8-213 from 42.3 overs) via DLS
Western v North Coastal
After going winless through the first four rounds, Western notched up its second win of the tournament with an impressive win over North Coastal.
A patient batting display helped set up the victory, with Western’s strategy of playing more cautiously and batting out the overs working well.
As they did in round four, openers Murray Staines (30 from 59) and Cooper Townsend (17 from 31) saw off the new ball, before Tom Blowes (38) and Harry Roscarel (24) built on the platform to set up a competitive first innings total.
Number six Max Richardson then played the knock of the innings, batting with the lower order, to score 55 from 62 balls to help the team to 222, when they were bowled out with one ball remaining.
Cooper Pullen was also key, scoring 25 valuable lower-innings runs.
Spinner Harry Kershler was the pick of the bowlers for North Coastal, finishing with 2-37 from 10, and was well supported by Riley Webster (2-23) and Oliver Walker (2-46).
Western then got off to the perfect start with the ball, knocking over North Coastal’s top order cheaply to leave them at 5-55 and in serious trouble.
Enter Oliver Walker.
The number six teamed up with Taylor Gilbert (11) and James Lobb (33) to give North Coastal a fighting chance at chasing down Western’s total.
However Walker’s dismissal for 71 from 96 balls ultimately spelled the end of the chase, with North Coastal bowled out for 184.
Western (10-222) def North Coastal (10-184) by 38 runs
Central North v ACT
In the most dramatic game of the tournament so far, Central North recorded its first points of this season’s Bradman Cup with an incredible tie against the ACT at Charlestown Oval.
Batting first, Central North took the cautious approach adopted by many teams during round five by scoring at a slower run rate to ensure they batted out their overs.
Left-handed opener Hayden Lucas was the undoubted standout, scoring a match-high 79, while Harrison Dunn added 29 to see the team finish at 10-199 after its 50 overs.
Although the windy conditions were difficult for the bowlers, Central North was aided by some wayward bowling, with ACT bowling 48 extras, including 36 wides.
Jesse Rayner was the pick of the bowlers for the ACT, finishing with the impressive figures of 4-36 from nine overs.
In reply, the ACT made a strong start, with opener Monty Green (72) batting with the top and middle order of Tom Hogan (31) and Hugh Taylor (24) to leave the team at 3-146 and cruising in the run chase.
However a lower order collapse of 5-20 left ACT nine down with 17 runs to get, giving Central North a real sniff.
In the dramatic final overs, ACT’s Alex Gunn (28 not out) batted with the tail end to level scores at 199.
However there was one more twist in the tail, with Central North’s Keanu Botha clean bowling ACT tail ender Jesse Rayner to ensure the game ended as a draw, sparking wild celebrations from the Central North team.
It was a remarkable result for Central North, who had lost their four previous games, while ACT was in second place leading into the match, having lost just one game prior.
Central North (10-199) tied with ACT (10-199)
Round four
Newcastle has surged to the top of the Bradman Cup table following a dramatic first versus second clash during round four of the tournament in Lake Macquarie.
The team took advantage of playing at home to record a 36-run win over defending champions the ACT on a day that saw a number of teams make a charge up the ladder and set up a dramatic last three rounds later this week.
Catch all the action below.
Newcastle v ACT
Some stoic lower-order batting, tight bowling and some excellent fielding has seen Newcastle jump into first place on the Bradman Cup ladder with a dramatic 36-run win over the ACT as Pasterfield Oval.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Newcastle got off to a difficult start against the ladder leaders, losing early wickets to fall to 2-11 inside the early overs.
Thomas Cover (33) and Lachlan Williams (36) steadied the ship for Newcastle before another collapse left the team at 6-90, with its chances of claiming the Bradman Cup looking increasingly slim.
However some lower-order batting ultimately proved to be the difference, as number seven Jonah Roser (37), number eight Kade Sutton (33 not out) and number nine Harry Campbell (32 not out) lifted the side to 7-188 from its 50 overs.
Newcastle’s attempt to defend the total got off to a great start, with quick Jacob Curry dismissing ACT danger man Lukas Boorer cheaply and Roser picking up the scalp of the Canberra side’s other opener Monty Green for 18 to leave the defending champions at 2-33.
Hugh Taylor (35), Samuel Smith (33) and Tom Hogan (14) helped build a platform for the ACT’s chase, however a middle-order collapse triggered by some excellent runouts and the regular loss of wickets ensured that the team would fall short, bowled out for 152 after 45.1 overs.
For Newcastle, Noah Parkinson (2-14) and Jamie Dickson (2-30) were key with the ball, while Roser capped off a man-of-the-match performance with the excellent figures of 2-12 from 8.1 overs.
The win sees Newcastle leapfrog the ACT into first place on 16 points, while the Canberra side joins a three-team bloc on 12 points.
Newcastle (7-188) def ACT (10-152) by 36 runs
Central North v Riverina
Riverina ensured that it kept pace with the leaders following a big six-wicket win over Central North at Cardiff No 1.
Batting first, Central North made a steady but strong start, with top order batsmen Keanu Botha (38), Hayden Lucas (34) and Harry Dunn (30) all getting starts to take the team to a competitive platform of 3-109.
However the team’s inconsistency struck again, with a terrible middle-order collapse undoing much of the good early work.
The team lost the last five wickets for just 12 runs to be bowled out for 160 after 44.2 overs.
Hunter Hall and Toby Hosken both did the damage with the ball for Riverina, taking 3-22 and 3-42, respectively. They were well backed up by Noah Orchard, who took 2-24 from eight overs.
In chasing the total Riverina never looked seriously troubled.
Shaun Smith was the star with the bat, guiding the team home with 55 not out from 62 balls, while Jay Lavis (39) and Chad Brookes (28) also scored handy runs as Riverina chased the total down after just 34.5 overs and with six wickets in hand.
Riverina (4-161 from 34.5 overs) def Central North (10-160) by six wickets
North Coastal v Greater Illawarra
Next door at Cardiff No 2, Greater Illawarra was another to make a charge up the ladder with a convincing five-wicket victory over North Coastal.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, North Coastal got off to a difficult start, with both openers falling cheaply to leave the team at 2-6 early on.
Ryan Reid and Rory McLean then steadied the ship, with both making 29 to help set up North Coastal’s innings.
However the dismissal of the pair triggered an almighty collapse, with North Coastal going from 3-78 to 8-89.
If it wasn’t for some late-order hitting from James Lobb, who scored 26, the situation may have been far worse for North Coastal, who were bowled out for just 130 after 41.3 overs.
Noah Wraight was the chief destroyer for Greater Illawarra, picking up 4-20 from 6.3 overs. He was well supported by Blake Cattle, who finished with the excellent figures of 3-19 from 10 overs, and Jackson Ingram, who took 2-30 from his 10 overs.
In reply, Greater Illawarra got off to an equally poor start, with both openers falling cheaply and Ingram dismissed for 17 to leave the team at 3-30.
When Ted Waterman (6) and Lucas Kay (1) both fell for single figures, Greater Illawarra was sitting at just 5-48, and it looked like North Coastal might be able to pull off a great escape.
However Baxter McDonald and Josh Garnero put a stop to any dreaming with an excellent match-winning partnership.
McDonald scored a patient 49 not out from 86 balls and Garnero 48 not out from 60 to guide the side home with five wickets to spare and 17.1 overs, with the win placing Greater Illawarra on 12 points and equal second place on the ladder.
Greater Illawarra (5-134 from 32.4 overs) def North Coastal (10-130) by five wickets
Western v Central Coast
Western recorded its first win of the season’s Bradman Cup campaign after putting in the day’s best batting performance to notch up a big 58-run win against the Central Coast.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Western got off to an excellent start, with openers Murray Staines and Cooper Townsend seeing off the new ball and building a solid platform for the team.
They recorded an opening partnership of 84, by far Western’s best so far in the tournament, with both openers scoring 43 before being dismissed.
While Western lost a couple of cheap wickets, vice-captain Harry Roscarel and Hugh Taylor took control of the innings to set up a big total.
Roscarel scored 79 not out from 81 deliveries and Taylor an unbeaten 66 from 74 to take the team to 4-256 after 50 overs, by far the biggest total of the day.
While Western had not yet put together a consistent batting and bowling performance so far in the tournament, the team’s bowling unit was determined not to let this opportunity pass them by, and continued the good form with a series of early wickets to leave the Central Coast at 4-59 early on in their innings.
While Max Oteiwi (58) and Kobi Goldie (29) offered some resistance with the bat, the regular fall of wickets ensured that the Central Coast was bowled out for 198 after 46.2 overs.
Aydan Hunt (3-24), Cooper Pullen (2-22) and Max Richards (2-30) were the star performers with the ball as Western recorded its first win and climbed off the bottom of the table.
Western (4-256 from 50 overs) def Central Coast (10-198) by 58 runs
Rounds 1-3
The Bradman Cup returned with a bang over the weekend of December 3-4, with the opening rounds of NSW’s under-16 country championship taking place at various venues in Kempsey and the Illawarra region.
The first three rounds were played, with all eight teams playing one 50-over match and two T20 fixtures.
They were split up in Northern and Southern pools. North Coastal, Central North, Newcastle and the Central Coast faced off in the Northern pool in Kempsey, while the ACT, Greater Illawarra, Riverina and Western played each other in the Southern pool.
The ACT reaffirmed its status as one of the pre-tournament favourites with an undefeated weekend to top the ladder, ahead of a slew of teams close behind, led by Newcastle and North Coastal.
Ahead of the final four rounds, to be held in Lake Macquarie in early January, we’ve taken a look at some of the big performers from each team.
ACT
The defending champions have picked up right where they left off last season, winning all three games to be the only undefeated team after the opening weekend.
Thomas Hogan has been an absolute standout for the Canberra side with both bat and ball. He scored 108 runs across two innings, including game-highs of 56 against Greater Illawarra and 52 not out against the Riverina.
He has also been a strike weapon with his left-arm orthodox spinners, taking five wickets for 48 across the three games at an average of 9.6. This included three for 27 from 10 overs in the opening game against Greater Illawarra and two for six against Western.
Other key contributors have included leg spinner Freddie Cleverly, who has taken four for 68 over the three matches, and opening batsman Monty Green, who top scored with an unbeaten 47 in the ACT’s eight-wicket win over Western in their round three T20 clash.
Newcastle
Newcastle have made an impressive start to the Bradman Cup, winning two games to be sitting in second place.
The team made an impressive start to the competition with a nail-biting seven-run win over North Coastal in the opening T20 game.
Although Newcastle went down to the Central Coast in their second T20, they rebounded with a big win against Central North in the 50-over fixture on Sunday.
Lachlan Williams has been the clear standout with the bat, not just for Newcastle but across the whole tournament, scoring 183 runs and only being dismissed once.
This has included the only century so far, a knock of 103 against Central North in their 50-over match, which followed innings of 15 not out and 65 not out against North Coastal and the Central Coast, respectively.
Austen Hiskens is another who has contributed with the bat, scoring 47 in the team’s first T20 match against, while Jacob Curry has starred with the ball.
The right arm quick has been Newcastle’s premier strike weapon, taking seven wickets at an average of 7.7 across the first three games.
North Coastal
The North Coast side have been among one of the top performers in the very competitive northern pool.
After narrowly losing to Newcastle in a T20 match to kick off the tournament, the team responded with strong wins against Central North and the Central Coast.
The latter was the most remarkable. After winning the toss and electing to bat in the 50-over match, North Coastal found themselves in deep trouble early, falling to three for three and then four for 27.
Middle-order batsmen Maison Simmons and Kai Dalli steadied the ship with 45 and 25, respectively, before the tail end stepped in to save the day.
Number nine James Lobb scored 52 while number 10 Harry Kershler chimed in with 22 to ensure North Coastal posted a defendable target of 177.
At two for 97 it appeared as though the Central Coast were cruising in the run chase with North Coastal desperately needing a spark.
Enter Kershler. The left-arm leggie took a remarkable five for 22 from 10 overs to help trigger an almighty collapse and bowl the Central Coast out for 135.
Over the course of the early rounds Oliver Walker has been the most consistent with the bat, top-scoring for the team in the opening two T20 games with 32 and 36, while also picking up five wickets with the ball.
Meanwhile special mention goes to Samuel Acret, who recorded the remarkable figures of four for four from four in the big T20 win against Central North.
Riverina
The Riverina side has certainly found out about the fine margins of cricket over the first weekend of the Bradman Cup.
After recording a big win in its opening 50-over match against Western, the team recorded two narrow losses to the ACT and Greater Illawarra in the T20 games.
In fact, the final match against the latter went right down to the wire, with Riverina bowled out just one run short of Greater Illawarra’s total of 94.
The standout performance so far has been captain Caleb Walker’s 91 against Western in the opening game. He was also well supported by Hunter Hall (56) in the big win.
Shaun Smith was among the runs in the loss to the ACT, top-scoring for his side with 42, while Jay Lavis has been strong with both the bat and ball.
The all-rounder, considered to be the team’s X-factor, scored 33 not out against the ACT and took three for 34 against Western.
Greater Illawarra
While Greater Illawarra might be sitting in fifth place on the overall ladder, the team has a record of two wins and one loss and is well placed ahead of the final four rounds in early January.
The team showed it can match it with the best, going down to the undefeated ACT by just 13 runs in the opening T20 game, before recording wins against Western and the Riverina.
It has been a real team effort from Greater Illawarra, with a number of different players contributing with the bat.
Baxter McDonald (42), Liam Barlow (40) and Ted Waterman (39) all batted well in the opening match against the ACT, while Jackson Ingram stole the show in the big win against Western, scoring 71 from 56 balls before retiring hurt.
It has been a similar story with the ball, with Joshua Garnero recording the best bowling figures against the ACT with three for 37. He was ably supported by Ingram with two for 34, while Waterman added to his strong batting performance with two for 22 against Western.
Central Coast
Another side with a record of two wins and one loss, the Central Coast’s ladder position of fifth doesn’t necessarily reflect the team’s strong performances over the opening weekend.
The finest moment was arguably Kolbi Goldie’s six under lights in the final over of the Central Coast’s T20 match against Newcastle, which gave the side a crucial three-wicket win over their very strong local rivals.
The most outstanding all-round performers so far have been Jaylen Johnston and Zak Graham.
Johnston has top-scored for the side with 128 runs across three digs, including a match-defining 63 against Newcastle. He has also been more than handy with his left-arm orthodox spinners, picking up four wickets at 14.
Meanwhile, Graham top-scored with 40 in the opening win over Central North, before recording figures of two for 13 and two for 10 against Newcastle and North Coastal, respectively.
Special mention should also go to Logan McLoughlin, who has been the Central Coast’s most effective strike bowler throughout the tournament.
He has picked up six wickets at an average of just over 10, including the impressive figures of three for 15 against Central North.
Central North
It has been a difficult start to the Bradman Cup for Central North, with three losses in a tough Northern pool.
While the team batted and bowled well at different times over the opening weekend, they haven’t yet managed to put together a complete performance.
A prime example of this was seen during the T20 match with North Coastal, when Central North restricted their opponents to just 93 in a twilight fixture.
Will Parkinson led the attack with two for 15 from four, while Jordan Lewington finished with the impressive figures of two for five from three overs.
They were well supported by the likes of Stirling Strachan and Jacob Callen who each picked up a wicket.
Despite the strong bowling performance, Central North fell short with the bat. They were bowled out for 50 in difficult conditions under lights.
Parkinson showed his quality again in the 50-over match against Newcastle, picking up one for 21 from his 10 overs, while Thomas Long was also economical with one for 18 from five overs.
With the bat, Harrison Dunn has been the standout for Central North, top scoring in two of the three games with 26 and 56.
Western
Western is another team that has played patches of quality cricket without putting it together in one match.
The team has had a number of good performers with the bat, with Tom Blowes top-scoring so far in the tournament with his 71 from 53 balls against Riverina.
Ably supported by captain Max Richardson with 53, Western scored at a 5.5 runs an over in their opening clash, but were ultimately restricted to 208 after being bowled out inside 39 overs.
Meanwhile, in the team’s T20 match against Greater Illawarra, Western posted the competitive total of 119, with Harry Roscarel (53) and Cooper Townsend (25) leading the charge.
With the ball, Max Richards was impressive in taking three for 24 against Riverina, while Jack Milne picked up two for 19 against the ACT in their T20 clash.
Looking ahead to the final four rounds next month, Western will be looking to put together a strong batting and bowling performance against the Northern pool teams.
Live stream: Watch 144 games at the Sydney International Cup
Some of the brightest young talent in the country have hit Sydney for the big end-of-season tournament - and KTV will showcase two fields. Click on the link in-story to take you to day three LIVE action.
REPLAYS: Sydney International Cup, Day 1
Focus Football Development has laid down the gauntlet with emphatic victory at the Sydney International Cup. Check it out and another 21 games in full REPLAY from fields three and four.