The Southport School set 102-year GPS Cricket record with eighth title in 12 years.

The Southport School’s present is just as bright as it’s glittering future, as the 2021 undefeated First XI season takes the school into rarefied air.

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THE Southport School confirmed its GPS First XI Cricket premiership in style with a focused win over Gregory Terrace to complete a rare undefeated season.

The program has now collected eight premierships in 12 seasons, bettering the GPS record set by TSS from 1970-1982 under the late, legendary coach Billy King.

King was the master in charge of cricket at the school from 1971 to 1981, coaching six premierships in that span with additional titles on either side in a golden era for TSS cricket.

Head coach Ross Wallace has now led TSS to eight titles in one fewer season, proving its cricketing present is just as bright as its glittering history.

The South Sport School batsman Lockie Crumb. GPS First XI cricket match between The South Sport School and Terrace. Saturday March 27, 2021. Picture, John Gass

Cricketers including national representatives Billy Stanlake, Michael Neser and New Zealand’s Blair Tickner have played their part in this journey.

Wallace is sure members of the 2021 premiership are good enough to one day join them in the international arena.

“Including this one, I’ve only coached two undefeated premierships,” Wallace said.

“They just wanted it for each other, these boys, and they proved it in a couple of real tight games.

“It wasn’t the same bloke who stood up every week, it was a new standout every match, and I hope that’s something our two Year 11 students and one Grade 10 can take away from this year.”

The Southport School batsman Jackson Hill. GPS First XI cricket match between The South Sport School and Terrace. Saturday March 27, 2021. Picture, John Gass

The title was the culmination of an eight-month battle of attrition, all to withstand the pressure of eight consecutive matches that serve effectively as elimination finals.

“It’s indefinable, the quality that makes someone a TSS cricketer,” Wallace said.

“You have to see kids off the field as well as on it, to see if they’re mentally and physically tough enough to do what it takes.

“They’ll remember this achievement for the rest of their lives.”

CHABERT CONQUERED HIMALAYAS BUT GPS PREMIERSHIP WOULD BE GREATER

STANDING at the summit of Island Peak in the Himalayas with his parents and two younger brothers was the proudest moment of The Southport School cricketer Louis Chabert’s life.

The only thing that could eclipse that momentous achievement would be climbing the summit of the GPS First XI cricket premiership with his teammates.

Chabert, 16, is approaching the halfway point of that climb with TSS bearing down upon a fourth-straight victory against Brisbane State High School on Saturday.

He will lean upon the toughness forged by three treks to Mount Everest Base Camp (5,364m) and conquering the heights of Island Peak (6,189m) and Mera Peak (6,476m) before his 18th birthday.

“It’s mainly taught me resilience,” the batsman said.

TSS cricketer Louis Chabert is a gun mountain climber who has climbed all over the Himalayas. Picture Glenn Hampson

“You get up at 11pm, start climbing at midnight then you’re not stopping until 5am the next day.

“You have to wear spikes connected to your shoes and this device which is a one-way rope so you can’t fall down but you can go forward.

“It’s resilience even when you don’t have any energy, you just have to keep going.”

Danger is a regular companion on treks up the world’s tallest mountain range.

Six years ago a climber fell to his death on Mera Peak after missing a step following an unsuccessful attempt at the summit.

“The closest (near-miss) we had was when we were climbing one of the main three passes in the Everest region,” Chabert said.

“We got to the top and my brother started vomiting and he couldn’t support his body weight.

“My dad had to piggyback him down the mountain and I had to carry 40 kilograms, my pack and my dad’s.”

Summer days in the field at the school’s famous Village Green oval cannot compare to the difficulty of Chabert’s Christmas expeditions but the chance to raise the First XI trophy for the first time would be just as rewarding.

“I would much rather win a TSS premiership,” he said.

“That’s been a goal of mine for a long time.

“When we summited Island Peak we were the only ones on the mountain that day.

“To have all five of us at the summit was a pretty good feeling.

“The only thing I can imagine that would be a similar feeling is winning the trophy in five weeks.”

To be in position to compete for the title at all is an achievement in itself for Chabert, who returned from his last trip to Nepal in 2019/20 nine kilograms lighter.

“I didn’t hit a cricket ball for two months so when I came back I was pretty bad,” he said.

“It took a long time before I felt capable of scoring runs or even making this team.

“My hand-eye coordination was really bad afterwards and I was tired for weeks afterwards.

“It was only a couple of days before the season where it clicked and I felt like a batsman again.”

With no trip to Nepal this off-season Chabert enjoyed his best preparation yet.

He has scored 49 runs in three innings, including the matchwinning 74-run partnership with Tom Gossett in round one against Brisbane Grammar.

HUNGRY TSS DINES OUT WITH BONUS-POINT WIN

THE Southport School has hit the 2021 GPS cricket season in full stride, dispatching Brisbane Grammar School with a dominant batting performance to claim a bonus-point victory.

After falling one game short of claiming the title last season, a near-full cast of returning players showcased their hunger to end their final campaign on the highest note.

Southport’s maturity was a major strength with a disciplined batting approach reaping dividends in the final 10 overs.

Composed innings from Lachlan Crump (71) and Jack Sinfield (46) guided TSS to 4-170 in the 39th over, leaving Tom Gossett (52 from 35) and Louis Chabert (24 from 39) to accelerate through to 4-244 at close.

It was a team effort with the ball as six bowlers claimed scalps, led by skipper Sinfield’s 2-7 from a five-over spell, to bowl BGS out for 106.

TSS director of cricket Steven Baker said the 2021 First XI was out for redemption after last year’s result.

“Many of the boys are at the end of their school journey and want to finish off strongly,” he said.