Tom Scriven masterclass steers Broadbeach Robina to 55-run win over Burleigh in semi final

AS the pain of Burleigh’s late-season fade out hit home with defeat against Broadbeach Robina, batting talisman Rhys McCarthy was left to wonder where it all went wrong.

AS the pain of Burleigh’s late-season fade out hit home, batting talisman Rhys McCarthy was left to wonder where it all went wrong.

Twelve months on from the ecstasy of a maiden Kookaburra Cup premiership, Burleigh felt the agony of finals defeat today as Broadbeach Robina romped to a 55-run win in their semi at Crowe Howarth Oval.

Chasing 151 to keep their title defence alive, the hosts never got going amid an onslaught from Cats quick Tom Scriven, whose 6-37 from a backbreaking 25 overs was the catalyst for a paltry Bullsharks total of 95.

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The defeat was the fourth straight for Burleigh, who at one point after Christmas appeared to have the minor premiership safe in their keeping.

But their sudden loss of form, which allowed Alberton Ormeau to finish in top spot, left McCarthy scratching his head.

Burleigh batsman Rhys McCarthy. Picture: Mike Batterham

“It’s pretty hard to really pinpoint where it’s gone wrong but it’s basically just guys applying themselves,” McCarthy, whose score of 14 took his season tally to 574 runs at 47.83, said.

“It definitely wasn’t not trying. We still trained really hard and there was still a great approach towards games. I think batting let us down a fair bit, the bowling was really great.

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“Even when we were six or seven down (today) I thought we were still in the hunt, all it took was just a couple or partnerships to be strung together. Partnerships is where we really fell through.”

Pace-bowling brothers TJ (5-37) and Daley Miller (5-42) had paved the way for a Burleigh victory on Saturday, despite a fighting 50 from Scriven at first drop.

But the Bullsharks’ batsmen could not finish the job on day two, with Chandimar Abeykoon the only player to pass 15.

All-rounder Tom Scriven starred for Broadbeach Robina. Picture: Mike Batterham

Scriven found a willing ally in Reece McDonald (2-46 from 20 overs), with Jaden Davis (2-0 from 0.3 overs) delivering the coup de grace with the final two wickets.

Victory for Broadbeach ended a run of five-straight first grade finals losses stretching back to 2013-14, but captain Sean Fitzsimmons said shaking that monkey had not been a motivating factor.

“I’ve been part of when we won two premierships back-to-back (in 2011-12 and 2012-13) so it wasn’t something I was really thinking about. It was more that we lost five semis across the club last year so it was a pretty bad Sunday night,” he said.

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“We sort of knew we had enough runs (against Burleigh) but we had to bowl well to do it. We just lift when we need to.

“We don’t play that well when we don’t need to win. We’ve got a good mix of young’uns and old guys and they know how to play games and win games.”

Broadbeach will now face Alberton Ormeau in the grand final next Saturday and Sunday.

SCOREBOARD

■ Broadbeach Robina 150 def. Burleigh 95 at Crowe Howarth Oval