REPLAY: Badgers claim inaugural Barrier Reef Big Bash title

Jake Roach stole the show yet again as the Piccones Badgers escaped a cruel threat by Mother Nature to claim the inaugural T20 Barrier Reef Big Bash championship.

Rowan Sparkes

2 min read

March 28, 2021 - 1:00AM

The Cairns Post

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Jake Roach stole the show yet again as the Piccones Badgers escaped a cruel threat by Mother Nature to claim the inaugural T20 Barrier Reef Big Bash championship.

The Badgers, led by their skipper Roach, claimed a dominant 10-wicket DLS win over the Twomey Schriber Thunder at Griffiths Park on Saturday night.

The decider was less than a minute away from being declared a washout after a lengthy rain delay, but teams were able to get back on the pitch and resume play before the cut-off time.

Badgers skipper Jake Roach won the toss and elected to bowl before play was halted after one over with the Thunder at 0-6.

After more than two hours of rain delay, the match was reduced to the minimum five-overs-a-side and play was able to resume before the grand final had to be abandoned.

The Thunder returned to the crease with just four overs to build a competitive total but lost quick wickets on their way to 6-44.

Badgers medium-pacer Aaron Lock took 3-12 from his one over.

Openers Roach and Angus Warnock strolled to the crease with the Badgers needing a DLS adjusted total of 47 to remain undefeated and win the first Barrier Reef Big Bash tournament.

Roach left nothing to chance as he smashed 35 off 13, including four sixes, to lead the Badgers to victory, with Warnock (12 off 8) doing the rest.

In true ‘Roachy’ fashion, the big-hitting all-rounder brought up the winning runs with a maximum as the Badgers chased down the required total with nine of their 30 balls to spare.

REPLAY: NASSER PUMPS THUNDER INTO BIG DANCE

Paul Nasser has propelled the Thunder into the Barrier Reef Big Bash grand final with an unbeaten 46 off 40 balls in the challenger final against the Hurricanes at Griffiths Park.

The big-hitting all-rounder came to the crease with the Thunder at 1-14 and carried his bat through the next 16 overs in a crucial knock to lead his side to victory, bringing up the winning runs in the last over.

Thunder batsman Michael Raso also chipped in with a classy run-a-ball 29.

Luke McAvoy (33 off 19), Brendan Nasser (32 of 31) and Barry Weare (27 off 25) were strong at the crease for the Hurricanes, but the Thunder bowling, led by economical four-over spells from spearheads Luke Parnell (18-2) and Wade Matthews (1-13), restricted the side to just 6-117.

Mark Ellis (2-19) was the pick of the Hurricanes bowlers.