GPS First XI cricket Players of the Week from Rd 1

Revealed: Who were the Players of the Week following round 1 of GPS First XI cricket? Here we present 13 of the very best.

The Southport School celebrate a wicket on the weekend. Picture: Mike Batterham

The GPS First XI season is up and running for another season, with Toowoomba Grammar School, The Southport School, Churchie and Brisbane Boys College all Round 1 winners.

Ahead of our coverage continuing this Saturday, we present our Players of the Round from the opening weekend of cricket.

GPS FIRST XI ROUND 1 MATCH REPORT HERE

TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL v TERRACE

Chace Oates (TGS): Oates is one of the best schoolboy rugby talents in Queensland and is a former Maroons under 15 rugby league second rower, but his sporting skills crossed boundaries last Saturday. In the First XI opener, batsman Oates raised his 50 from just 47 balls, and it was his middle order surge which was the innings that pushed TGS close enough and must have been a morale boost for the following batsmen

Ewald Kruger (TGS): Wow, what a return. Another schoolboy rugby star, Kruger claimed 6-34 from eight overs of left arm spin as the Terrace batsmen unsuccessfully went hard at him. Three of his wickets were caught and bowled as Kruger kept the faith and backed himself against a Terrace side scrambling to try and secure a 200-plus scoreline. Like Oates, Ewald Kruger was named in a Rugby Australia development squad last year.

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Christian Jardine (Terrace): Jardine scored 65 to share in a 100 run opening partnership with Oscar Bodimeade (39) to send his side on the path toward 9-196. He batted for 126 minutes to ensure his side had wickets in hand to push hard in the last third of the innings.

Toowoomba Grammar School bowler Charlie Lachmund. Picture: John Gass

Richard Dean: What a tremendous last knock by Dean (30 not out, 42 balls). Piece by piece, Dean got his side over the line in a tense late thriller, keeping his nerve under extreme pressure. He used up the overs and finished off great earlier work from Oates and Cooper Webster (37).

Gregory Terrace batsman Christian Jardine. Picture: John Gass

THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL v IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Zac McDermott (TSS): Medium-fast all-rounder McDermott (3-4) took the figures in a stunning TSS team and fielding bowling effort as they restricted IGS to 83. McDermott bowled tightly early and got the rewards late, and along with his new ball partner Ryan Summers (0-10, 10 overs) he pinned IGS to the canvas.

Zac McDermott. Picture: Supplied

Jacob Bath (TSS): What a fabulous day for the elite all-rounder. At the bowling crease he took 2-29 from his 10 overs, and then raced to 50 not out (55 balls) to give his side an early victory.

Luke Sanderson (IGS): Hats off to this Ipswich Grammar School batsman. Dug deep under pressure for a defiant 24 in 101 minutes, doing his very best to withstand the pressure from TSS.

BRISBANE BOYS COLLEGE v BGS

Jamie Alexander (BBC): The BBC captain led by example and although he would have been disappointed not to cash in during the last 10 overs, he produced a crucial 42 after BGS had induced a collapse of 3-13. Alexander displayed great composure early on when the BGS bowlers had their tails up.

GPS First XI cricket match between Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Boys College on January 28. Picture: John Gass

James Martens (BCC): Martens was a class batsman, building his innings after being respectful early on to make 50. His eagerness to turn over the strike with quick singles while batting alongside fellow opener Blake Armstrong (1-22, 10 overs plus 14 runs) was eye-catching. And while on Armstrong, his nice partnership with Martens and his effort at the bowling crease ensured has given him a foundation in his debut summer in the Firsts.

GPS First XI cricket match between Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Boys College on January 28. Picture: John Gass

Jack Matthews (BGS): In tandem with fellow leg spinner Oliver Skerl, Matthews pulled BGS back into the match after a runaway Jack Martens had threatened to put on a real show with the bat. Bowling with the wind, the brother of 2022 premiership winner Toby used a quick arm action and nice variety in length to disrupt what was a flowing BBC innings.

Churchie celebrate a wicket GPS First XI cricket between Churchie and Brisbane State High on January 28. Picture: John Gass

CHURCHIE v BSHS

Henry Hillier: Churchie produced the complete team bowing effort in the season opener, and leading the way was left arm orthodox spinner Hillier. This was no ho-hum BSHS batting line-up, but it was Hillier who snared their two trump cards, Queensland under 17 teammates Daniel Skipwith and Jack Sonter. Hillier also featured in a run out.

Charlie Moore: The college new boy made the XI as a batsman, but he is also a developing leg spin bowler who snared 2-18 after capturing Dihain Kuruppu and Singh. He was a part of a wider bowling unit led by Hillier, but also including Daniel Boreham (1-10), off-spinner Zac Griggs (1-5), off-spinner Tighe Morris (1-4) and seamer Ed Storen (0-16, seven overs).

Churchie bowler Tighe Morris GPS First XI cricket between Churchie and Brisbane State High on January 28. Picture: John Gass

Connor Rudman: Yes it was a small victory target (83) but Rudman’s enterprising, run-a-ball 45 not out ensured Churchie’s bowlers could put their feet up and not worry about batting after a morning of hard work.

Our coverage of GPS First XI cricket will continue this Saturday afternoon at www.courmermail.com.au

Round 2

NC v IGS

BGS v Churchie

GT v TSS

TGS v BSHS

BBC v Bye

GPS First XI cricket between Gregory Terrace and Toowoomba Grammar School on January 28. Picture: John Gass

Originally published as GPS First XI cricket Players of the Week from Rd 1