GPS First XI Cricket: Drama-charged day 1 of the season

GPS First XI cricket: Dramatic round 1, with a thrilling Battle of the West, while Nudgee came from behind to win - and spin twins rescue BBC.

On a dramatic day 1 of GPS First XI cricket, Nudgee College came from behind to beat The Southport School, while Ipswich Grammar School pipped Toowoomba Grammar School in a thriller.

At Ross Oval, The Southport School looked to be striding to victory before the match descended into a battle of inches as the Nudgee (218) fought tooth and nail on their home turf. In the last over tightrope walk, TSS needed 21 to win but was dismissed for 204.

Elsewhere, Brisbane Boys College fought back hard with a six wicket win over a dangerous Brisbane State High School, while St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace supporters watched two match-turning batting innings against Churchie.

RELATED LINKS

PRIVATE SCHOOL’S RETURN TO SPORT COVID DATES

GPS FIRST XI - PLAYERS TO WATCH

GUN GPS FIRST’S OLD BOYS XI TO HELP THE HEAT, BULLS

At picturesque Ross Oval, an epic encounter unfolded as Nudgee College defended 218 in a gripping clash with premiers TSS.

A positive opening partnership of 78 in 15 overs between TSS pair Nick Williams and Jacob Bath (27) laid foundations for the TSS batting reply after Nudgee’s bats swept home with 149 runs in the last 25 overs of the morning session.

But Fergus McFadyen’s double breakthrough for Nudgee - he dismissed Williams and Bath - and Tom Malone’s tight bowling slowed the TSS innings and Nudgee were back in the contest.

Southport bowler Zac McDermott. Picture, John Gass

Nudgee trio Carter Corless, Naite Grauf and Daniel Seaton were then miserly after Fergus McFadyen, Tom Malone and Jack Balkin (1-40) got their side back in the match.

From 0-78, TSS slipped to 4-115 as the run-rate also subsided.

Zac McDermott (17) and Statham then added to the TSS tally by 27 runs before Grauf claimed McDermott and Seaton took the wicket of Cooper Veivers.

St Joseph's Gregory Terrace celebrate a wicke. Picture, John Gass

At 6-143 (38 overs), Nudgee were back on top, and looking victors when Statham was out at 8-181.

With three overs remaining, TSS still required 28 runs to win.

Nudgee batsman Kane Neilsen. Picture, John Gass

In the morning session, the Nudgee innings was built around Kane Neilsen who kept his head under intense pressure from TSS, scoring an accomplished 78 in 154 minutes.

The even-tempered Neilsen displayed great poise after watching McDermott dismiss Isaac Mills and captain Daniel Seaton in the one over, and then again as Nudgee confronted accurate bowling and ring fields from TSS.

Nudgee’s Kane Neilsen, left, and Lachlan Russell take a break for a drinkPicture, John Gass

But he then stroked almost a run-a-ball to go from 38 to 78 to lead Nudgee’s acceleration.

With Seaton the mainstay, Nudgee had a series of mini-contributions from Russell (15), Balkin (18, 24 balls), McFadyen (16, 23), Fielding (26, 19 balls) and Malone (15 not out, 17 balls).

TSS were their old selves through the first session in the field, speeding the game up as spin bowlers Gabriel Leitch and Joe Madden bowled to their fields.

Southport’s Spencer Alcock. Picture, John Gass

Short cover Justin Faber and Nick Williams led a splendid fielding effort to build pressure on their rivals.

But full marks to Nudgee opener Neilsen for coming out the other side of fortress TSS and the cameo’s around him gave TSS plenty to think about at the start of their innings.

St Joseph's Gregory Terrace bowler Michael Harper. Picture, John Gass

In the first hour, Zac McDermott, whose father Craig was a Queensland champion (291 Test wickets), produced a four-star new ball performance for TSS.

With his arms and legs pumping in a manner which resembled a young Craig McDermott, Zac McDermott bowled an outstanding line and length of right arm medium fast.

Indeed so good was his first spell - 4-3-5-2 - it was surprising not to see him given a fifth on the trot to open the TSS innings.

Brisbane Boys College bowler Samuel Bell. Picture, John Gass

At Oakman Park, spinners Javen D’Souza (4-47) and Samuel Bell (0-31, eight overs) turned the match for Brisbane Boys College in the first session, leading to a momentum swing which the home team’s top four batsman pounced on during the afternoon.

Brisbane Boys College (4-203) won after restricting BSHS’s to a competitive 201.

Brisbane Boys College’s Javen D'Souza fought back with four wickets. Picture, John Gass

At 4-175 with 12 overs remaining, BSHS were looking to set a target more like 240-plus but BBC’s D’Souza, after bowling short early, started pitching up his fast off-spin and his reward was not one, not two, not three but four wickets.

His recovery coincided with leg-spinner Bell’s entry to the bowling crease and in tandem they turned the momentum toward their side.

BSHS’s Jack Sonter (59 80 balls) was outstanding batting along with John Isoardi (40, 64 balls), but the turning point came when Miron Nanayakkarawasam (27, 26 balls) was run out.

D’Souza and Bell then bowled well to the new batsman and it was game on.

BSHS batsman Jack Sonter was class. Picture, John Gass

Opposition teams had better watch out given the enterprise of BSHS bats Sonter and Isoardi, whose deeds were outstanding after BBC bowlers Angus Down (2-25), James Alexander, Patrick Gibson and Hamish Bowles had the better of their rivals early.

When BBC batted, the home side was 2-146 after 25 overs and the game was almost over.

BSHS batsman Niron Nanayakkarawasam. Picture, John Gass

After D’Souza went for a brisk 12, Noah East (23, 26 balls) played positive cricket ahead of Darcy Graham’s half century off 67 balls and Bell’s flowing knock of 35.

Graham went on to score a classy 81 not out (100 balls) as BBC won with almost 12 overs to spare.

St Joseph's Gregory Terrace wicket keeper celebrates a wicket GPS Picture, John Gass

At Tennyson, Terrace opener Brayden Laffan (70, 159 minutes) did the hard yards opening in difficult batting conditions on the Internationals Oval, before Toby Weston (62 not out, 68 balls) iced the Terrace innings.

Terrace made 218, and dismissed Churchie for 123, with Tom Campbell taking 3-34 and Hayden Evetts 2-17.

Toby Weston, right, leaves the field for Terrace.

Laffan’s dogged effort early with the bat was equal to a 100 on most other days and his contribution cannot be undervalued.

His thank you came through Weston’s slashing blade late as the right hander got Terrace to 201.

This was after Churchie seam bowler Joshua Welsh (2-36), wrist spinner Hamish McDonald (0-21, eight overs) and left arm finger spinner Henry Hillier (0-23, 10 overs) had curtailed Terrace.

Churchie leave the field against Terrace.

But when Churchie batted, Terrace captain Tom Campbell, who earlier in the day scored 32, broke through alongside Stubbins.

Churchie’s innings was then rocked by the run out of Clancy Brady (21) who had done well through an hour of batting. Churchie were 3-54 after 20 overs.

Harper and Loch then chimed in with wickets for Terrace and at the halfway point of the Churchie run chase, the visitors were 5-68.

GPS First XI match between St Joseph's Gregory Terrace and Churchie.

McDonald fought hard to keep Churchie afloat, and with 15 overs remaining Churchie needed 104 to win from 15 overs with four wickets remaining.

In Toowoomba, a dramatic Battle of the West unfolded on Mills Field.

Batting first, Toowoomba Grammar School made 140 but then a fired up TGS attack and fielding effort almost pinched victory - with Ipswich Grammar School finishing with 8-142 (46.5 overs).

IGS’s Cody Dalziel was a hero with his 40 ball, 14 not out cementing the lower order together.

Nudgee batsman Kane Neilsen. Picture, John Gass

All this after IGS’s top four contributed across the innings, with Kori Ramsden (10), Hayden Bloomfield, (31), Harry Sheppard (33) and Zane Newton (10) all contributing.

But IGS lost 5-40 as the Toowoomba Grammar School attack of Jem Ryan (2-46), Will Kruger (0-15, eight overs), Thisaja Samarawickrama (1-23), Jude Brocherie (0-15) and Cooper Webster (2-17) closed in around their rivals.

Earlier in the day Lachlan Holmes (3-35), Jack GELDARD (0-18, 10 overs) and Jackson Evetts were outstanding for Ipswich Grammar School in the field.

That bowling trio held Toowoomba Grammar School to 140, despite TGS’s William Nason’s 37 not out and Callum Galvin’s 33 threatening a rescue operation.

Hats off to Nason who must have given No.10 Cooper Webster (18) confidence in their 48 run stand that was only ended by a run out.

Originally published as GPS First XI Cricket: Drama-charged day 1 of the season