School Sport Australia under 12 cricket titles top performers
There were several big individual displays as the under 12 national cricket titles came to a close. Here’s how it all played out and the top performers from each grade.
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The finals of the School Sport Australia under 12 titles have been run and won.
Queensland knocked off New South Wales in the girls final, ending the perfect week of the Blues.
The Maroons took the trophy back to the Sunshine State with a 72-run win.
In the boys final it went down to the wire, just like the round robin games.
Victoria White chased down New South Wales total of 160 with two balls to spare, scoring 12 runs from the final over to win the championships.
The two teams made the final on net run rate after both states were tied on points with Queensland and Western Australia after the round robin games.
Below is a review of all days, including grand final day.
Boys final day review
Victorian White all-rounder Dhanush Dahiya will have plenty of stories to tell his schoolmates when he goes back to school next week in Laurimar.
One of them will be how he helped his team with bat and ball to claim the School Sports Australia Cricket national title.
Victoria White, chasing New South Wales’ total of 160 for victory, reached the target with two balls to go, thanks to Dahiya.
After claiming 3-23 with the ball to restrict the Blues, Dahiya came out with his team needing 30 more runs from the final few overs.
With one over to go, they needed 12.
Dahiya showed maturity beyond his years to smash a six down the ground to reduce the target to five with three balls to go.
A wide, and a bye from the next ball, got them to within three before Nicholas Critchley hit the winning the runs the next ball.
“I knew we had to win, so I didn’t care if I got out,” Dahiya said about his six.
“I just whacked it.”
Dahiya used his experience from other contests over the week.
Against NSW earlier in the tournament, Dahiya helped his team score 22 runs from the last two overs to win.
He said it was a good feeling to win and was mobbed by his teammates at the end of the game.
It rounded out an exceptional tournament from the junior.
He took the most wickets and was inside the top five in runs for the event.
His coach Mick Armstrong was full of praise for the young gun.
“He’s a pretty special young man and the nicest kid you will ever meet,” he said.
“He deserves all the success he gets and is someone we will need to look out for in the future.
“He’s not only an exciting talent but he’s a cracking kid too.”
Armstrong said the win from Victoria White was one of its best after dealing with Covid and fielding two teams during the week.
“We’ve been for a couple of years under the issues of what we’ve had with Covid,” he said.
“I’m a PE teacher and I’ve seen skills levels in my students have been down a bit in the past year or two.
“To field two teams and perform the way we have, we’ve been impressed with the depth of talent we have and what is happening at club level.
“It’s looks to be a bright future for Victoria, fingers crossed.”
Queensland secured third with a 21-run win over Western Australia with South Australia finishing fifth despite drawing with Victoria Blue in their fifth and sixth clash.
Both teams were level at 123 runs after their 20 overs.
ACT finished seventh and lost to South Australia in their final game of the tournament in the afternoon on the final day.
South Australia’s Nate McCleary finished with the most runs in the tournament after hitting 54 on the final day against Victoria Blue.
Boys top five run scorers
1. Nate McLeary, South Australia – 182 at 26
2. Arjun Itankar, Victoria Blue -176 at 25.14
3. Calem McCathie, Queensland – 174 runs at 29
4. Beau Rebeira, WA – 172 runs at 57.33
5. Dhanush Dahiya, Victoria White – 159 runs at 79.50
Boys top five wicket takers
1. Dhanush Daniya, Victoria White – 11 wickets at 11.09.
2. Ronav Aparajit, NSW – 10 wickets at 8.7
2. Ashley Clayton, WA – 10 wickets at 9.60.
4. Eklavya Yadav, QLD – Nine wickets at 11
3. Sneh Thakkar, SA – Eight wickets at 15.75
Girls final day review
There could be a Queensland coach jumping into Lake Wendouree in Ballarat after the girls team won the girls title on Friday.
The coach promised the team if it won the national title, he will do it.
And the girls delivered, knocking off the previously unbeaten New South Wales in the decider by 72 runs at Alfredton Recreational Reserve.
“The coach did say that,” Queensland team manager Matt Grassick said.
“We’ll have to wait and see if he does.”
A dominant batting display saw the Maroons claim the title after making 162 runs from their 35 overs in the decider.
Opener Charlotte Rafton made 52, her first half-century of the tournament, as she and Ayaka Stafford (40 runs), helped their team to a competitive total.
In reply, New South Wales never got going, losing quick wickets to be 2-5 and then 3-21 early.
Ava Gaughan (15) and Brooke Moran (17) tried to get NSW back on track but when both lost their wickets, Queensland got on top.
NSW were bowled out for 90 in the 31st over.
Amelia Kuhn took 2-16 for the Maroons with Amy Evison having the honour of being involved in the first and last wicket.
She ran out NSW opener Willa Pearson for the first wicket before claiming Bronte Morgan’s wicket to win the game.
Grassick said an improved batting performance paid dividends after the team lost to NSW two days ago.
“There was a few technical things we just told the girls to work on with their batting (after the game),” he said.
“We’ve been batting well but it was our one dud game in the carnival.
“It was good to show what we can do.”
Grassick said Rafton and Stafford were the standouts as everyone chipped in.
“We pride ourselves on our big ethos being we before me,” he said.
“There was a big team focus on it.”
South Australia claimed bronze with a win over Victoria.
Opener Lillian Thomas scored 41 runs in the game to wrap up the leading run scorer in the competition award.
Western Australia, with a 169-run win over the ACT, claimed fifth in the tournament.
Girls top five run scorers
1. Lillian Thomas, SA — 253 runs at 63.25
2. Ava Gaughan, NSW — 224 runs at 56
3. Logan Lucy, QLD — 208 runs at 52
4. Brooke Moran, NSW – 166 runs at 83
5. Mineli Perera, Victoria — 139 runs at 27.80
Girls top five leading wicket takers
1. Kaitlyn Magistro, WA — 11 wickets at 7.64
2. Ava Gaughan, NSW — 10 wickets at 9.7
3. Ayaka Stafford, Queensland – Nine wickets at 7.11
4. Ananya Mahajan, Victoria – Nine wickets at 7.22
5. Brooke Moran, NSW – Eight wickets at 12.75
Girls day 5 review
New South Wales will take on Queensland in the decider after completing a clean sweep of the pool games on Thursday in Ballarat.
Completing the washed out matches earlier in the week, the Blues defeated Victoria by 31 runs before beating Western Australia in the afternoon by 46 runs.
In the first match the Blues made 139 with openers Milla Bruce and Will Pearson each making 50 respectively.
NSW then restricted Victoria to 108 in reply with Ava Gaughan taking two wickets.
Gaughan then starred with the bat against WA, making 52, as she and Brooke Moran got the team out of trouble.
Sitting at 3/8 early, both put on a 117 run stand, to get the team to 125.
Moran made 54 and then took 2/5 with the ball to restrict WA to 79 in reply.
Queensland secured second with a 118 run win over ACT.
The Maroons scored 163 with Lucy Logan (27), Ayaka Stafford (25) and Georgia Black (28) each making contributions.
QLD bowled ACT out for 45 in reply with Sofia Velic taking 3/2.
In the other match to complete day 5, South Australia defeated Victoria by nine wickets as Lillian Thomas starred for the Croweaters.
She made 67 not out as SA chased down Victoria’s total of 111 with less than four overs to spare.
Ananya Mahajan made 29 for Victoria with the bat to be the leading scorer.
The final day will see New South Wales take on Queensland for gold, South Australia face Victoria for bronze and WA face ACT for fifth and sixth.
Girls day 4 review
Three teams remain in contention to make the grand final after an enthralling day of cricket for the girls in Ballarat on Wednesday, which reverted back to 20 over matches after rain impacted the previous days schedules.
New South Wales won the battle of the unbeaten teams, ending Queensland’s run with a 15 run victory.
After being bowled out for just 78, the Blues bounced back with the ball and got Queensland all out for 63.
Opening bowler Brooke Moran took 3/9 while five other bowlers took a wicket each.
For Queensland, Ayaka Stafford starred with bat and ball, making 18 and taking 3/10.
Both teams are currently the top two in the competition with Queensland having one game to go and New South Wales two.
The other team in contention is Victoria who fought off a challenge from WA to move to third.
Victoria made 120 with Noura Abdul Qadar making 62 not out.
In reply, Western Australia looked on track to get the runs as Stella Ferguson made 40 for the Sandgropers.
Late wickets hurt the team dearly as Victoria held on.
Leading bowlers Ananya Mahajan and Anna Burgon took two wickets each.
Victoria will need to win both matches on Thursday to make the decider.
South Australia took on ACT in the other game for the day, which was in action at time of print.
Girls day 3 review
Victoria has cruised to a comfortable victory over the ACT in cool conditions in Ballarat on Tuesday.
Mineli Perera was the star with the bat for the Vics after scoring an unbeaten 96 runs from 90 deliveries to lead her side to 7-232 from their 35 overs.
The Box Hill young gun’s innings included nine boundaries and over three hours at the crease.
Georgia Naughton put in one of the great all-round performances of the tournament with 36 runs from 34 balls to go along with 3-11 and a run out.
Ruby Flett was also important with the ball taking two wickets.
For the ACT, Josie Sill was impressive with the ball finishing with 3-31 from her seven overs.
Queensland was far too good for Western Australia after coming away with a 178-run win at Victoria Park.
Annie O’Farrell (96 runs off 85 balls) and Lucy Logan (87 off 95) did most of the damage for the Queenslanders with a wonderfully constructed partnership worth 157 runs.
The pair combined for 18 boundaries and 2 sixes in a dazzling display of batting.
Meanwhile with the ball, Amelia Kuhn, Ayaka Stafford, Isabella Eisenmenger and Lucinda Hillier all finished with two wickets.
New South Wales came out on top against South Australia by 44 runs in a hard fought contest.
Middle order batter Ava Gaughan was the star of the show with an unbeaten 90 runs from 102 balls as NSW posted 4-222 from 35 overs.
Shelby Holland was the pick of the bowlers for NSW with 2-18.
In response, SA was all out for 162 as Lillian Thomas top scored with a half-century.
Gaughan finished with 4-12 to cap off a remarkable performance with Taylor McMahon finishing with three wickets.
Boys day 5 review
Three teams had unbeaten days on Day 5.
South Australia led the charge, winning their final two games, beating Victoria Blue and ACT.
The Croweaters defeated Victoria Blue by 22 runs after making 121 and restricting the opposition to 99 in reply.
Taj Panelli took two wickets for SA with Louis Read doing the same for Vic Blue.
Bowler Sneh Thakkar then took 4-5 as SA smashed the ACT by 78 runs.
Ned Rudston made 36 for SA as the Croweaters made 121 batting first before ACT could only reach 43 in reply.
Griffin Hyde and Byron Wright took two wickets for ACT as both performed well for them.
SA was joined by WA and NSW as unbeaten winners as both teams won their final match in the group stage.
WA defeated Victoria White by 23 runs in a high scoring contest.
Aarav Gohil made 56 as WA made 156 from their 20 overs.
In reply, White chased hard but could only make 133 in reply.
White’s Dhanush Dahiya made 52 runs from 42 balls to be one of the best players in the contest.
New South Wales beat Queensland by five wickets after chasing down the Maroons total of 85.
Ethan Natkunamanickam made 45 not out for the Blues after Queensland opener Calem McCathie scored 53.
His knock put him at the top of the scorers for the competition.
In the other matches to complete the day, Victoria White defeated Victoria Blue in the all Victorian clash with Queensland beating ACT.
The Maroons won by 79 runs after making 135 and restricting ACT to 56.
Abhay Dhaliwal made 61 for QLD.
Victoria White defeated Victoria Blue by eight wickets after chasing down Blue’s total of 94 with four overs to spare.
White opening batsmen Declan Brasher made 36 with fellow White players Dhanush Dahiya and Nicholas Critchley taking two wickets.
Boys day 4 review
Victoria White could be leading the competition with one day to go if results go to plan for them in the afternoon on Wednesday in Ballarat.
The White team defeated South Australia in the first game of the day to remain unbeaten in the boys competition and played Queensland in the afternoon, at time of print, to try to make it four from four.
Despite 31 and 33 to Nate McCleary and Naman Mittal respectively for South Australia, Victoria reduced the Croweaters to 105 as Dhanush Dahiya took 3/10.
He then top scored with 19 off 8 balls late in the innings to help the team to win with two overs to spare.
Dahiya hit four boundaries in his innings.
In other results of the day. New South Wales emphatically defeated ACT by eight wickets, Queensland beat South Australia by three wickets and Western Australia beat New South Wales by six wickets.
In the first game of the day, New South Wales bowled ACT out for 39 with Ronav Aparajit taking 3/5.
He then made 13 not out to help the team to make the runs in just over seven overs.
New South Wales couldn’t make it two from two later in the day, as WA dominated their clash.
The Blues were bowled out for 64 as WA’s Ashley Clayton continued his good form with three wickets.
WA’s Aarav Gohil then made 20 to guide the team home with less than three overs to spare.
In the final completed match, Queensland chased down South Australia’s total of 103 in the final over.
Ayaan Pavthiwala made 29 for the Croweaters but it wasn’t enough.
Queensland players Shoubhit Jain (40) and Banjo Jenkins (33) helped the team to victory making vital runs.
Thursday will decide the finalists with multiple matches to be played.
Boys day 3 review
Western Australia made a statement as one of the teams to beat, beating leaders Victoria Blue in the only game on Tuesday.
The Sandgropers, in tricky conditions, chased down Victoria Blue’s 163 with six overs to go.
Beau Rebeira and Brock Prance made 55 and 46 respectively with Rebeira combining with Ashley Clayton in an unbeaten 56-run stand to get the winning runs.
In a partnership dominated by running between wickets, there was only five boundaries hit during the innings with Rebeira hitting them all.
Clayton earlier took four wickets to help WA bowl Victoria Blue out for a competitive total.
For Victoria Blue, Arjun Itankar made 63 at the top of the order with Louis Read taking three wickets.
The other matches, Victoria White against South Australia and New South Wales against Queensland, were not held with rain falling in the region.
The action continues on Wednesday with three matches to be held.
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