THE YEAR THAT WAS: Top 10 cricket moments in Toowoomba

CRICKET: As a largely summer sport, cricket thankfully missed the brunt of the drama that hampered the year of sport.

Wests celebrate their Harding-Madsen Shield win. Photo: Nev Madsen

CRICKET: As a largely summer sport, cricket thankfully missed the brunt of the drama that hampered the year of sport.

It allowed us to enjoy the feats of our stars, and witness some truly remarkable play from our gun teams.

We look back at the 10 biggest cricket moments in Toowoomba in 2020.

10. MAKING THE GRADE

We’d need a whole newspaper to list the various representative achievements of our cricketers throughout the year, from junior to senior levels.

The ability of Toowoomba’s vast array of talented players, whether at the rep level or in Brisbane with grade cricket, is having a positive impact on the standard of play we’re seeing at home.

9. WESTS AWARDED TITLE

The A-grade two-day competition came to a sudden halt in March, robbing us of a thrilling finals series.

Wests set the benchmark throughout the season, Met-Easts downed the minor premiers in the final round and Highfields-Railways came storming home.

Unfortunately the situation was taken out of administrator’s hands, with Wests getting the nod for the title.

Jack Wildermuth. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

8. AUSTRALIA A HEORICS

Big showings from local Jack Wildermuth and Warwick’s Mark Steketee caught the eye against India.

It started with Steketee taking five wickets in the opening three-day exhibition, before Wildermuth backed it up in the second game with three wickets and a century against the subcontinent powerhouses.

7. TOOWOOMBA HOSTS ACCC

The year started with a bang in Toowoomba, with the region hosting the Australian Country Cricket Championships.

In what was a boost for the local economy and the profile of the sport, the nine-day event was a tremendous display of some of the great country cricketers around Australia.

6. JOHNSTON’S TWIN TONS

Cousins Ellie and Ruth Johnston had an outing to remember on September 13 for Ipswich/Logan.

The pair combined for a 189-run partnership, with both blasting centuries in a display well beyond their 17 years of age.

5. NEALE’S HONOURS

Sam Neale’s year started as a 17-year-old representing Queensland at the ACCC, and has finished with experience at Brisbane grade level under his belt.

Playing for Northern Suburbs, Neale was among the best for Northern Suburbs in an Alan Pettigrew Shield victory.

In recent times he has made the step up to the Bulls Masters level, and was awarded Queensland Cricket’s most improved country player for the season.

4. VOLL’S METEORIC RISE

Still in high school, Georgia Voll was able to get some time away from the classroom this year when being chosen in the Brisbane Heat’s WBBL squad.

She made her debut a few games into the competition and held her spot throughout, with a highlight an unbeaten 31 against the Sydney Thunder which spark a Heat win streak.

Voll made a big impact upon her return to Brisbane grade, hitting two centuries in a day in T20 fixtures for Sandgate-Redcliffe.

3. ROCKETS BLAST DDBBL TITLE

For a fleeting moment it looked like the DDBBL might be the latest COVID casualty, however a season was able to be played and with it came the excitement of quality T20 cricket.

As was the case last season, the final round threw up some finals curveballs, before the Hip Pocket Rockets held their nerve to take out the second instalment of the competition.

It was a fitting reward for owner Graham Strang, who stuck with captain Shaun McCarthy to get the job done.

2. WESTS’ PERFECT SEASON

It’s quite remarkable to consider just how dominant Western Districts were in this year’s Harding-Madsen Shield.

With the competition reverting to a first past the post finish and all teams playing each other, Wests put no doubt as to who the premier team is across the Downs and Ipswich regions.

Their demolition job of the previously unbeaten Laidley in the final round was out of this world.

Delissa Kimmince. Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

1. KIMMINCE CLAIMS WORLD CUP

Little did we know at the time just how significant Australia’s T20 World Cup victory on home soil would be.

In what was the last major world sporting event prior to COVID shutting everything down, Warwick’s Delissa Kimmince and the Australians did the job on home soil, lifting the trophy in front of a packed MCG.