Townsville Cricket: Zac Hayes, Patrick Jamieson, Andrew Mansale headline top 16 performances of opening round

A young gun playing under-15s cricket six months ago, a new recruit and a former international cricketer led their teams to wins in the first round of the new season.

Townsville A Grade Cricket game between Brothers and Wests at Cutheringa. Brothers’ Patrick Jamieson on the way to 54. Picture: Evan Morgan

Baby Brothers has taken the ultimate scalp in the opening game of the club’s new era, shocking defending champions Wests by 11 runs in Saturday’s grand final rematch.

Brothers have flipped the script from the oldest team in the competition by average age to one of its youngest, with six players under the age of 19.

Wests were missing leaders Sam Lowry and Lachlan Ford but still boasted the vast majority of the side that swept Brothers in last year’s grand final series.

Brothers captain Cooper Guest said that new blood in his team had been a key advantage because few players bore the scars of last season.

“Everyone is pretty up and about. I don’t think the young fellas realise how big a win that is against a quality side,” Guest said.

Brothers Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila. Picture: Evan Morgan

“They came in after the game and said it wasn’t as daunting as they expected, which was really good. They’re confident kids and we’re trying to promote that as a club.

“We weren’t expected to win but the kids played really well.”

Townsville A Grade Cricket game between Brothers and Wests at Cutheringa. Brothers Zachary Hayes. Picture: Evan Morgan

Zac Hayeswas playing for Brothers under-15s six months ago but took 4-21 from 6.1 overs to finish Wests off, plus a leaping catch at mid-wicket to send dangerous youngster Beau McCarron back to the pavilion.

Veteran Magpies Tony Hampsonand Kyle Dearness had built a superb 78 run partnership for the ninth wicket to reduce the winning equation to about a run per ball with 15 deliveries to go.

Declan Murraygot the breakthrough by dismissing Hampson and Hayes got Dearness caught-behind to hand Wests the club’s seventh defeat in 27 matches.

“It was good to get that win early,” Guest said.

“Losing so many blokes, and quality players, we were all a bit nervous coming in. We’re in a good state, setting small goals and as long as we’re progressing and developing that’s what we want as a club.”

Wests Ben Ramsbotham bowls Brothers Cooper Guest. Picture: Evan Morgan

Victorian recruit Patrick Jamieson had not played cricket for several years but showed zero rust in compiling a half century at a run-a-ball strike rate.

Brothers were down 2-28 when Jamieson arrived at the crease and launched a counter-attack.

Balls in his zone were punished and Brothers roared to a 9-163 first innings.

Wests fell to 8-74 before Hampson and Dearness made their stand to give the Magpies a fighting chance at the death.

Veteran quick Justin Dixon (4-17 from 9 overs) said the defeat was an appropriate result for failing to turn up with the right attitude.

“It’s definitely a kick up the backside for us to work a bit harder and not take our opposition lightly or be complacent,” Dixon said.

Townsville A Grade Cricket game between Brothers and Wests at Cutheringa. Wests Justin Dixon. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We dropped a few catches and weren’t up to our usual standards, though we were missing a few.

“We’ve got the players to turn it around. We just need to turn up.”

Shaun Curnow(3-25) and Ben Ramsbotham (3-44) were strong contributors with the ball.

Queensland Country representatives Lowry and Ford were absent due to personal commitments but Dixon said the pair would return next week.

Norths Cricket Club’s campaign to snap a near half-century Townsville A Grade drought is off to a flying start after blitzing Wanderers in the opening round of the new season.

The 1977-78 champions harnessed all the pain of last year’s semi-final defeat to Brothers in a fast-bowling blitzkrieg to shatter Wanderers’ top order.

Norths bowled out the Mighties for 103, setting the stage for an eight-wicket victory inside 14 overs.

Townsville A Grade Cricket game between Brothers and Wests at Cutheringa. Brothers Brandon Hamilton-Kaurila. Picture: Evan Morgan

Five Wanderers batters were dismissed for ducks, including the club’s linchpin and representative star Ryan Eaton.

Kai Adami (3-20), Ryan McCarron(2-18) and Vanuatu international Apolinaire Stephen (3-8) each took multiple wickets to leave Wanderers under extreme pressure at 4-14, then 6-27, by the first drinks break.

Norths could have pressed the advantage to heap a devastating loss on Wanderers if not for the stabilising actions of Grant Dilger in the middle order and a brilliant final-wicket stand from Dylan Debenham and Rory Landy.

Former hockey star Dilger arrived at the middle at 4-14 and scored 29 of Wanderers’ next 34 runs before his dismissal left the club 7-48.

Debenham, a former North Queensland under-19 representative, stood and delivered with a 35-run knock to topscore for his side.

Wanderers were 9-57 when Landy took guard but his 9no from 46 balls gave his teammates a chance to save the match with the ball.

Andrew Mansale quickly snuffed that out.

The 36-year-old Vanuatu international finished the match unbeaten on 58no.

Sub Parks had the bye.

Originally published as Townsville Cricket: Zac Hayes, Patrick Jamieson, Andrew Mansale headline top 16 performances of opening round