(Photo: Leanne Sippel)
March 9, 2020
It’s been a big weekend for South Burnett cricket players!
The Murgon Crusaders brought home the Grand Final trophy in the A Grade Gympie cricket competition, and the South Burnett U12s were declared Wide Bay champions after defeating Fraser Coast in a T20 game, also played in Gympie.
Closer to home, finals spots were decided in the split South Burnett B Grade competition.
Kingaroy Services will face Blackbutt Timbertowners in the Plate final to be played on Saturday (March 14).
In the Cup competition, Kumbia Rattlers will play the Southern District Devils on Saturday to determine who will play Murgon Diggers in the final on March 21 at Murgon.
The venues for Saturday’s games are still to be confirmed.
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Murgon Crusaders’ Grand Final rematch against Gympie Colts turned into an easy victory for the visitors at Keith Manthey Oval in Gympie on Saturday.
Colts won the toss and elected to bat.
They were all out for 106 in the 38th over, with captain and opener Guy Preston top-scoring with 15.
Kurt McArthur ripped through the Gympie batting line-up, taking five wickets including the key scalp of Andrew Mallett for just 14 runs.
McArthur finished with 5/19 – including one maiden – off his eight overs.
Kieran Askin took 2/23 off eight overs, including opener Brandon Sauer.
In reply, Crusaders overtook the Gympie total in the 27th over, finishing with 5/108.
Lehman Brunjes top-scored for Murgon with a quickfire 49 off 44 balls faced, including eight boundaries.
Ashley Sippel finished 27 not out.
Anthony Smerdon was the pick of the Gympie bowlers, taking 2/27 off eight overs, including two maidens.
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Blackbutt earned their spot in the Plate final by defeating the Wondai Wolves by 53 runs at Wondai on Saturday.
Wondai won the toss and sent last year’s B Grade premiers into bat.
The Timbertowners were all out for 187 with Mitchell Olzard top-scoring with 68.
Michael Marriott was not out on 50, while John Snow (40) and Shane Argent (36) also added valuable runs.
Billy McDowell (3/59 off five overs), Ryan Heness (3/53 off 7.2) and Jeremy Hobbs (2/47 off eight) did the damage for the Wolves.
In reply, Wondai finished with 7/134 off their 40 overs.
Billy McDowell was best with the bat, notching up 37 runs.
Opener Chris Heness scored 28.
Dylan Gilliland (2/30 off eight) and Shane Argent (1/20 off eight) were the best of the Blackbutt bowlers.
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Kingaroy Services got through to the Plate final despite rain stopping play during their match at Murgon State High School on Saturday.
Cherbourg won the toss and elected to bat.
Cherbourg were all out for 191 in the 38th over.
Barry Fisher Snr top-scored with 50 while Lyndon Hopkins was not out 31 and William Langton (28).
Sam Scott (4/32 off eight overs) was the best of the Kingaroy bowlers.
In reply, Services were 3/130 after 24 overs when rain stopped play.
Luke Peters (38 not out), Justin Labinsky (38) and Matthew Bradford (25 not out) top-scored for Kingaroy.
Ralph Gyemore (2/27 off four overs) was the best of the Cherbourg bowlers.
Kingaroy was declared the winner with a better run rate.
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Kumbia Rattlers faced the Kallindale Warriors in the Elimination Final played in Kumbia, vying for a spot in the Cup Preliminary Final.
Kallindale won the toss and batted first and were 8/139 at the end of their 40 overs.
Tavis Hartwig (26) and Paul Clegg (24) top-scored for the Warriors.
Lloyd Fairbairn was the best of the Rattlers’ bowlers, taking 4/32 off eight overs.
In reply, Kumbia overtook the target in the 31st over, finishing with 6/145.
Matthew Dugdell hit 67 runs before being caught by Jayden Steinhardt.
Brett Simpson was the best of the Warriors’ bowlers (2/22 off eight).
Kumbia won by four wickets and will now play Southern District Devils next weekend.
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Southern District Devils hosted Nanango Scorpions at Lyle Vidler Oval in Kingaroy in the second Elimination Final played on Saturday.
Devils won the toss and sent Nanango into bat.
The Scorpions were all out for 115 in the 30th over.
Ben Greenslade (48) and Jay Steinhardt (24) were best for Nanango.
Hayden Wieck was deadly with the ball, taking 4/18 off just six overs for Devils.
Taylor Herrmann took 3/36 off his eight overs.
In reply, Devils overtook the target in the 24th over for the loss of just three wickets.
Lleyton Brown (34 not out), James Maxwell (30 not out) and opener Caylan Brown (30) top-scored for Devils.
Barry Heyns took 2/20 off eight overs for Nanango.
Southern District Devils will now play the Kumbia Rattlers to determine who will face Murgon Diggers in the Cup final.
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It was also a big weekend for the South Burnett Under 12s who earned the title of Wide Bay champions.
Two T20s were scheduled but only one was completed due to weather.
The South Burnett side notched up a solid win against Fraser Coast in the first game (SB 4/101 def. FC 8/68) and were in a strong position in their second game against Gympie when rain stopped play.
Lachlan Cullen batted well, finishing 28 not out against Fraser Coast.
Braidyn Scott was 15 not out and took a catch.
The South Burnett bowlers also shone.
Joshua Williams took 1/4 off four overs, including two maidens.
