March 15, 2021
The season is winding up rapidly for South Burnett cricketers, with the Grand Final of the local senior competition to be played this Saturday.
Nanango Scorpions will face ladder leaders Murgon Diggers at Wondai Cricket Grounds from 12:30pm.
In junior cricket, grand finals in the Stage 2 and Stage 3 competitions were played last Saturday as part of a big day of cricket at Nanango Sportsgrounds.
Murgon took home the Grand Final victory in Stage 3 while Kingaroy Northern AgriServices secured a narrow win in the Stage 2 Grand Final (results, below).
And in the Gympie A Grade competition, the long-delayed T20 Final has finally been decided as well as the finalists for the Two-Day competition (results, below).
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South Burnett Senior Cricket
The sudden-death Preliminary Final was played between Nanango Scorpions and Kumbia Rattlers at Nanango Sportsground.
Kumbia won the toss and batted first but were all out for 183 in the 34th over.
Louis Fairbairn (73), Keegan Wright (37) and Dean Cullen (18) were the top-scorers for the Rattlers.
Nic Scherger (3/22), Joe Steinhardt (2/29) and Stephen Kirkland (3/35) were the pick of the Nanango bowlers.
In reply, Nanango passed the target in the 26th over, finishing 5/186.
Michael Marriot (69), Stephen Kirkland (29 not out) and Dan O’Connor (27) top-scored for Nanango.
Dean Cullen (1/23), Matt Barbour (1/32) and Ryan Kelly (1/18) had the best bowling figures for Kumbia.
Nanango defeated Kumbia by five wickets.
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South Burnett Junior Cricket
Stage 3
Murgon def. Nanango by 40 runs in the Grand Final at Nanango Sportsground.
Murgon won the toss and batted first.
They were all out for 176 in the 25th over.
Josh Fearby (53), Zac Harris (42) and Joe Meikle (35) top-scored for the visitors.
For Nanango, Abby Burrows (2/11), Cooper Richardson (1/7), Rory O’Connor (2/18) and Oscar Dioth (2/33) did the damage.
In reply, Nanango were 7/136 at the end of their overs: Oscar Dioth (24), Lochlan Burrows (23) and Darcy English (18).
Josh Fearby (2/23), Zac Harris (1/11), Tyler Fuller (1/17) and Joe Meikle (1/4) were the best of the Murgon bowlers.
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Stage 2
Kingaroy Northern AgriServices def. Kingaroy Burnett Water by nine runs in the Grand Final at Nanango Sportsground.
Northern AgriServices won the toss and sent Burnett Water in.
At the end of their 25 overs, Burnett Water were 4/127: Isaac Hauritz (19 not out), Kade Farrel (14 not out) and Josh Kilpatrick (14 not out).
Jayden Prendergast (1/23) and Zachary Reardon (1/20) finished with the best bowling figures for Northern AgriServices.
In reply, Northern Agriservices were 5/136: Jamie Searle (26 including four boundaries), Hunter Brown (17 not out) and Jayden Prendergast (15 not out).
Emma Ubergang (2/8), Nate Andrewartha (1/11), D’arcy Harnsworth (1/13) and Hamish Mungall (1/13) took the five wickets.
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Stage 1
Nanango (8/78) def. Kingaroy (4/76) by two runs at Nanango Sportsground.
Nanango: Addy (10), Lucas (7) and Sophie (5).
Kingaroy: Zane (3/7), Deagan (2/6) and Finn (1/7).
In reply, Kingaroy: Mitchell (11), Zane (9) and Max (6).
Nanango: William (2/2), Sophie (1/9) and Jacob (1/6).
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Gympie A Grade Competition
In the Gympie A Grade competition, the delayed Grand Final of the T20 competition was played under lights on Saturday night at Keith Manthey Oval in Gympie between Murgon Crusaders and Gympie Valleys.
Crusaders (4/196) have been dominant in all the A Grade categories this season and repeated their success in the T20 final, defeating Valleys (2/156) by 40 runs.
Valleys won the toss and sent Murgon in to bat.
Dwayne Malone sealed Valleys’ fate, hitting a rapid-fire 92 runs off just 47 balls for Murgon in 51 minutes including eight 4s and five 6s!
Ashley Sippel (1/26) and Riley Sippel (1/25) took the two Valleys’ wickets.
Earlier in the day, Crusaders defeated Gympie Valleys in the last round of the two-day competition, also played at Keith Manthey Oval, and Wooroolin Warriors defeated Western Gympie on Day 2 of the same competition at Lyle Vidler Oval in Kingaroy.
At the end of all rounds of the two-day competition, Murgon Crusaders finished in second spot on the ladder on points behind Gympie Colts, despite both teams securing four wins.
Colts will now host Day 1 of the two-day competition Grand Final against Murgon at Keith Manthey Oval on Saturday.
