February 21, 2023
The South Burnett XI annihilated the Bundaberg rep team on Sunday to bring the prestigious Goodchild Shield cricket trophy back home.
The 50-over Goodchild Shield series – between the South Burnett, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and Gympie – is always keenly contested.
The final, played at Murgon Sportsground, was a rematch between last year’s contenders, South Burnett and Bundaberg, with the home team determined to reverse the 2022 result.
In that match, South Burnett were all out for 133 after an early batting collapse, with Bundaberg overtaking the target in the 27th over for the loss of just four wickets.
On Sunday, the tables were well and truly overturned.
Bundaberg won the toss and sent South Burnett in to bat.
Opener Trent Riddell got the home team off to a solid start hitting 31 runs, including four boundaries, before getting run out.
The next two batters fell for a duck, but number four, Jared Sippel, took control, hitting 95 runs off 97 balls in a two-hour spell which included six 4s and five 6s.
Ashley Sippel added another 38 vital runs.
South Burnett were all out for 210 in the 50th over.
In reply, Bundaberg were decimated by the South Burnett attack … all out for 62 in the 20th over, with six batters getting ducks.
Only two reached double figures: Ryan Norton (24) and Hayden Pope (13).
Michael Wostear led the way for the South Burnett taking five wickets off his five overs (including two maidens) for just 17 runs.
Tyler Heness also did well, taking 4/28 off 5.4 overs.
Jared Sippel took the remaining wicket, 1/5 off five (including two maidens).
The final victory topped off a strong campaign by South Burnett who finished the series undefeated.
