The first silverware of the 2023/2024 ACT Cricket summer was handed out on the weekend, with Weston Creek-Molonglo’s depth delivering one-day double success, Queanbeyan’s extraordinary one-day premiership run in 3rd Grade coming to an end, and Western District extending the milestone celebrations of a couple of veterans by another week.
Winning the toss and batting at Stirling, Queanbeyan were in trouble early in the 2nd Grade Grand Final, with Matthew Mills and Jason McNally taking two wickets each as they removed the Bluebags' entire top four for single-figure scores.
Mitch Jessup and Brad Moore started to build a partnership, but their departure brought 'Creek allrounder Ansh Tiwary into the frame, ripping through the lower order with three wickets. When McNally took his third, Queanbeyan were all out for 132 in the 38th over.
Tiwary's destruction with the ball didn't translate with the bat, out for a duck. But from there, chasing a low total on their home track, the 'Creek top order clicked into gear.
Justin Burden and Yogesh Mahajan both made starts, before Hugh Taylor (60*) and Mark Bennett (19*) finished the job in the 29th over, and kicking off what would become a big celebration for WCMCC.
In 3rd Grade, Queanbeyan being in another one-day final was no surprise to anyone, having won the last 11 straight. The first title in this sequence, in 2012/2013, came as several of their young Weston Creek-Molonglo opponents were starting school, the story goes.
Matthew Rebus' 52 was the bedrock of the Bluebags’ innings early on, but regular wickets fell throughout their innings. Kyle Bary finished 56* as Queanbeyan posted 7/188 from their 40 overs, with five of the seven 'Creek bowlers taking wickets.
In reply it was all Jordan Willoughby. The 'Creek opener reeling off a 91-ball unbeaten knock of 113*, as WCMCC reached their target in the 29th over, and for only the loss of fellow opener George Wawn.
Nic Barclay finished 46* as Weston Creek-Molonglo cruised to 1/190, emphatically ending Queanbeyan's St. George-like stranglehold on the 3rd Grade one-day premiership and stepping up the 'Creek celebrations considerably.
In the 4th Grade decider at Jamison against Western District, Ginninderra had made a decent by the time they'd lost both openers at 2/70, but this triggered a 6/23 collapse through the middle order as the Wests bowlers took the upper hand.
The Tigers were bowled out for 138 in the 38th over in the end, with Wests veteran Ben Keens taking 4-31, just a week after he and his mate Matt Broers both celebrated their 300 games milestone for the club.
Skipper Syed Jaffry was always going to anchor the reply at the top, and after losing two wickets early, Jaffry (54*) and Wests President Ryan Selmes (60) added 105 for the third wicket to break the back of the run chase.
Broers finished with another red-ink at the end, as he and Jaffry secured the five-wicket win and another premiership for the Lions.
Next week, attention turns to the 1st Grade one-day Grand Final, with Weston Creek-Molonglo and Queanbeyan facing off for the John Gallop Cup at EPC Solar Park in Phillip.
Article by Brett McKay