Queanbeyan have got one back on Weston Creek-Molonglo (WCM) after last season’s Douglas Cup two-day Grand Final loss, getting home in a nail-biter at EPC Solar Park in Phillip to secure the John Gallop Cup one-day premiership for 2023/2024.
After winning the toss, WCM skipper John Rogers elected for runs on the board in the batting friendly conditions at Phillip Oval. Opener Amit Sharma (11) aimed to set the tone for the ‘Creek’s innings with two early boundaries, before holing out to Queanbeyan opening bowler Guy Gillespie. This brought the ‘Creek’s leading run scorer for the season Zak Keogh out to the crease, who combined with veteran opener Robbie Trickett for a 92-run stand.
As WCM ascended early dominance, Queanbeyan quick Thomas Atlee began to shift the momentum back in the Bluebags’ favour, removing Trickett (57) and then striking again to remove the in-form Josh Myburgh for a duck. It was left to Keogh to combine with the middle and lower order, who all chipped in with handy contributions for WCM to finish on 266 at the end of their 50 overs. Keogh demonstrated his class, steering the Creek’s batting innings beautifully, finishing on 113 off 117 balls.
Queanbeyan had a shaky start in reply, losing representative opener Nic Broes (11) in the third over, but responded positively when Tyler van Luin walked out to the middle at no.3, piling the runs early on for the Bluebags.
Van Luin combined with Esam Rahman (37) and Mikey MacNamara (29) throughout the middle overs to have Queanbeyan well poised at 4-171 after 36 overs. John Rogers and the rest of the Creekers weren’t going to die wondering and crawled their way back into the game when Van Luin was dismissed for 88 by fellow ACT Comets teammate Blake Faunce, leaving the final well in the balance.
Enter Logaish Shivakumar at no.6, who picked up where van Luin left off, sending the Weston Creek attack to all parts of Phillip Oval.
In the last ten overs, the weight was on Shivakumar as the last of the recognised batters, to guide Queanbeyan to victory. Shivakumar brought up his half century in the 47th over, but there was plenty more work still to be done with Queanbeyan still needing 12 runs off the last two overs.
The dismissal of Guy Gillespie (11) in the 47th over, gave Weston Creek-Molonglo a glimmer of hope, but this didn't faze Shivakumar, who hit back-to-back boundaries in the 48th over to leave Queanbeyan only needing one run from the last over, with Shivakumar appropriately hitting the winning runs in style; then being chaired from the field by teammates after his match winning knock 69* from just 51 balls, to secure Queanbeyan the John Gallop Cup in front of a very happy group of supporters.
On Saturday, the first day of Round 19 two-day matches began across Canberra:
- Eastlake bowled Western Districts out for 194 in 70 overs at Kingston Oval (Scott Murn 80, Lachlan Malcom 50; Lashan Perera 4-23). Eastlake were 1/50 at Stumps and trail by 144 (Jake Monie 25*, Jack Sanson 23*).
- Down at Chisholm, Tuggeranong were bowled out for 318 by North Canberra Gungahlin in 95.1 overs (Tyler Hays 95, Akshay Joseph 57; Nick Wood 4-77).
- Queanbeyan are currently 9-343 against Ginninderra at Kippax (Nic Broes 87, Esam Rahman 61; Ethan Fitzpatrick 2-56, Brad Thomas 2-96).
- Weston Creek Molonglo finished the day on 8/369 against ANU at ANU North Oval (Josh Myburgh 155, Robert Trickett 67; Lachlan Simpson 3-91, Jake Smith 3-126).
Lower Grade standouts:
- In Women's Grade, Ginninderra skipper Lucy Melville Hill (76) and Prisha Mehta (62) were the standouts in the Tigers innings of 231 against Weston Creek-Molonglo. Haripriya Rathod and Kate Lussick took four wickets apiece for the 'Creek, and Lussick finished 77* as WCM finished their 40 overs on 9/169.
- Eastlake captain Claire Murray took 4-20 as they bowled Tuggeranong out for 95, before finishing 26* to claim a six-wicket win.
- Queanbeyan 2nd Grade opener, Jack Sutton finished the day 62* in their total of 2/126, and with a handy little lead after they rolled Ginninderra for 101. Queanbeyan spinner Harry O'Rourke was the main destroyer, taking 4-18 off his 12 overs.
- At Chisholm, Tuggeranong Valley 3rd Grade skipper and ex-Canberra Comet, Greg Lemin peeled off 110* to put Tuggeranong in a good position heading into day two, after North Canberra Gungahlin had the Valley reeling early at 5-69.
- Western District put Ginninderra to the sword in the 3rd Grade T20 semi-final, bowling the Tigers out for 64 after setting a target of 153. Wests batting innings was highlighted by Jake Provan, who struck 40* off 17 balls, while opening bowler Riley Schipp then led the attack with the ball, taking 4-22 off his four overs.
- Irantha Rajapaksha led Eastlake 4th Grade to a T20 semi-final victory at Kippax against Ginninderra, with 65 runs opening the batting. Despite the loss, Ginninderra’s Matthew Andrews took 4-14 off his four overs and was one of only two Ginninderra batters to score more than 20.
- Rudrasinh Rathod picked up 5-19 for Weston Creek-Molonglo 5th Grade, helping his team bowl Queanbeyan out for 106. Weston Creek’s top order made light work in response, chasing Queanbeyan’s total in 27 overs.
The lower grades take the finals spotlight next Sunday, with the Greg Chappell Cricket Centre T20 Blast Grand Finals to be played across 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade at EPC Solar Park in Phillip.
- 4th Grade: Queanbeyan v Eastlake from 9.00am
- 3rd Grade: Queanbeyan v Western District from 12.45pm
- 2nd Grade: Grand Final to be played at 4.30pm, featuring the winners of
- Weston Creek-Molonglo v Tuggeranong at Stirling, and
- Queanbeyan v Ginninderra at Freebody, with both semi-finals beginning at 10.00am.
Article by UC Sports Media student Oliver Nguyen