Australian National Championships: ACT Rockets three-peat, South Australia super over stunner headline grand finals day
The ACT Men claimed their third straight national title, whilst the South Australia Cobras finally broke the Queensland Lightning juggernaut in incredible circumstances, on grand finals day in Perth.
The Australian National Championships concluded yesterday, with champions crowned in all four divisions at Striker Indoor Sports and Fitness Centre in Perth, Western Australia.
On a day of high action, the ACT Men edged out Queensland to record a third successive championship, whilst South Australia put an end to Queensland’s six straight titles on a skins countback after a tied super over.
Open Men
ACT 85 (22-24-5-34) [Matthew Floros/Brock Winkler 34, Paul Draheim 2/4, Blaine Schloss 2/4] defeated Queensland 61 (12-30-7-12) [Rhys Dearness/Murdoch Hogan 30, Benji Floros 3/-8, Matthew Floros 2/-2] by 24 runs
Player of the final: Matthew Floros, ACT
Alan Wilson Medal for player of the series: Justin Perkins, Victoria
The ACT Rockets are back-to-back-to-back Australian national champions after a 24-run win over the Queensland Thunder in the Men’s final. It capped off a hard-fought but dominant tournament for the ACT side, who were undefeated with 11 wins from 12 matches across the week.
Batting first, ACT’s 85 runs proved to be a match-winning total. After scoring 46 runs in their first eight-overs, the Rockets were pegged back in the third, reduced to 51. However, skipper and player of the match Matthew Floros, and Brock Winkler combined for 34 in the last pair, including a crucial 19 runs off the final over of the innings by Queensland captain Adam McDermott.
In response, Queensland tried to keep pace, with Rhys Dearness and Murdoch Hogan putting up 30 in the second pair to keep the match almost even going into the last eight overs. However, wickets on successive balls for Tyler Hays at the top of the 10th over swayed the game the Rockets’ way, before two more wickets for Benji Floros in the 14th almost put the game beyond doubt. Queensland ended up on 61, with all ten of ACT’s wickets coming from run outs.
Open Women
Queensland 113 (31-29-30-33) [Meagan Dixon/Chelsea Gan 33, Alanah Gregory 2/3, Kylie Rattray 2/6] tied with South Australia 113 (38-13-29-33) [Stephanie Beazleigh/Emily Vallance 38, Gan 3/-1, Ashleigh Doble 2/9].
Super Over: Queensland 8 tied with South Australia 8 (South Australia won on skins countback, 3-1)
Player of the final: Neisha Iles, South Australia
Monika Brogan Medal for player of the series: Meagan Dixon, Queensland
South Australia have won their first ever Women’s national title after a dramatic finish saw them take the title on a skins countback following a tied super over against Queensland Lightning.
It was an interesting finish to what had been an exciting, high-scoring contest (previous rules had stipulated that in the event of a tie, the team placed higher during the round-robin phase would be awarded the title).
A consistent effort with the bat saw the Lightning put up 113 with the bat, with each pair scoring at least 20 or more. 55 runs came off the last six overs.
South Australia were able to keep on track with the chase, with 33 needed off the last four overs. An extraordinary sequence in the last over saw Kylie Rattray caught off Ashleigh Doble, before skipper Neisha Iles struck a seven off the final ball to tie the scores.
Moving to the super over, Stephanie Beazleigh and Emily Vallance were able to make eight runs, leaving the Thunder with nine to win the title. Doble and Meagan Dixon were in the spotlight against Iles, and with four needed off the last ball, Doble could only find a side net for two and despite making an extra run, and initial confusion, it wasn’t enough as the Cobras’ three skins in the contest gave them the championship.
Under-22 Women
New South Wales 94 (19-35-18-22) [Cynthia Coghlan/Liz Buckley 35, Ella Harvey 2/3, Temeika Wilson 2/4] defeated Queensland 87 (26-20-11-30) [Harvey/Rachael Lewis 30, Grace Pooley 2/1, Brianna Tipping 2/2] by seven runs
Player of the final: Liz Buckley, New South Wales
Player of the series: Liz Buckley, New South Wales
New South Wales claimed the Under-22 Women’s title after a hard-fought six-run victory over Queensland in the final.
After New South Wales scored 94 with the bat, a tight contest saw Queensland put up 46 in the first eight overs. Two wickets in the 10th over pegged Queensland back, seeing them need 38 in the last four overs. They got the equation down to 12 runs off the final over, but ultimately fell just short.
Under-22 Men
Queensland 88 (16-30-17-25) [Campbell Corrigan/Jackson Pavey 30, Blake Noorbergen 2/1, Ashton Haycock 2/7] were defeated by New South Wales 93 (25-29-18-21) [Noorbergen/Hayden Tipping 29, Harley Lammi 2/4, Rohan McDonald 2/5] by five runs
Player of the final: Blake Noorbergen, New South Wales
Player of the series: Ethan Benson, Western Australia
New South Wales made it two from two in the Under-22 divisions, after their five-run win over Queensland in the final.
Queensland scored 88 in their innings, but a powerful batting effort from the Blues saw them reach the total by the 14th over. Whilst there were a couple of late wickets, it didn’t impact the result, as it saw them wrest the title back from Queensland.
Final Results
Results, Statistics and Points Tables - Open Men
Results, Statistics and Points Tables - Open Women
Results, Statistics and Points Tables - Under-22 Men
Results, Statistics and Points Tables - Under-22 Women
Streaming
Image: Aussies in Action Photography
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