It was a red-letter day for Toby Lamond at the Wide Bay Cricket Junior Grand Finals at Salter Oval on Sunday, taking out both the Under-16 Player of the Final after starring in Bundaberg’s seven-wicket victory over South Burnett, and the coveted Harry Buchbach Memorial Trophy for Wide Bay Junior Cricketer of the Year.
The dynamic all-rounder claimed 1-19 from his 4.2 overs but it was fellow paceman Riley Collin who did the early damage with a run-out and a wicket, before finishing with 2-18, and spin twins, captain Cooper Rehbein and Sam Stuchbery, who completed the route with 3-18 and 2-18 respectively as the visitors were bundled out for just 113 in 41.2 overs.
Opener Jordan Mather and No. 3 Toby then featured in a second-wicket partnership of 67 before they departed for 38 and 39 respectively, with Bundaberg going on to pass their target with 21.4 overs to spare.
Toby’s name was added to the distinguished list of past winners of the Buchbach Trophy which includes former Test and Queensland star Nathan Hauritz and World Women’s superstar Beth Mooney.
Bundaberg also staged a superb run chase in under-14 to reel in Fraser Coast’s strong total of 10-204 with four wickets in hand and 14 overs to spare with Nic Delacy taking out the Player of the Final with an excellent double of 4-33 and 72 and opener Travis Kapernick also coming to the fore with 3-22.
The Rum City however went down to Fraser Coast by three wickets in U12 despite an unconquered 48 by U12 Intercity Rep Player of the Year and U12 Batting Aggregate winner Tielman Nieuwoudt, and a frugal 3-10 from eight overs from opener Tyson Melein.
Toby also led from the front with 58 as Brothers Mustangs beat Waves by 101 runs in their Bundaberg Junior Cricket (JC) 3-16s semi-final on Saturday, although Julie Munro was also outstanding in a beaten side with 4-30.
Meanwhile, Minor premiers YMCA/Isis hung on to defeat Maryborough by seven runs in a low scoring other U16 semi, with River Felstead a hero with 3-18.
YMCA/Isis will now meet Brothers in the Grand Final at Kendall’s Flat at 8am tomorrow, weather permitting.
In JC3-14s, Minor Premiers Norths Bundy Bears were too good for Waves with opening batsman and bowler Lachlan McDonald a match winner with 25 runs and 4-6, while Norths Bundy Power went down fighting to Hervey Bay Colts.
In JC2, it will be an-all Norths decider between Avengers and SEI Strikers who outgunned Isis and YMCA/Easts respectively in their semi-finals.
In Rum City Foods Division 1 Premiership on Saturday, Minor Premiers Waves scraped home by one wicket against East with Ryan Norton notching a game-high 68 and Matt Pozzebon and Mitchell Waters each snaring three scalps, but the Magpies hung on to third place and a spot in tomorrow’s semi-final against Brothers at Salter Oval at 2pm, with spinner Ben Davey continuing his good form with 4-32.
Norths’ title defence is over after being thrashed by Brothers by eight wickets with pacemen and cousins Dean Krebs and Sam Pearson wreaking havoc with 4-11 and 3-7 respectively.
In Division 2, the Magpies clinched a semi-final berth tomorrow against Brothers with an upset win against Minor Premiers Waves, while Norths missed the finals on percentages despite continuing Brothers’ losing streak with Shaun Rose bagging 5-46 to be a match winner.
In Division 3 Semi-finals tomorrow, Minor Premiers Waves will suit up against fourth seeds Brothers, and reigning champions YMCA will square off against the Magpies.
Horse racing
Champion Bundaberg trainer Darryl Gardiner has strong prospects at the Catholic Schools Race Day (CSRD) at Thabeban Park tomorrow with nine-year-old ironhorse Wrecking Ball in the Bob Gallagher Memorial Open Handicap, and Balut in the Smiling Wide Orthodontics Benchmark 60 Handicap.
But Emerald trainer Ross Meek will be hoping to repeat his success from last year’s CSRD with Done It Again, which will be resuming from an 11-month spell in the Benchmark 60.
Senior jockey Paul Hamblin, who will ride Done It Again, also has two excellent chances in Bornees Lad, which won at the last Bundaberg meeting on 28th January, in the Benchmark 45, and Wait a Minute for highly successful Dalby trainer Matt Kropp in the Waves Sports Club QTIS Benchmark 50.
Hurricane Hall, which has been placed in three of his six stars so far, including when a close second on his home Gympie track last Saturday, appeals for trainer Tony Haydon with star senior jockey Hannah Richardson in the saddle.
Softball
After Coral Coast Softball Semi-finals were postponed due to rain a fortnight ago, players and officials will be hoping the predicated rain this weekend does not again interfere with them again at Hervey Bay tomorrow.
In the A Grade Ladies Major Semi-final, after losing just one match all season, minor premiers Waves Tsunamis will be white-hot favourites when they meet three-times defending champions and arch-rivals Brothers United Firesticks.
Western Suburbs Panthers placed third but Terrors will have the home diamond advantage against them in the minor semi-final.
Titanic duels are also expected in the A Grade Men’s Major Semi-final between Minor Premiers Terrors and Waves Schooners, and Minor Semi shoot-out between Brothers United Heat and Bargara Bombers.
The whole program is scheduled for Hervey Bay, starting at 8.30am, and running through to the last four games at 4.30pm.
Football
Sunbury Blues made the perfect start to the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay (FQPLWB) Men’s season with a 7-0 white-wash of KSS Jets in Maryborough on Wednesday night.
But Across The Waves will start their quest for a hat-trick of titles when they host Doon Villa at 7pm tomorrow, while down the road at Martens Oval at the same time, there will be a Local derby between 2022 beaten grand finalists Bingera and SC Corinthians, who will be hoping to improve on their slim haul of just one victory last season.
United Park Eagles will travel to Fraser Coast Sports Precinct for what is expected to be a tough battle with Fraser Flames.
In the FQPLWB Women’s Division, Bingera have the bye, and there is just one match tonight, with Tinana up against KSS Jets.
Tomorrow, Waves host Doon Villa at 3pm, and reigning champions Flames, who won all of their 18 games in 2022, host UPE in a grand final rematch.
Rugby League
With the start of the Bundaberg Rugby league season just two weeks away, Past Brothers and Gladstone Valleys will battle it out for the annual Leanne Huther and Peter Curran Memorial Shield at Brothers Sports Club tomorrow.
The Reserve Grade will start at 2.30pm, with A Grade to follow at 4pm. A sausage sizzle will be available, with the Sports Club also operating.
Geyhounds
Takura trainer David Plummer claimed a treble at this week’s Bundaberg meeting at Thabeban Park, including two heats of the rich Bundaberg Wildcard with favourites Durham and Little Ripper.
He was also successful with another favourite and rising star Smart and Classy, which completed back-to-back wins from two starts on the track in the Kalki Moon Novice Non-Penalty.
New Moonta trainer Neville Tonks took out the first events on the program with outsiders Key Status ($7.50) in the Greyhounds Make Great Pets Maiden, and Where’s Eddie ($26) in the Walker Street Wholesale Bakery Maiden.
Bundaberg trainer Lorraine Isles was also among the winners for the third week in a row with Bullbar Bruce ($4) in the TAB 5th Grade, while Louise Cameron, of Goodwood, triumphed with long-shot Midnight Cambla ($21), which snapped a nine-race losing streak in the third Bundaberg Wildcard Heat, and another local, Darryl Raines, got the money with Benissimo ($13) in the Sky Racing Masters 5th Grade.
Here are all the scores from the weekend:
CRICKET BUNDABERG
RUM CITY FOODS DIVISION 1 PREMIERSHIP
Brothers2 /90(cc) (A Lankowski 46) def Norths 89 (D Krebs 4/11, S Pearson 3/7).
Waves 9/207 (R Norton 68, L Owen 32, B Davey 4/32) def East Bundy Magpies 7/205(cc) (E Petersen 57, T Seeds 31, D Bonser 30, M Pozzebon 3/39, M Waters 3/55).
Points: Waves 175.28, Brothers 164.61, East 93.91, Norths 83.70.
RUM CITY FOODS DIVISION 2 PREMIERSHIP
Norths 10/178(cc) (J Bond 53*, J Balaam 28, C Fritz 25, J Haack 3/27, N Clarke 2/19, H Johnson 2/54) def Brothers 149 (D Collin 25, S Rose 5/46, D O’Neall 2/27, S Pinney 2/32).
East Bundy Magpies 8/178(cc) (L McCloskey 44*, R Jensen 37, W Barritt 28, J Wormington 2/25, B Coates 2/26, Sam Stuchbery 2/38) def Waves 8/177(cc) (K Stallan 70, A Richardson 3/35).
Points: Waves 78, East 54 (-.0264), Brothers 54 (-.1461), Norths 54 (-.6532).
RUM CITY FOODS JUNIOR CRICKET 3-16S
Semi-finals: YMCA/Isis 118 (A Cordie 3/11, N Scanes 3/19, N Gillieatt-jones 3/31) def Maryborough 111 (11 wickets) (R Felstead 3/18, C Rehbein 3/21, B Fagg 2/15).
Brothers Mustangs 9/154(cc) (T Lamond 58, Simon Millett 31, J Munro 4/30, S Stuchbery 2/29) def Waves 53 (H Hirst 2/1, R Collin 2/14).
RUM CITY FOODS JUNIOR CRICKET 3-14S
Semi-finals: Hervey Bay Colts 3/106 (25 overs) (C Barr 40*) def Norths Bundy Power 4/116(cc) (J Irwin 25, R Folker 2/25).
Norths Bundy Bears 6/167(cc) (T Elphinstone 35, L McDonald 25, H Murray 2/22, N Delacy 2/25) def Waves 112 (T Dorgan 27, L McDonald 4/6, S Juster 2/10).
RUM CITY FOODS JUNIOR CRICKET 2
Semi-finals: Norths Avengers 4/207(cc) (T Dwyer 37*, R Balaam 35*, O Abell 31*, L Wingfield 3/34) def Isis 86 (C Muggeridge 37*, L Rogers 3/5, T Dwyer 2/24).
Norths SEI Strikers 8/143(cc) (C Marschke 39*, T Melein 3/11, N Biju Alex 2/14) def YMCA/Easts 5/130(cc) (A Felstead 29*, L McDonald 2/14).
WIDE BAY
UNDER-16
Final: Bundaberg 4/115 (T Lamond 39, J Mather 38, J Kerkow 2/15) def South Burnett 113 (11 wickets) (C Rehbein 3/18, S Stuchbery 2/18, R Collin 2/18). Player of Final: Toby Lamond
UNDER-14
Final: Bundaberg 7/208 (N Delacy 72, A Stuchbery 45, C Driver 27, T Brewer 2/40, R Folker 2/40, L Fitzpatrick 2/52) def Fraser Coast 10/204(cc) (C Barr 95, N Delacy 4/33, T Kapernick 3/22, C Steele 2/43). Player of Final: Nic Delacy (Bundaberg)
UNDER-12
Final: Fraser Coast 8/189 (W Sanders 47*, L Pennell 46*, H Govers 28, T Melein 3/10, J Cronin 2/27) def Bundaberg 185 (11 wickets) (T Nieuwoudt 48*, R Murree 3/26, H Govers 2/7, W Sanders 2/10). Player of Final: Lachlan Pennell (Fraser Coast)
AWARDS
U16 Batting Aggregate & Average Lawson Black 160 @ 80
U14 Batting Aggregate & Average Caelan Barr 271@ 67.75
U12 Batting Aggregate Tielman Nieuwoudt 162
U12 Batting Average Adrian Cunningham 156 @ 52
U16 Bowling Aggregate Thomas Town 14
U16 Bowling Average Cooper Rehbein 6 @ 5.5
U14 Bowling Aggregate & Average Charlie Steele 13 @ 7.08
U12 Bowling Aggregate D’arcy Harmsworth 10
U12 Bowling Average Thomas Dwyer 6 @ 4.67
U12 Intercity Rep Player of Year Tielman Nieuwoudt
U14 Intercity Rep Player of Year Caelan Barr
U16 Intercity Rep Player of Year Thomas Town
U12 Rep Player of Year Wil Sanders (Fraser Coast)
U13 Rep Player of Year Byron Kratzmann (South Burnett)
U14 Rep Player of Year Caelan Barr (Fraser Coast)
U15 Rep Player of Year Thomas Town (South Burnett)
Wide Bay Junior Cricketer of Year Toby Lamond (Bundaberg)
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