Wanderers v Brisbane Grammar
Wanderers Club QLD Inc
Wanderers was formed in Queensland during 1933 by the then Governor of Queensland, Sir Leslie Wilson, with the aim to encourage young people to play and enjoy the game of cricket. Today the Club plays more than 20 mid-week matches each Summer, mostly against schools in the State's south-east, and undertakes an annual 12-day playing and coaching tour of country centres. Tours in recent years have taken Wanderers west to Eromanga, South to Yetman and North to Charters Towers.
The Club relies upon its own fund-raising resources and sponsors to finance its activities including supporting youngsters in coaching clinics and on tours.
29 November 2021
Brisbane Grammar Playing Fields, Northgate
Despite the recent rain, Brisbane Grammar playing fields were immaculate and play started promptly at 10.00. The action started immediately. The first ball from Callum Vidler was short and hooked by Josh Durkin, in the air and into the waiting hands of Lachlan Mackay at fine leg! 😬 Vidler struck again, with the first ball of his next over, via a sharp catch by Hugh Weibgen, at slip. Three overs later, it was Weibgen again, latching onto one from spinner Angus Tollhurst, to remove Tom Nicholson; 3/20. On a tricky wicket, Vidler continued to trouble the batsmen throughout his six over spell. He was on a hat-trick in his 5th over, when Harry Carroll got a brute of a ball that he could only fend to Ethan Du Payne at gully and Fergus Rees edged a beauty to keeper Ollie Spence; 5/29 after 9 overs.
Tim Agapow and Luke Ward dug in to take the visitors to Drinks at 5/45, but just 8 balls later, a mix-up saw Ward run-out by an alert Will Sheedy. After a miserly 10 overs, Tollhurst nabbed a second wicket in his final over; Spence taking the catch to remove the stubborn Agapow. Cam Willis and Robin Liney resisted for six overs before Liney got a top edge to give Du Payne his second catch. Sheldon Stackpoole had his stumps disturbed by a “seed” from Lachlan Mackay in the next over reducing Wanderers to 9/71.
A 14-run 10th wicket partnership between Willis and Jono Ward was (sadly) the second-best of the day for Wanderers and Willis’ 38-ball stay at the wicket, second only to Agapow’s 47-ball innings, before Ollie Skerle got one through his defences to clip the top of the stumps. Wanderers batted on, but only for a couple of overs; Tollhurst and Matt Love throwing accurately and punishing the visitors for some ordinary running between wickets.
The target was 88 and 34 was erased from it by Matt Love and Max Clark in the 14 overs before the lunch break. After lunch, Love and Clark added another 34, before a couple of quick wickets; Clark caught by Agapow in Cam Willis’ first over and Ollie Spence two balls later, playing on off Josh Durkin; 2/71. Matt Love went on to a well-made, 50 (retired) from 77 balls; making Wanderers pay for some grassed chances. Hugh Weibgen looked in great touch and brought up the 89 required with a boundary in the 24th over. A few balls later, Weibgen was bowled behind his legs by Josh Durkin to make it 3/92. A brisk 57 from 53 balls by Ethan Du Payne and Angus Tollhurst took BGS to drinks at 3/149.
Agreement was reached for a further 10 overs to be bowled and a target of 218 set for BGS (a further 69 from 60 balls). The revised chase was dealt a blow early when Tollhurst got a cracker from Robin Liney which rattled the stumps. Du Payne took over from there, cleverly farming the strike in a partnership of 41 from 38 with Will Sheedy. In the 39th over, a top-edge from Du Payne was dropped at cover and a single taken to bring up his 50 from 59 balls. Two balls later, Sheedy was also put down. If that was not bizarre enough, in the next over, Du Payne, top-edged one into his helmet and was temporarily disoriented. Sheedy had taken off for the run and was halfway down before realizing Du Payne’s plight. Ted Challenor, deputising as keeper, gathered the ball and threw at the non-striker’s end hitting the stumps and catching Sheedy short! Du Payne was sensibly retired, to be on the safe side, leaving two new batsmen, Charlie Thomas and Toby Matthews, to chase the remaining 23 from 16 balls.
12 from the next 10 deliveries left 11 to get from the final over to be bowled by Luke Ward. A dot off the first was followed by a couple of 2s by Matthews; 7 off 3. A lofted drive found the safe hands of Tim Agapow; 7 off 2. A couple of 2s took the final total to 6/215; just 3 runs short of the revised target. Well done to BGS!
Post-match, Sheldon Stackpoole offered some words of thanks to BGS players and staff on behalf of Wanderers and awarded Callum Vidler, “Player of the Match” honours, for his 4/17 from 6 overs. Hugh Weibgen reciprocated on behalf of BGS, paying tribute to BGS staff, especially the groundsmen for their efforts in making the ground ready.
