Ipswich Grammar School v Wanderers
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 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.
In July/August 2023, the Wanderers Annual Tour will loop around Chinchilla, Roma, Tambo, Barcaldine, Emerald, Rolleston, Springsure, Calliope. If you are a cricketer, golfer, lawn bowler or just an avid observer/supporter, please visit the Wanderers Club QLD Inc. Facebook page and register your interest.
The Club relies upon its own fund-raising resources and sponsors to finance its activities including supporting youngsters in coaching clinics and on tours.
5 December 2022 at Ipswich Grammar Sports Fields Brassal
Superb conditions for cricket greeted Wanderers at Ipswich Grammar’s Main Oval at Brassal. Wanderers “won the toss” and batted!
Michael Toolis and IGS Old Boy Ben O’Connell started cautiously against the pace/spin opening attack of the hosts, but accelerated to be 0/70 by the drinks break. The devil’s number (87) was the cause (?) of the first wicket - Toolis cutting Insith Perera in the air to backward point where Harry Jensen accepted the chance. O’Connell fell an over later, 5 short of a 50, when he edged Luke Harper and was brilliantly caught at slip by Jack Hillier. With two new batsmen at the crease, the run rate slowed appreciably. Byron Gale and Dan Gray added 21 in the next 9 overs before another slips catch - this time by Harper off Jensen - saw Dan Gray tuck his bat under his arm and trudge back to the pavilion. The run rate may have slowed but IGS kept up a rapid over rate. The second drinks break was taken at the 34 over mark with less than two hours on the clock. An extraordinary couple of overs by Neil Evetts after drinks set the cat amongst the pigeons. Harper snuck one through to send Gale packing at 36.4 then Neil Evetts took two in the 37th over - a sharp C&B to dismiss Lance Roudenko and a catch by keeper, Mitch Harte when Colin Quigley tried to turn one to leg three balls later. Evetts followed up in his next over with the wicket of Harry Tzannes attempting a hoik over long-off but finding the reliable hands of Hillier. 3/139 had become 7/147 in the space of 18 balls! Paul Draheim and Chris Leonard steadied the ship with a 21 run partnership, but when Draheim danced down the wicket to Noah Plater and missed, Mitch Harte was on hand to take an easy stumping. Plater picked up another a few overs later when Leonard smacked a short ball to Jett Emmerson at square leg and a third from the penultimate ball of the innings; Om Bikadiya caught by James Young at “cow corner”.
Chasing 190 for victory, the innings started disastrously for IGS. Harry Tzannes - normally a keeper - took the new ball and a wicket with his second ball when Hillier popped one up and keeper, Leonard took the catch. 1/5 after 2 overs. Tzannes and Draheim tightened the screws with maidens in the 3rd and 4th then wicket-maidens in the 5th and 6th overs. Evetts ran past one off Draheim and was stumped by Leonard in the 5th and Noah Plater strangled one down leg side off Tzannes for Leonard to take his third dismissal in the 6th; IGS 3/5. James Young and Insith Perera fought back adding 25 from 29 balls, before Perera turned one into the hands of Tzannes at leg gully to give Draheim his second wicket. Four balls later, Jet Emmerson edged Om Bhikadiya to give Leonard his 4th dismissal behind the stumps. Draheim continued to trouble the batsmen and was rewarded with a 3rd wicket just before drinks when Gale got under a high ball to take a well judged catch. Five balls after Draheim’s sharp bat-pad catch off Bhikadiya made it 7/43 from 18 overs.
Not the ideal start from IGS, but the good news was that the required run-rate of 4.53 from the remaining 32 overs was manageable. Harry Jensen and Luke Harper stabilised the innings in a productive 22 run partnership from just 26 balls before cramps got the better of Harry and he retired hurt at the end of the 22nd over. Mitch Harte came to the wicket and looked comfortable from the outset. The 8th wicket partnership of 30 from 35 balls between Harper and Harte reduced the target to 95 from 22 overs before the wily Bipin Mistry trapped Harper in front for 34. Josh Lossberg joined Harte for another solid partnership of 35 from just 38 balls to take the score to 8/130. Then, from the last ball of Ben O’Connell’s second over, Lossberg popped one up on the leg side and Leonard took the catch for his 5th dismissal of the innings despite being “tackled” by Jayson Ackland in the process. 9/130…60 needed from 16 overs.
Ben O’Connell was tying up one end in a superb 7 over spell for just 16 runs, but from the other end, Harte and Fin Comyn (replacing Jensen) milked runs. Harte brought up a superb 50 from just 53 balls in over 39 as the pair whittled away at the target. The 10th wicket 50 partnership came up in over 45 and the target was finally overhauled at the end of the 46th; Harte and Comyn undefeated in a partnership of 62 from 72!!
Words of gratitude were exchanged by Wanderers President, Brad Murphy and IGS coach Lachlan Pfeffer. Sheldon Stackpoole presented the Player of the Match Award to Mitch Harte.
