Wynnum Manly v Western Suburbs
Taverners U17 Boys Round 4
Sunday 8 October 2023 at Bill Albury Oval
A wind from the south made it a chilly day for those in the shade, but thankfully the clouds did not turn into rain and play was uninterrupted. Wests won the toss and decided to bat.
Will Neubecker broke through in the first over, thanks to the sure hands of Finn Thallon at slip, but Wests skipper Oliver Peck and new batsman Michael Neumann, took control in a 40 run partnership. It was Thallon’s hands again - this time off Nick Bragger - that dismissed Neumann in the 13th over. Peck was joined by Jacob Cibulka who took Wests to drinks without further loss at 2/85 from a lightning 21 overs. The pair brought up a 50 partnership shortly after drinks and Peck brought up his own 50 a few overs later, but perished an over later caught behind by Maguire off Harley Malpass. Cibulka fell to Bragger 10 balls later and Wests were 4/131 with 21 overs to go. There was no further joy for Wynnum as Ryan Atley and Rushi Kakkad amassed 151 from that 21 overs to take Wests to 282 from their allotted 50. Kakkad was particularly severe in his 93 not out from just 66 balls.
The chase got off to a very shaky start with Josh Lossberg and Will Pamenter claiming three wickets inside the power play. Finn Thallon and Harley Malpass breathed life back into the innings; Malpass bringing up 50 from 42 balls in a 13 over partnership which came to a close on 87 (👹). Nick Bragger then combined with Malpass for another 50 partnership but with the fall of Bragger in the 31st over, the scoreboard pressure began to tell. Malpass reached his century in the 42nd over in just over two hours and 96 balls. The 50 partnership with Hayden Hamilton came up just a couple of overs later in the middle of a 35 run blitz from 17 balls by Malpass. Will Pamenter returned to the attack and had Malpass caught brilliantly by Cibulka in the outfield at the start of the 47th over. The equation was 52 from 23 balls. Wynnum managed 34 of these including an explosive 18 from 6 by Clancy Muniandy at the death. A win to Wests by 17 runs.
