It was a huge weekend for the Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Cricket Club beginning last Saturday. After the final round of fixture matches, each of the four senior teams have qualified for the finals and will be playing in the Sunshine Coast’s Cricket semi-finals next weekend, the first time in many seasons all teams have qualified; the Under 12 junior team (STORM) won their Grand Final against Nambour and Saturday night the club named their Teams of The Decades.
The photographs on this page are the Centurions- the team of cricketers who have played over a 100 matches for the club over the years and the winning Under 12 Team. What a contrast, depicting cricketers, some of whom would be 60 years in age apart but it shows that cricket is alive and well in the Tewantin-Noosa area.
FIRST GRADE: The team hosted the strong Caboolture side for a one day, rain induced match after last week’s wash out. Commencing the final round in second place on the ladder the boys were at the mercy of the results for other teams who managed to play the weekend before and were playing for maximum points. Unable to change this situation, the team focussed on winning the match to make it three out of three against the Snakes for the season. The competition’s premier opening bowling duo, Scott Aufderheide and Tom Freshwater started out on song and when Scott picked up the prized wicket of former Queensland Bull’s batsman, Batticciotto, they were 1-17 off 9. After the duo’s initial burst, teenager Tom Stewart came on and took a wicket in his first over and was stiff to be spelled soon after. Aufderheide and Freshwater again put the pressure on and soon the Snakes were in trouble at 5 for 45 on a great batting and bowling pitch. The Caboolture team kept grinding away and were eventually dismissed for a below par score of 122. Freshwater had taken 4 for 16, Aufderheide 2-20 and Tom Stewart 2 for 29.
Batting second, the Thunder batsmen reached the target in the 37th over. Top scorers were Jarrod Officer with 55 off 36 balls and Andrew Kratzmann 28 not out.
Due to Maroochydore achieving an outright win against Coolum, they finished 2 points above TNT on the ladder. So next Saturday and Sunday the team will play their semi-final against Maroochydore at their Buderim home ground. Thunder have beaten them already on this ground this season so the boys are going into the match with quiet confidence.
THIRD GRADE: The team had a resounding win over the Glasshouse Rangers with the biggest score of any TNT teams this season. On Day I they had dismissed the Hinterlanders for 125 and were in a strong position at stumps being 3 for 195. Last Saturday they continued batting with great contributions by Blake Steel 34, Steve Gallagher 25 and Kent Officer 28. But the outstanding display was from Nigel Webster who smashed 127 runs for his first century of the season. The team were finally all out for a mammoth 427.
With this win the team finished 3rd on the ladder and will play Maleny in the semi-final next weekend.
FIFTH GRADE: Playing the top of the table Maroochydore Swans at Buderim on the second Saturday of the match, the Thunder took the final wicket early, dismissing the opposition for 88. Needing 89 to take the win and secure a place in the semi-finals, the opening batters dug in well with skipper Steve Hill (24) leading the way. The deck still had plenty to offer for the Swans and they opted to look to their spinners to try and get them over the line. They bowled well and TNT were soon 6 for 72 but Tony Watson (13) and Ian Brundell (11) grinded it out to secure the much-needed win. Their semi-final game will be against Cooroy-Eumundi at their ground next weekend.
SIXTH GRADE: After being washed out on Day 1 of their match, the Sixers took on University at Dale Officer Oval last weekend. Unfortunately, they could not make it four out of four wins for the club going down to the students.
However, they have just scraped into the semi-finals and will play against the top team at Palmwoods next Saturday and Sunday.
UNDER 12 JUNIORS: Nambour won the toss and asked the boys from TNT Storm team to bat first. They started well with Matt retiring later in the match on 44 and Ben (9) but then lost early wickets. Denzel (30) helped steady the ship and eventually after the 30 overs the Storm boys had registered a respectable 6 for 142.
Nambour started in a blaze until Zac Steel (2-4) picked up a wicket with his first ball. They were 3-75 at drinks. After the 23rd over Nambour were 4 for 106 needing 37 off 42 balls to win. Ishaka then took 2 for 12 and after a run out from Denzell and Matt the match turned the Storm’s way. They team ended up being the season’s champions after they were able to restrict the Nambour team to 113. This was a great result for the boys, the coach and supporters.
