By Randall Woodley
The Fifth Graders went into the third day of the Grand Final last Saturday at Read Park against the Glasshouse Rangers with a lead of 103 runs and the Rangers down one wicket.
Some players and club supporters were concerned that this lead was not enough considering the opposition had scored 225 in their previous semi-final outing. But this was a Grand Final and with the rain threatening all week, the slow, spongey, wet outfield was going to make it difficult to score runs.
With the loss of the team’s opening bowler and highest wicket taker,
Luke Anstey to injury, the team turned to 6th grader Brenden Chaplin
to fill the void and keep its good bowling depth intact. With the conditions it was evident early that the 103 runs required were going to be a mountain to climb for the Rangers. Chaplin, bowling like a true champion, moved the ball around on the tacky deck, taking the speed off and making his deliveries almost unplayable and runs nearly impossible to score.
With club legend, Mike “Rowdy” Thomson at the other end firing beautifully placed lightning bolts at the stumps, yes at the stumps, the pair went about clinically removing the batsmen with the deadly efficiency of a surgeon. At the drinks break Glasshouse had crashed to be 7 for 22. Chaplin had taken three wickets and Rowdy 4.
TNT, not wanting to leave time for a potential second innings, slowed the game down while the Glasshouse tail-enders made something of a stand. However, it would not last and Thomson finally mopped up the tail in his best spell for the season, ending the match with 7 wickets for 24 runs – Glasshouse all out for 45.
Mike “Rowdy” Thomson, a few weeks before had been part of the Centurions Team (those men who had played a hundred plus First Grade matches for the club) and had also been selected in two of the teams of the decades. But this would have to be one his most important bowling efforts for the club.
The win saw the TNT Fifth Graders come from last position on the ladder after having no wins from the first six rounds – to claim the title in a virtually unstoppable performance in the second half of the season.
Captain Steven Hill made the following comments after the match. “Every player had their part to play – and did it well. Even when players were injured or drafted up there was a player who stepped in to fill the position. A true testament of the club itself and the values of playing in a team on display.
Many thanks to all the groundsmen, you know who you are, for the hard work in getting and keeping the ground playable, work that didn’t go unnoticed and was applauded by both the umpires and the visiting Glasshouse team – another act of great sportsmanship that made the game a fair contest for all.
Well played everyone, it has been an honour to captain this side and an experience that I will always remember.
Go the Thunder!”
This ends the season on a high note for the Tewantin-Noosa Thunder Cricket Club who will hold their Awards Night next Saturday evening, March 27, at The Heads of Noosa.
The final standings, at the end of the 2020-2021 season of the four senior teams are as follows:
FIFTH GRADE: SCCA Grade Premiers
FIRST GRADE: Third placed
THIRD GRADE: Third Placed
SIXTH GRADE: Fourth Placed
