By Casey O'Connor
Rep cricket returned to the Southern Downs last Sunday as Stanthorpe hosted arch rivals Warwick on the Stanthorpe home turf at the CF White Oval in the Mitchell Shield.
Up for grabs was the Bourke Hendry Trophy and when Warwick won the toss they elected to bat under threatening skies.
Brodie Frizell and Will Gordon opened the batting for the visitors and the first wicket fell with the score on 22 when Frizell was caught by Sam Dowie off the bowling of Jamie Carnell midway through the fourth over. Gordon followed soon after and with the score at 2/28 Warwick were looking a little shaky. Carter Billbrough came to the wicket at first drop and although wickets fell around him, he provided some much needed stability. Warwick was 4/100 when Cameron Crestani held a catch off Carnell’s bowling to dismiss the much travelled Lee Watts.
The dismissal brought Michael Bourke to the wicket and the pair upped the ante. Billbrough (80) top scored for the visitors and in his best innings in Mitchell Shield to date found the boundary of 10 occasions during the innings. Mick Bourke showed he is a valuable asset to the team scoring a much needed 72 not out. His runs came off 54 deliveries and included six fours and four sixes as the visitors wrapped up their 50 overs with 243 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets.
Jordan Lanza bowled economically without taking a wicket. Team mates Damian Anderson and Jamie Carnell each grabbed a pair.
Openers, Captain Jason Lawer and Sam Dowie got the home side off to a good start before Lawer was stumped with the score at 1/37.
Sam Dowie scored a determined 41 as the Warwick bowlers claimed the wickets of the dangerous Ben Staley and Jordan Lanza cheaply.
Curtis Allen was solid and top scored with 52. Jamie Carnell another Stanthorpe batsman who has been in good club form was out bowled by McLennan for 29, the score at 5/167. With Stanthorpe chasing runs as the weather closed in Cameron Crestani fell cheaply when he was run out by run out by Warwick keeper Jamie Saunders in an impressive piece of fielding
Stanthorpe desperately needed a solid partnership but were always behind the required run rate. When Umpires called a halt to play in the 43rd over due to rain the home side was 7/180.
Using the Duckworth Lewis System Stanthorpe fell 23 runs short of the required score giving Warwick a win, the Bourke Hendry Trophy and bragging rights in the local derby.
Both Stanthorpe and Warwick have one win and a loss in the Mitchell Shield with one round to play.
If Stanthorpe are to play in the finals they must beat Lockyer when they meet on January 8 in Gatton.
Warwick will host Central Downs on January 13 and will also be looking to cement a final’s berth with a win.
