South Australia has ended a 15-year drought to claim the U19 Male National Championships yesterday in Adelaide.
The local team leap-frogged first-placed Western Australia in the final round after a comprehensive victory over the ACT at Henley Memorial Oval.
Captain and West End Redback Travis Head led his team to their first U19 National title since the 1997/98 season. Head’s stellar performance throughout the tournament saw him named Player of the Championship for the second consecutive year with an average of 91 and a strike-rate of 96.8.
South Australia’s Cam Valente was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an impressive average of 8.48.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian Beau Webster took tournament honours for leading run-scorer with an aggregate of 367 runs, 94 runs ahead of second-placed Travis Head.
In a disappointing end to the U19 tournament, Meyrick Buchanan from Victoria was charged under the CA Code of Behaviour with a level 2.1 offence showing serious dissent to an umpire and has accepted one suspension point.
FINAL STANDINGS
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
NSW
ACT
Queensland
Northern Territory
SPIRIT OF CRICKET
NSW and Tasmania
PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS – Travis Head (SA)
LEADING RUN SCORER – Beau Webster (TAS)
LEADING WICKET TAKER – Cam Valente (SA)
MOST DISMISSALS BY A FIELDER – Harry Nielsen (SA) and Jack Harper (VIC)
TEAM OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Beau Webster (TAS)
Travis Head (SA)
Damien Mortimer (NSW)
Beau McClintock (ACT)
Steve Eskinazi (WA)
Tom Leaver (WA)
Ben McDermott (QLD)
Ashton Agar (WA)
Cam Valente (SA)
Billy Stanlake (QLD)
Ben Ashkenazi (VIC)
Nick Winter (ACT)
South Australia (5/328) def ACT (121 and 7/171)
South Australia was in control of their game against the ACT from start, declaring their first innings at 5/328 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Player of the Championship Travis Head again top scored with 75 as the ACT bowlers struggled to take wickets.
In response, ACT took the crease but found it hard going against South Australia’s bowling attack. Cam Valente, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, led the attack with three wickets as the ACT could only make 121.
ACT went straight back into the middle and performed a little better, but Valente again added another three wickets to his tally as the locals took victory and were named champions of the tournament.
Queensland (8/371) def NSW (280)
After struggling all tournament to meaningfully trouble the scorers, Queensland’s batting order ended the U19 Championships on a positive note.
Queensland’s Ben McDermott made an outstanding 169 not out, which included 13 6’s & 15 4’s, to help his team to 8/371 and victory.
Earlier, NSW batted well to make 280, with an impressive 122 to Damien Mortimer. Queensland’s Billy Stanlake and James Bazley bowled well to take three wickets each.
In the end, NSW’s respectable total proved inconsequential as Queensland batted freely to record their first and only win of the tournament.
Tasmania (7/269 dec) def Northern Territory (127 and 136)
Tasmania recorded a strong victory in the final round against Northern Territory, claiming first innings and outright points.
In their first innings, NT were only able to make 127 after being sent in to bat. Tassie's Ryan Lees was the chief destroyer with figures of 5/41.
In reply, Tasmania easy passed NT’s total with strong batting performances from tournament leading run-scorer Beau Webster (56) and Sean Willis (92), and declared at 7/269.
NT didn’t show much improvement in their second innings and were bowled out for 136. Tassie bowlers Jonathon Chapman and Kyle Wisniewski did the damage with four wickets each as Tasmania claimed outright victory.
Victoria (6/324 declared) def Western Australia (7/323 declared)
Western Australia’s hopes for U19 Championship victory were dashed after suffering their first tournament defeat to Victoria yesterday.
WA was sent in to bat by Victoria and made a great start to the match with Stevie Eskinazi (117) and Jaron Morgan (87) leading the way.
But their decision to declare at 7/323 cost them the tournament as Victoria’s batsmen proved they were up to the task.
A solid team batting performance saw Victoria take the points, with important contributions from Lincoln Edwards (85), Meyrick Buchanan (75) and Samuel Kerber (43).
First Posted 18 January, 2013 10:37AM AEST
