On a bright Saturday, University of Queensland took on the Ipswich/Logan Hornets to battle it out in the Bulls Masters First Grade Grand Final. Opening the batting for UQ were Scott Henry and Jack Carty. Both batted well up to drinks but it was hard to score runs with the attack of Teddy Doggett and Harry Wood limiting them to 0/30 after 16 overs. After drinks though there was a change in atmosphere as Henry started to hit 4s at will. Having missed last year's Grand Final due to injury he was out to impress on the big stage.
Despite both openers looking sharp, Carty eventually fell for 32 off the bowling of Doggett - UQ were now 1/70 with prior week's century maker, Jack Clayton now at the crease. Henry continued to bat well as did Clayton and the Blues went into lunch at 1/120 with Henry scoring his 50 on the last ball - Clayton was 36 not out.
Looking around the crowd it was great to see former QLD Coach John Bell cheering on his beloved Ipswich Hornets. Queensland selector, Ken Dixon was in the Stuart Law stand most likely watching Jack Clayton and Harry Wood as they press for a Shield spot in the 2020/21 season.
After the lunch break, Teddy Doggett was back in the attack and he had Clayton out for 38 in the second over following lunch, Coetzee was looking solid before he was out for 20 off the bowling of Wood. Max Clayton managed 18 before Sean Lutter had him caught in front LBW just before the Tea break.
At Tea, Henry had moved to 95 and UQ were 4/203 with the experienced Michael Philipson at the crease. After a big week last week, with a stirling 91, it wasn't to be his day, with Teddy Doggett drilling in a brilliant bouncer before David Lyons took a screamer of a catch down legside - Phililpson out for 10. With Scott "Scooter" Henry on 98, a group of third graders, led by captain Arnab Saha, started chanting "Scooter, Scooter" as he neared his 100. Doggett came into bowl and Henry whipped the ball off his toes down to fine leg towards Jack Wood and surprisingly they took on his arm and it wasn't to be for Henry today with Wood whipping the ball over the bails to David Lyons and Henry was run out on 99. It was a sterling captain's knock and he certainly deserved to make three figures.
UQ were now 6/230 at the final drinks break. Nicholas Sale was cautious initially but in one over managed to hit Jacob Waters into the Matthew Hayden stand. Mitchell Fry was eventually out for 25 off the bowling of Sean Lutter with another catch to Lyons who was on fire behind the stumps - UQ now 7/252.
Devon Endersby, Samuel Belford and Scott Walter didn't manage to hit double figures as Doggett cleaned up the tail - by the end of the day's play UQ were all out for 317. Umpires decided to call it a day with bad light approaching. So tomorrow we will see Levi Thomson-Matthews and Bryn Llewellyn open the batting for Ipswich as they set to pass UQ's first innings score and set themselves up for an upset win.
Day 2 of the Virtual Grand Final is on Sunday 22 march
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