Sport
24 March, 2022
Wamuran champions after Glasshouse withdraws
WAMURAN-STANLEY River won the Sunshine Coast Division 4 cricket premiership in unusual circumstances as its grand final opponent conceded defeat with one day remaining in the season-deciding contest.
The host team, Glasshouse, announced on Wednesday last week that it would not contest the final day, handing the premiership to the visiting team.
Glasshouse had virtually no chance of winning, having been dismissed for 122 before the visitors reached 6/304 with one day remaining, which was scheduled for last Saturday.
Wamuran-Stanley River captain Dan Gibson was in disbelief when told that Glasshouse withdrew, and said it was something of an anti-climax.
“We didn’t think they’d pull the pin,” he said.
“I was pretty shocked to be honest.”
Gibson said he had never played in a game where one team had quit.
“I don’t think they wanted us to sing our song at their home ground,” Gibson said.
“They were pretty confident of victory (beforehand), and thought they’d bat for three days.”
With Glasshouse trouncing his team by 62 runs in a one-dayer on February 19, Gibson said he thought Glasshouse seemed overconfident and cocky after that result, even though Gibson’s team missed a few first-choice players.
Gibson said after the grand final that at least one Glasshouse player said they “had the premiership in the bag” after their win on February 19.
“We needed that loss to sharpen up,” Gibson said.
“We needed that loss to get ourselves on track, and refocus.”
This was the first time Gibson and several of his team-mates were in a premiership for Wamuran-Stanley River, after winning premierships for Caboolture teams.
Although it remains unknown if Gibson’s team is promoted to a higher division next season, the triumphant skipper said he was confident his team could win back-to-back premierships in any case.
Gibson made special mention of opening batter Aaron Phillips, who scored 92 in the grand final.
Gibson said it was probably the best he had seen Phillips play, with the opener progressing very slowly to 50 before going ballistic.
Gibson also singled out U15 player Kaidan Jarrett who stepped up to seniors, and scored 24 not out in the grand final and shared an unbroken partnership with his captain, who made 57 not out.
The Division 4 premiership was the second premiership for the club this season, with the Wamuran-Stanley River Blue team winning the U12 South Division.
The U12 Blue team was scheduled to contest Caboolture Feldman in the decider on February 26, but flooding prevented any play, and the higher-placed team was awarded the premiership.
Coach Matt Jennings said it was very pleasing to see how the juniors had progressed individually and collectively throughout the season, although it was disappointing not to be able to play the grand final.
“Win, lose or draw, it would have been great (for the juniors) to have that experience,” he said.
Jennings also said a number of Wamuran-Stanley River juniors had “come back full of confidence and with more experience” after taking part in representative cricket.
Wamuran-Stanley River Blue duo Jackson Jennings and Riley Jarrett took part in the Queensland Junior Cricket Championships in December, before Rory Lang played in the Ian Healy U12 Cup Development Carnival in January.
Wamuran-Stanley River Red player Eli Baker also took part in the Ian Healy U12 Cup Development Carnival.
