Murray Cricket Council has taken out the Gorrel Cup for 2009 that concluded at Barooga on last week.
The Gorrel Cup is played between the four Riverina Zone cricket councils and is the commencement of the selection process for the State under 17 side.
The Murray side comprised of cricketers from Cricket Albury/Wodonga, Holbrook, Culcairn and Tumbarumba went through the competition undefeated, to win the prestigious Gorrel Cup for a third time.
Local players included Culcairn all rounder Travis King and 15 years old Holbrook rising star Hayden Wishart. Both players played important roles in the Murray victory.
The Riverina cricket Zone under 17 carnivals has previously (14 times) being played at Griffith, but with the winter sports taking its toll on the grounds in the MIA capital, the Gorrel Cup was played at Barooga for the first time.
Unfortunately, rain marred the first two days of the four-day carnival, however Murray were able to defeat Southern Riverina by 21 runs on Sunday and easily accounted for Murrumbidgee by four wickets on Monday.
With rain intervening on Friday and Saturday, Monday’s match on Barooga number 2, became a final with both Murray and Murrumbidgee undefeated. Murrumbidgee was bowled out for 187.
Murray led by their captain Luke McNeil who was playing in his fourth and final Gorrel Cup carnival, stuck a superb 107 to guide his team to victory with six overs to spare.
The most exciting match of the carnival was the unscheduled day/night match played on the number one ground on Sunday between Northern Riverina and Murrumbidgee. With water getting under the covers, the match was delayed for three hours, thus becoming a day/nighter commencing at 1.00pm.
Northern Riverina compiled the very competitive score of 8/224 and when they had Murrumbidgee 6/36 and then 7/80 the match was good as over. However, Murrumbidgee captain Alistair Burge and his good mate Haydn Pascoe added 90 runs for the eight wicket.
Burge made a fine 76, while Pascoe still looked solid. With 15 runs required off the final five overs, players and spectators were on edge.
Northern replacement bowler 15-year-old Tom Pinson from Yass kept Northern in the match; Tom’s final two overs only conceded two runs.
The final over Murrumbidgee needed nine runs. The first two balls Pascoe failed to score, the third ball he was caught at mid on.
The Goolgowi all-rounder was given a standing ovation as he walked from the field for his brilliant knock of 48.
Hillston’s Jarrod Cahill cover drove the fourth ball through Northern captain James Norton’s generally safe hands for four, the fifth ball went for four byes, scores level, and the final delivery saw Murrumbidgee scamper through for the winning single.
The Murrumbidgee boys raced onto the field in jubilation as if they had won the World Cup. Northern were absolutely shattered and their Gorrel Cup dream in tatters.
In the play off for pride on Monday, Southern won their first match at this carnival since 2004 by defeating archrivals Northern by 12 runs. Southern scored 200 from their 50 overs.
Their innings was led a defiant 76 from Isaac Hogan.
Northern openers Josh Thompson and Joe Byrnes got their side away to a solid start in an opening partnership of 55. Byrnes was eventually dismissed for 47.
The spin twins from Deniliquin of Mitch O’Brien and Isaac Hogan put the brakes on the Northern innings. O’Brien with his off spinners was deadly accurate. He finished with 2/14 from 10 overs, and that included seven runs coming from his last over.
Hogan’s leg spinners saw him cap off a fine match, snaring 3/35 from his allocated 10 overs. In a rare sight at this level and ultimately a match-winning role, the spinning combination captured 5/49 from 20 overs that saw Northern restricted to 188.
There was jubilation in the Southern Riverina camp as they had broken a 14 match-losing streak at the Gorrel Cup.
For Northern Riverina they found themselves in the unfamiliar territory in finishing last.
The final Gorrel Cup ladder,
* 10- Murray
* 8- Murrumbidgee
* 4- Southern Riverina
* 2- Northern Riverina
The awards winners were,
* Player of the carnival - umpires award-Alistair Burge 167 runs (Coleambally)
* Aggregate runs- Luke McNeil 174 runs (Lavington)
* Aggregate wickets - Ryan Jamieson 7 wickets (Wagga)
Chairmen of selectors Gavin Kelly announced the Riverina side to play in the Southern under 17 carnival At Barooga on 30, 31 October and 1 November.
Alistair Burge (Coleambally (Capt) Luke McNeil (Lavington) Joe Byrnes (Wagga) Dylan Weeding (Albury) Isaac Hogan (Deniliquin) Kieran Schulz (Wodonga) Jordan Lawrence (Wagga) Tom Butler (Barooga) Haydn Pascoe (Goolgowi) Mitch O’Brien (Deniliquin) Ryan Brown ( Lavington) Ryan Jamieson (Wagga) Ryan Holcroft (Griffith) Coaches Tim Clayton (Yass) Owen Thompson( Wagga) Scorer Hannah Nichols (Berrigan)
The umpires that officiated at the carnival were greatly appreciated, especially on Friday and Saturday when the cold winds and rain hampered conditions. Arthur Owen, David Hansen, Vince Calabro, Noel Duns all of the Murray Valley Umpires Association and Pat Kerin OAM from the Cootamundra CUA.
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