Wilkins sends Toads to big win
A SHAKY start didn’t deter rising Far North cricket ace Matthew Wilkins, who blasted Mulgrave to victory and put the Toads another step closer to the grand final in their Cricket Far North title defence.
The unstoppable Toads backed up their recent crushing form with a dominant 78run win against finals hopefuls Rovers at Griffiths Park.
Mulgrave opener Kai Stuchbery kept the top order together with a tidy 34 runs from 97 balls before Wilkins arrived at the crease – then dominated the bowlers.
He smashed four boundaries and cleared the rope five times in a superb 90 (from 106 balls) against a Rovers bowling attack which simply couldn’t contain Wilkins.
“It was a pretty good day, I started off a bit shaky but I cashed in at the end which was good,” Wilkins said.
“If we keep playing how we’re playing, we should be right.
“It’s good to know if (Jake) Roachey and (Justin) Reidey don’t perform others can step up.”
The innings marked Wilkins’ best of the season, clearing a 44-run day from the Brisbane Premier League player in November.
Tail enders John Stampa (21 runs) and Blake Raper (26) finished off the 210-run innings
on a strong note, before Raper went gangbusters against Rovers in the bowling.
The all-rounder toppled five of the opening six batters, and yielding just 32 runs.
Barron got back in the win column by brushing by Norths by four wickets.
Tim Ward and Andrew Phelps – two of the Far North’s leading batters – struck 27 and 25 runs respectively before both being bowled by Norths’ Mark Ellis who finished 3-25.
Daniel Freebody topped Norths’ batting with 29 runs against a stingy Barron bowling led by Jack Sell, who continued his solid season by finishing 3-32.
A 65-run effort from Cassowary Coast Cyclones veteran Luke McAvoy ended up being for nought against Atherton, who chased down 160 runs to win by six-wickets.
Atherton was led by their own stalwart Paul Nasser, who whacked 51 runs of his own to have his third-placed club cruising to victory.