WESTS PRODUCE A SHIELD TREBLE
Batting masterclass from Gillam guides team home
CRICKET: Western Districts have maintained their stranglehold of the Harding-Madsen Shield with their thirdstraight victory.
Since the inter-district competition’s induction in 2016, Wests remain the only team with their name on the shield after defeating local rivals Northern Brothers Diggers at Captain Cook Reserve yesterday.
A quick-fire century to Chris Gillam off just 71 balls helped Western Districts to an unbeaten premiership.
Batting first, the Diggers top-order failed to make any impression, as Wests restricted them to just 4-16 from the opening seven overs thanks to three wickets from Samson Ryan.
Blake Anderson (55 runs) and Dane Hutchinson (24) steadied the ship with a 49-run partnership before captain Luke Neale dismissed the latter.
A steady effort from Northern Brothers bowlers helped to push the total to a respectable 177.
In their run chase, Wests made their intentions clear early on, bringing up 50 in the sixth over, before Hutchinson took the vital scalp of Sam Neale.
Queensland Country shadow representative Gillam kept piling on the runs after the setback, notching his 50 from just 25 deliveries to keep the run-rate ticking at more than six runs an over.
Gillam would go on to finish with 118 after Josh Barrett eventually took the prized wicket with Wests four runs shy of victory.
Another late dismissal of Brian May gave the Diggers something to cheer about, but ultimately it was their opponents day.
“It’s always good to be positive up front and it certainly helps taking it to the opening bowlers,” Gillam said.
“We led it off with our bowling effort and our opening bowlers Daley (Martin) and Samson really took it to them and took away their opportunity to post a big score.
“Samson has done really well this season. He’s new to the A-grade side and it’s pleasing to see such a good talent coming through.
“It’s pleasing to get into finals and you want to win them. It’s really good for us to win
and we’ve got a good core.”
■ In the TCI A-grade competition, University got off the mark with an impressive first innings defeat of Southern Districts.
Metropolitan-Easts bounced back from their first round loss with an impressive first innings win over Highfields-Railways.
Northern Brothers Diggers held their nerve in their other weekend encounter against Western Districts to play out a draw. Full scorecards from round two of the TCI A-grade competition and a full round analysis will appear in tomorrow’s