Queens on top as PBC falter
PREMIERS Queens will go into the festive season break as narrow leaders on the Kookaburra Cup points ladder.
Queens took eight points (including two bonus points) from their one-day match against Palm Beach Currumbin at Salk Oval on Saturday.
Home side Palm Beach were rolled for only 59 and Queens did the job easily, losing only two wickets in 15 overs.
At the same time Broadbeach Robina grabbed a bonus point against Coomera Hope Island at Merrimac Oval, scoring 3-106 after dismissing the Crocs for 105.
Those results left Queens and Broadbeach level on 61 points, with the premiers slightly ahead on percentage.
Sam Winton (4-15 from eight overs) and brother Jack (3-12 from five) were the chief destroyers in the PBC collapse.
“We’re quite happy with where we’re at going into the break,” Queens coach Greg Little said.
Little said Burleigh (third on 54 points) and Helensvale Pacific Pines (fourth on 52) were the dark horses and had emerged as definite top-four material.
Burleigh’s skipper Simon Belston hit 91 and Ed Burton 45 in an opening stand of 117 against Surfers Paradise at Avid Concrete Oval.
Burleigh amassed 6-244 and Surfers responded with 199, with last season’s top runscorer Sam Day hitting 68 on a break from duties with the navy.
“We’re certainly pretty happy where we are mixing it with the top sides,” Belston said of the Bullsharks position on standings.
A moment of truth will come in the first match back in January when Burleigh play Broadbeach.
Helensvale took a thriller against Southport Labrador at GCGC Sports Oval, making 9-177 chasing 174 and scoring the winning runs with four deliveries remaining.
In the other match Mudgeeraba Nerang (157) made light work of Alberton (112) at Nerang RSL Oval.