It’s Burleigh’s time
BURLEIGH will enter its maiden Kookaburra Cup finals appearance with a sense of freedom after setting up Mission Impossible against first grade power Queens.
In a dramatic final round on Saturday, the Bullsharks made the most of the weather to surge into the top four on the back of a bonus-point win over lowly Coomera Hope Island.
With word filtering through of a washout between Helensvale Pacific Pines (third) and Mudgeeraba Nerang (fourth), Burleigh went all out for the sevenpoint victory needed to leapfrog the Bushmen into the finals placings.
Replying to Coomera Hope Island’s 31-over total of 7-124, the Bullsharks’ target was
twice revised before they were finally set a bonus-point assignment of 104 inside 18 overs.
They raced out of the blocks thanks to opener Rhys McCarthy’s quickfire 46 (36), before stumbling home in the 16th over with just two wickets to spare.
Their task now in this Saturday’s semi-final – it will be the first in the club’s 12-year history – is to knock off a minor premiership-winning Queens side chasing a thirdstraight crown.
“It’s a huge task in the making, they don’t win minor
premierships year on year for nothing,” Burleigh captaincoach Simon Beltson said.
“We’re just grateful to be there. There’s a real buzz around the club, it’s a proud moment for all the players and the club.
“We will go about our business in our own manner.
“We travel to their ground and they’re very dangerous at home. We know if we were to play our best cricket, and we brought that (on Saturday), we will look to push Queens all the way.
“We’re looking forward to it, if we could bring on Saturday tomorrow we’d be there.”
In the other semi-final, Helensvale will travel to Broadbeach Robina for its first playoff appearance since 1992-93.
The Hawks had reduced Mudgeeraba to 4-67 from 24 overs on Saturday before the heavens opened.
Elsewhere, Queens’ (7-66) battle with Southport Labrador was abandoned after 20 overs, while not a single ball was bowled between Palm Beach Currumbin and Runaway Bay, and Broadbeach Robina and Alberton.