HISTORY BECKONS
HELENSVALE Pacific Pines and Burleigh will fight for a piece of Kookaburra Cup history on Saturday after setting up one of the most intriguing grand finals in recent memory.
First-grade battlers last season, Helensvale (11th) and Burleigh (10th) continued their stunning resurgences to book maiden Kookaburra Cup grand final appearances with weekend triumphs.
Playing their first semifinal since 1992-93, Helensvale (9-242) put Broadbeach Robina to the sword at Voice Print Data Oval, skittling the hosts for 80 inside 21 overs.
Opener David Young starred for the Hawks with 55 off 46, before Danny Edwards (3-3) and Ryan Maloney (3-23) delivered the coup de grace with the ball.
At Greg Chaplin Oval, Burleigh ended Queens’ twoyear reign as first-grade champions after rolling the Centaurs for 121 on the back of Daley Miller’s haul of 4-14.
Replying to the Bullsharks’ 9-146, Queens’ reply never got going as five batsmen were dismissed between 13 and 19.
Helensvale will now host Burleigh at Hession Oval as the clubs chase a breakthrough premiership.
“It’s huge for the club,” Hawks captain Jack Lickiss said. “To progress from where we were last year, coming second-last, to being one of the last two teams standing is a pretty phenomenal effort.”
Burleigh captain Simon Belston said the realisation of toppling the minor premiers had not yet sunk in.
“It’s the first time we’ve made finals and to put ourselves in a position for the grand final is such a huge achievement,” Belston said.
“We were just concentrating on ourselves and we knew if we turned up and played our best we’d beat Queens. We had four unbelievable top-drawer catches.
“This Queens side are a tremendous powerhouse in local cricket – they’ve got such experience and great talent – and we matched that. It was such a great moment for the boys and the club.”