RECORD BREAKERS
PALM Beach Currumbin’s dream of the perfect season has come to an end after losing its first match in the Kookaburra Cup’s penultimate round.
The Lions had won 11 matches on the trot but found no answers for the batting of Mudgeeraba’s Josh Nelson (89) or the bowling of Kris Morrison (5-15 off 15 overs) in the clash between the top two sides on the ladder at Palm Beach.
Chasing 190 for victory on Saturday, PBC was bowled out for just 112 in 56 overs, its lowest innings total in any format this season with finals one game away. Some may consider it the loss PBC needed to sharpen its resolve ahead of a run to the finals but player-coach Ryan Kettle isn’t one of them.
“It’s not all negative for us but I don’t agree with the ‘loss you had to have’ scenario,” Kettle said.
“I don’t think this is something we needed heading into finals.
“To be fair we were outplayed, we weren’t as disciplined as Mudgee were and it really cost us.
“It’s something we’ll work on in the next few weeks leading into finals.”
PBC’s maiden defeat has scattered all notions of favouritism with four clubs now all on level pegging with form in the race to the finish line.
Mudgeeraba’s chops cannot be discounted while PBC and Broadbeach will be fired up to avenge their defeats this weekend come the playoffs.
All four semi-finalists met three weeks early for a sneak preview of the finals campaign, thanks to a quirk in the draw.
Broadbeach failed to overcome a first-innings century to Surfers opener Wayne Phillips despite the best efforts of all-rounder Dhanushka Mitipolarachchi (49 runs and 4-60).