Waratah-Mayfield Blue Claim Denis Broad OAM Cup Victory in Thrilling Final
Newcastle District Cricket Association, December 8, 2024
The Denis Broad OAM Cup final, held on Sunday, December 8th, saw Waratah-Mayfield Blue emerge victorious over Newcastle City in a thrilling contest at Waratah Oval. After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Newcastle City couldn’t quite get over the line as Waratah-Mayfield set a strong total of 10/149 from 20 overs, ultimately defeating them by 23 runs.
Waratah-Mayfield Blue’s top-order batsmen played key roles in setting their challenging target. Josh Hardy led the charge with a brilliant 63 runs off 47 balls, including 3 fours and 3 sixes, and was named Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance. His explosive knock anchored the innings, with Josh Brackenbury contributing a quick-fire 34 runs off 18 balls, which included 2 fours and 2 sixes.
For Newcastle City, their bowlers fought hard. Jonah Rheinberger was the standout with 3 wickets for 22 runs from 4 overs, while Isaac Coyle also impressed with 2 wickets for 40 runs from his 4 overs. Timothy Burton chipped in with 2 wickets for 18 runs. In the field, Anthonie Clement had a stellar day, taking 2 catches and assisting with a run-out, showing his all-round skill.
Chasing 149, Newcastle City found the going tough. Opening batsman Jonah Rheinberger top-scored with 35 runs off 29 balls, including 4 fours, while Rowan Evans also made a steady contribution with 35 runs off 37 balls. However, the pressure mounted as Waratah-Mayfield’s bowlers kept things tight.
James Kimber was exceptional with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for just 14 runs from 4 overs, including a maiden, while James Foster backed him up with 2 wickets for 18 runs from 4 overs, also bowling a maiden.
In the end, Waratah-Mayfield Blue secured the Denis Broad OAM Cup victory by 23 runs, with a well-rounded team performance. It was a fantastic display of cricket, and both teams showed great skill and sportsmanship throughout the match.
Congrats to Josh Hardy on being awarded Rippit Player of the Match and to Waratah-Mayfield Blue for their hard-fought win!
