NORMALLY, 114 wouldn’t be considered a particularly imposing grand final total, even if it is a rain reduced contest.
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But Bluebags skipper Michael Frost was always confident the Duckworth-Lewis calculations were going to work in Queanbeyan’s favour in its third grade one-day title showdown against Weston Creek.
And Frost’s confidence proved well-founded as Queanbeyan easily defended a revised total of 147 to claim back-to-back third grade titles at Phillip Oval last Sunday.
Queanbeyan’s victory came after the final had been reduced to 32 overs per side as persistent rain threatened to see the match called off completely.
And it was a win that could be credited largely to the side’s stoic display with the bat as the Bluebags’ top order defied the difficult conditions to repel the competition’s most lethal bowling attack.
“Even the Creek captain admitted that bowling was always going to be their strength,” Frost said.
“I think they’ve only scored more than 150 once this season so even though it wasn’t a massive total, given their batting record, I thought we were in a pretty good spot.
“15-year-old Lewis McLennan scored a really important 20-odd at the top of the order that allowed us to put on a decent opening partnership and put them on the back foot.
“They’re used to just running through sides. They had four or five genuine seamers and they had a lively wicket to match it so it was a decent score.”
Batting first, the Bluebags managed to make their way to 4/114 before a rain delay of more than an hour and a half forced both sides from the field.
With no time left for Queanbeyan to bat out their overs, Weston Creek was sent in chasing the revised total of 147 but were bundled out for 125 in the 29th over.
Jordan Brown and Jacob Knowles grabbed three wickets apiece for the Bluebags who came from fourth spot to claim the crown.
Frost, meanwhile, said Queanbeyan had taken full advantage as Weston Creek appeared to struggle to adapt to the wet conditions.
“They definitely seemed a bit reluctant to play,” Frost said. “I reckon they wanted to just come back next week and play a 50 over game.
“So maybe their mindset wasn’t quite right and that’s always going to come back to haunt you if you’re not 100 per cent committed.”