The Tigers have qualified for finals in fifth and sixth grade following a strong finish to the regular season.
First grade, who were also in the reckoning for finals going into the last round, were defeated outright away to Gold Coast. The Tigers made amends for their first innings failure, posting 251. But that was as good as it got for the visitors, as Gold Coast chased the runs required for outright points inside 20 overs.
Second grade also suffered a big loss at the hands of Gold Coast. The Tigers managed just 197 in reply to the visitors’ first innings total of 274, with Craig Weier (43), Jimmy Carr (39), Josh Fraser (28) and Mitchell Drennan (24) the only players to produce innings of note. Third grade finished the season on a high with first innings victory over Gold Coast away from home. At 4/10, the Tigers chase looked in peril, but the lower order recovered the innings to help the Tigers over the line.
Fourth grade also finished the season with a big win over the same opposition. A run out in the first over of the day put the breaks on the Tigers’ chase, but Jordan Crick (35*) combined with Paul Bonney (19) and Zach Addison (17) to secure first innings points. The Tigers bowled again in the afternoon session, dismissing the visitors for 173 through the bowling of Pearce Anderson (4/42) and Jordan Crick (4/15).
Fifth grade are through to next weekend’s semi-final courtesy of a come-from-behind win over Sandgate-Redcliffe. The Tigers run chased looked shaky at 5/67, but James Catlow-Elliott stood up when his team needed him as he notched his maiden grade century to secure a finals berth.
Sixth grade one have also qualified for finals after they too salvaged an innings that looked destined to end in disaster. The Tigers were 5/24 in response to Valley’s first innings total of 99 until Chandeep Kamra stepped up to the plate to post his second century of the season. Jamie Daniels (27), Jake Richards (26) and Jarvis Cleary (23) provided much needed support for Kamra throughout the chase.
Skipper James Read declared with the score on 9/214, giving the bowlers the afternoon to inflict more pain on a side also bound for finals. Jamie Daniels and Matt Fay made the most of the opportunity, claiming two wickets apiece as Valley finished the day four down for 117. Sixth grade two posted a mammoth 9/319 in reply to Northern Suburbs’ 208 to secure their spot in the finals. Jake Davies kicked things off with 64 at the top of the order before Jay Kildey (45), Zac Maguire (34), Ben Thompson (32) and Matthew Williamson (31) made the tiring opposition attack pay.
