Prossie Pitbulls Perform In Junior Cricket Grand Finals

Pitbulls Take On North Mackay Devils In Under 11

The final games of the Mackay Junior Cricket Association were underway last weekend, with four Proserpine Pitbulls teams across the age groups playing off for Premiership Shields.

The Under 11s between the Proserpine Pitbulls and Mackay Norths Devils started captain Kobi at the helm of the Proserpine side.

Winning the toss, the captain sent Aiden (15 runs) and Bradley (8 runs) out for the Pitbulls, followed by Ellen (3) and Matthew (15), who kept the ball rolling with excellent running between the wickets.

Zahra (2) and Sean (4) were hit with some of the Devil’s best bowlers, doing well to get runs on the board. And Laura (4) and Kobi (8) finished off the innings well, putting the side at a competitive total of 5/91 off 20.

Kobi began the bowling (1/6 off 3) and had the Norths heads going round, taking out middle stump with a cracking leg spinner – and three runouts in a spectacular display of fielding.

Laura (1/6 off 3) was also getting some good turn of the ball picking up a wicket and a great runout. Matthew bowled an excellent three over’s ending with figures of (4/4) assisted by the safe hands of Aiden.

Sean (0/5 off 1) shared in the wicket keeping duties and showed a huge improvement snatching every ball that came his way. Zahra (0/16 off 3) was unlucky not to get a wicket with a few near misses.

Ellen (0/7 off 2) was at her reliable best but was unlucky not to pick up a wicket.

Aiden (0/10 off 2) finished it off, bowling with good pace, not getting a wicket but taking three great catches in the field and ending 11/69 - an excellent win for the Pitbulls.

Under 11s Player of the day went to captain Kobi for an outstanding all-round performance.

Proserpine Pitbulls Under 12 Versus North Mackay Devils

In the Under 12s Final it was again between the Pitbulls and Norths, with this the biggest game of the Proserpine youngsters careers.  

Captain Ben Hope won the toss and elected to bowl.

The pumped up opening due of Ben H (0-3) and Noah Porter ripped in early with some tight line and length bowling.  

This pressure soon led to the dangerous left- hand opening bat playing a loose shot off Noah P (1-4) to land in the safe hands of Captain Ben at mid-on.

A Norths fightback followed with both batters reaching their 20 balls to retire.

Shannon Matthews (0-11) and spinner Ollie Dibben (1-5) then took the ball to continue applying Pitbull pressure – Norths 1-26 after 9 overs.

Lily Smith (1-8) soon drew a rash shot from the gun Norths representative Captain that skied in the direction of Ollie D at square leg, with the young fielder making a full-length diving catch to turn the game.

Alex Valmadre stepped up (0-9) to keep it tight at one end whilst upcoming star Tyrone Sellings commenced his spell just prior to the break.

After the break, young spin wizard Korbin Dibben (2-2) mesmerised a Norths batter with his turn to top edge one to Shannon M who took a pressure catch at square leg.

Korbin then cleaned bowled the next batter with another turner before Keeper Reg Davies (1-3) then had a bowl with immediate results to take a crucial wicket leaving all-rounder Ollie D (1-5) to clean up the tail with his quicker delivery – Norths all out for 53.

Alex V and Reg D opened the batting: both enduring some hostile bowling from the opening, and the Devils wouldn’t let up with Alex V (4) struck on the pad in front – Pits 1-10.  

The pups worked it up to 2-35 while Young Tyrone S (0) held off the desperate Norths bowlers with some great defence.  

After a couple of nervous pushes into the covers, it soon became obvious young Noah P had seen enough.  

Demanding the strike, it was his time - four balls, four boundaries, game over: the Premiership Shield headed up the highway for the season.

Players Player - Noah Porter (1-4, 16 no)

Pitbulls Under 13 Battle North Mackay Magpies White

The U13 Pitbulls were up next, facing Magpies White in the U13’s Final at Vigaro Oval in Mackay.

After going through the season undefeated, the Pitbulls looked the favourite, and for the first time this season, had the luxury of having 10 players to choose from in the final.

Captained by Kai MacLoughlin, the U13’s Pitbulls went into bat with a wet outfield from overnight rain.

The opening pair of J. Rock (9*) and L. Riley (13*) set up the innings with an unbeaten opening partnership of 25 runs with both players retiring after their 20 balls.

The next two batsmen - M. Logan and K. McLoughlin - continued the solid start with both players scoring freely and consolidating the teams innings with Matthew and Kai retiring on 20* and 26*, respectively.

With the Pitbulls yet to lose a wicket, W. Logan and O. Seamer came into bat and continued to take on the Magpies bowlers with O. Seamer scoring 17* from his 20 balls.

The first wicket to fall was W. Logan (10) in the 18th over with the score at 1-130. J. Geisler and J. Lawn then came to the crease and attempted to push the scoring along with J. Geisler (11) being dismissed in the 20th over.

With five overs remaining, the Magpies bowlers fought back with some accurate bowling, slowing the Pitbulls scoring rate.

The remaining Pitbull batmen J. Lawn (9), B. Childs (5*) and E. Baker taking the Pitbulls to a very competitive score of 4-160 after 25 overs.

K. McLoughlin and B. Childs opened the bowling for the Pitbulls with perfect execution.

K. McLoghlin bowled their opening batsman on the final ball of the first over to have the Magpies 1-6, and With accurate bowling and great fielding, the Pitbulls continued to restrict the Pies.

B. Childs had the second Magpies caught by J. Lawn at mid-off, Magpies 2-15. B. Childs started the Pitbulls sixth over with immediate success bowling the second opening batsman.

After six overs, L. Riley was bought into the bowl the seventh over and with his second ball took the fourth wicket through some excellent catching by J.Lawn to have the Magpies 4-17.

Following the initial losses, the Magpies next batting pair then consolidated their team’s position to be 4–42.

With the Pitbulls refreshed and refocused on their game plan, M. Logan took the ball and bowled a 13th over maiden, before O. Seamer was given the ball for the 14th over, taking two wickets for one run in the over to have the Magpies 6–43.

M. Logan then followed up his earlier maiden over, bowling the batsman to take the Pitbulls seventh wicket. With the remaining two Magpies batmen surviving O. Seamer’s next over, J. Geisler was brought into the attack with immediate effect having their final wicket brilliantly caught by K. McLoughlin on his first ball to win the Final.

Any member of the U13 Pitbulls team could be given the player of the match, so the award was given to the whole team.

Pitbulls Under 15 Final Against Pioneer Valley Panthers

The final showdown was between the Proserpine Pitbulls and the Pioneer Valley Panthers at Harrup Park to decide who would be crowned under 15s junior cricket champions of 2023.

Panthers won the toss and sent the Pitbulls in to bat, with Captain B. Valmadre and C. Stroud opening the batting – and Pitbulls only whimpered to an early 2-13.

More batsmen fell before J. Williams showed his credentials hitting one of the few boundaries of the innings and getting some much-needed runs late in the overs.

A. Geisel and J. Watson grabbed a few much-needed runs in the dying overs and closed out the innings with the Pitbulls having to defend a measly total of 9-89.

The Pitbulls came out firing after the break, with their enthusiasm rewarded early with B.Valmadre trapping their opener in front on the second delivery of the innings.

L. McDermid wanted a piece of the action in the second over, and with the bouncy wicket assisting once more, he caught the prize wickets bat high, in turn sending the ball towards a sprinting J. Watson who covered the ground to take a solid catch.

The team was in raptures and the Pitbulls started to believe.

Tight bowling kept the score low early, but it crept up slowly, and soon Panthers were at 9-83.

Panthers needed seven runs to win, the Pitbulls needed one wicket: A single, a four, a dot ball, and a two led Panthers to win one of the tightest games this year – one worthy of a grand finale.

Contributed with thanks to Mike Hope, Stephen Logan, Craig Valmadre, and Mark Porter

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The Proserpine Pitbulls junior cricketers faced off in four finals last weekend, pictured here are the U11s side

Caption 2: The U12s’ team with Coach Mark and the ending scoreboard