Unbeaten Vics claim national U17 cricket title

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Updated: December 22, 2012

VICTORIA completed a perfect National Under-17 Championship by defeating Western Australia in the final round.

The Vics made it five from five by completing a 56-run win at Hobart’s Linsdisfarne Oval in their two-day clash.

The eventual champs looked in trouble early after winning the toss and deciding to bat, slumping to 6/118, before recovering to be all out for a competitive 236 on the back of skipper Pat McKenna’s 56 and Ejaaz Alavi’s 49.

Rhys Hampson was the pick of the WA bowlers claiming 5/73 from 30 overs – and was then a star with the bat after coming in at No.9.

WA was in immediate trouble during its run chase, losing its first three wickets with just a single run on the board, and then lost another four wickets in the space of eight runs to be reeling at 7/39. Enter Hampson, who went on to make 69 and ensure the WA tail wagged to make a game of it.

Jack Baker claimed 4/22 for the Vics, while Alavi did most of the early damage before finishing with 3/36.

The result ensured Victoria finish with 29 points, ahead of New South Wales (22), Queensland (17) and South Australia (12).

Victoria’s Guy Walker was named player of the championship after a series which yielded 11 wickets at the incredible average of 7.09 and 123 runs at 20.50.

Queensland’s Matthew Renshaw topped the individual runs-tally with 296 at 98.67, ahead of the NT’s Patrick Pisel with 264 at 52.80 and Victoria’s Matthew Short with 241 at 40.17.

Lachlan Griffiths, of the NT, finished the leading wicket-taker with 18 scalps at 14.50 apiece, with NSW’s Riley Ayre second with 13 wickets at 14.15.