An blistering 83 from Steve Nean and a 143-run unbeaten stand with stand-in skipper Luke Wilson powered Gladstone-Metro to a nine-wicket win in the Orange District Cricket Association third grade Twenty20 competition final over Centrals Wanderers on Saturday.
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Wilson, standing in for regular captain and big-hitting Ben McAlpine, was rapt to have taken the win against a strong Centrals line-up.
Chris Brown top-scored for the Wanderers with 48 at the top of the order and did a lot of running for the score, hitting just the one boundary and clearing the rope once as he and Damien Coughlan (20) guided his side to 6-144 from the 20 overs.
It could have been far more if it weren't for the Gladdy's bowling at the death, with Troy Pearson (2-19 from three) standing up and pinching crucial wickets to help stem the tide.
Andrew Nelson had Gavin Smith caught off a bouncer in the opening over to get his side off to the perfect start, but it was the only joy the side would have in the field as Nean and Wilson set to work, with the former hitting 11 boundaries on his way to 83.
Wilson said he'd have handed Nean player of the match honours for the dig, which he had a front-row view of.
"He batted well he just put all there bad balls away. The strongest part of his innings was the pull shot everything short went for four or six," he said.
Although Wilson said the strongest part of the innings was with ball in hand, especially Pearson's effort.
"He bowled well against his old side, good to see him get a win against them. He's our leading wicket taker this year so he has been a big part of our bowling side this year along with Gav Smith," he said.
"I thought our bowlers did a great job to keep them under 150 because I thought Centrals had a very strong batting side before the game."
It was a huge effort for the side to win the competition despite nearly not having enough players at the start of the season, with Mick Kennewell and the Metropolitan Hotel both helping secure more bodies and sponsorship to put them on the field.
Losing big hitter McAlpine was another blow, but Wilson said the side "just had to play as a team". Which is did.
Gladstone will now turn its sights towards claiming the 40-over crown as well, but Wilson said he loved the three-week Twenty20 format.
"It's my favourite format of cricket, it's 20 overs of going hard and trying to get the biggest score you can get," he said.
"Everyone has a go and it's so quick - I want to see more of it to be honest.
"Centrals were a good side as well I thought 144 was a okay score as well, so I thought we had to bat well to get that and we did that."
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