News
13 December, 2024
Caboolture Snakes 3rd Grade team wins GF
The Caboolture Snakes Cricket Club’s 3rd Grade Men’s team clinched a memorable victory over the previously undefeated Caloundra Lighthouses, in a thrilling one-day grand final at Roy Henzell Park on December 8.
The match, originally postponed a week due to wet weather, saw Caboolture defend a total of 187 runs with a commanding bowling performance, dismissing Caloundra for 157 with three overs to spare.
Led by club president and captain Ben Stuart, who contributed a solid 36 runs, the Snakes put forth a strong team effort.
Key contributions came from Blake Keating (34) and Mathew Dedini (32), setting a competitive target.
Caboolture's disciplined bowling and timely wickets were pivotal in securing the win. Ben described the victory as a testament to the squad's skill and unity, making it a proud moment for the team.
“When we batted, we batted with purpose and really kept the scoreboard ticking over,” Ben said. “Then when we bowled, we kept taking wickets regularly, especially their top batters, getting them early—that always helps.”
Ben also noted that Caboolture had not been able to field their best team in previous encounters with Caloundra, but this time it was their day.
The match came down to the wire, with Caboolture having a chance to win the grand final just four or five balls before the game ended.
“We had a chance for a run out when our keeper, Christian Green, got the ball thrown to him. He went to throw it at the stumps, and the ball looked like it hit, but the umpire called him out,” Ben recalled. “Christian insisted he didn’t get it, which shows great spirit of cricket—he’s a man of his word and didn’t want to win the wrong way.”
When the Snakes took the final wicket to secure their win, Ben said it was well worth the wait.
“Christian and I played in a third-grade final together 11 years ago, so we were really excited,” he said. “We were high-fiving and hugging, but only for a second. Then we shook everyone’s hands, congratulated the team, sang the club song loud, got our medals, and then went back to the clubhouse for a drink.”
In other news, Caboolture's 1st and 2nd Grade teams also played their grand final qualifying matches.
The 1st Grade side dominated Maroochydore Swans, posting 5/330 to Maroochydore's 10/162.
They will now face Tewantin Noosa in the one-day grand final at Read Park on December 15.
Unfortunately, the 2nd Grade team lost to Maroochydore Swans, with a score of 10/114 to 5/117.
