Gallery | Old Students scoop the pool in junior grand finals with combine win in under-16, while under-12 also prevails

Up first, Old Students’ under-12A side ousted Numurkah by 50 runs during Friday afternoon’s final, defending a strong total at home.

Alex Tenace top scored with 22 not out as Students piled on the runs to end on 7-130, doing well to get past the brilliance of Blues bowler Georgia Robertson (3-23).

On the chase, Numurkah was steered by star batter Callan O’Dwyer as he smashed an unbeaten 40 off 18 balls, but with Old Students picking up regular wickets, it would be the hosts to add the season’s first silverware to the club cabinet.

Then came time for the Old Students/Nagambie composite side to double the fun.

Squaring off against Notre Dame Central Park-St Brendan’s at Deakin Reserve in Sunday’s under-16 decider, the visitors lost the toss, but proceeded to show off their batting acumen on a flat track.

Archy Harrison (39) and Bayden Hutchins (36) quarterbacked Old Students/Nagambie’s early scoring, while 13-year-old prodigy Flynn Bush finished off strong, top scoring with 41 off 42 balls at six to aid his side to 7-177.

For the Tigers, Ryder Dudgeon (3-27) was the main danger.

While the ‘Old Lakers’ were savvy with the bat, it was their strict bowling performance that unlocked Notre Dame Central Park-St Brendan’s defence as the hosts found themselves down 5-50 after 21 overs.

Thomas Mellington, Alex Robertson and Jack Hudson (14 each) all made starts while Jayden Thorne (18) had a late flurry, but it was ultimately in vain as the Tigers were bowled out for 95.

Old Students/Nagambie only conceded six extras — four being byes — with Ryan Ezard (3-11), Flynn O’Brien (2-11) and Harrison (2-25) returning tidy figures during the win.

Triumphant coach Ryan Boswell was rapt in the wake of Sunday’s performance.

“I thought the whole team was brilliant; we went in with a couple of game plans, and they executed them — you couldn’t have asked for anything better,” he said.

“We went in with the key word of partnerships, whether that was batting or bowling.

“It really was a complete team effort, with everyone chipping in at certain points with something, and probably a couple of the senior guys really standing out when they needed.”

Boswell explained the Old Students and Nagambie junior merger first arose two years ago “through necessity”, with both clubs having roughly five or six players in their under-16 teams.

The side made the grand final last year, but was pipped by Tatura, so to see the experiment pay off was a sensational feeling for both clubs.

“We’d only lost one player from last year and, in all honestly, back then we were comprehensively beaten by Tatura who were the best side,” Boswell said.

“The way the boys responded to that was really good — it would have been easy to roll over and lose another one, but they were very determined to right the wrong from the year before.

“It’s just been such a great partnership; I can’t speak highly enough of Nagambie Cricket Club, they have been brilliant to work with.

“Hopefully other clubs that may find themselves with not enough players can use that as a good example where they can keep their juniors, merge with another club and have success.”

Lastly, following Old Students’ under-12 premiership, Boswell spoke about the strong pulse of junior cricket at Kialla Park and in the region as a whole.

“It’s just great to see junior cricket being played again by plenty of kids,” he said.

“After COVID it sort of dropped away for a couple of years and, whether it’s our club or any other club who’s having success at junior level, it’s just great to see the kids playing.

“I’d like to congratulate Central Park on the year they’ve had.

“They’ve done really well to make the finals and make the grand final ... they’ve had an amazing year as well and should be proud of their efforts.”