CENTRAL Highlands won the under-18 boys state cricket championship in a two-run thriller against South East Bayside Breakers at the MCG on Sunday.
The win clinches the first boys’ state championship for the Central Highlands region since the merger of the country and metro areas in 2000-01 and follows a defeat in the decider two years ago.
A half-century from skipper Patrick McKenna (58) was important in the Highlanders posting a competitive total of 7-203 batting first.
McKenna, this season’s Victorian under-17 captain, followed some good work by Australian under-19 squad member Matt Short, who made 38 at the top of the order.
The pair stood out in a batting card full of contributors, with seven batsmen reaching double figures.
The Central Highlands had the Breakers on the back foot early in their run chase.
But a rebuilding 115-run partnership between Jack O’Toole (70) and Peter Cassidy (50) got the Breakers back in the contest.
Needing 11 to win from the final over, the Breakers would have fancied their chances, with the powerplay allowing just three fielders outside the inner circle.
But the left-arm off-spin of Josh Tong proved too difficult to get away for the chasing side, which could manage only 201, with a run out on the last ball of the innings.
— Ballarat Courier
