Bowlers set up win
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THE Goulburn/Highlands team easily accounted for Shoalhaven to start its Burns Cup campaign.
The cup was hosted by the Highlands District Cricket Association (HDCA) last weekend.
Goulburn/Highlands lost the toss and the visitors batted first at Lackey Park wicket on Saturday.
Despite batting out its 50 overs, Shoalhaven could only muster a total of 86.
The opening bowling combination of Mitch Wright (3/15 from 8.2 overs) and Alex Debs (3/27 off eight) constantly stretched the ability of the batsmen.
Murray Burgoyne and Dean Webb completed the rout with two wickets each.
Wicketkeeper Ben Hamilton claimed four catches while Nathan Wright took two catches, Burgoyne and Tim Goldfinch one each.
It took only 28 eight overs for Goulburn/Highlands to score the sufficient runs to defeat Shoalhaven, ensuring a place in the final the following day.
Opener Tim Goldfinch scored 16 and Steve McNaught matched his club partner's score.
However, it was the unbroken fourth wicket partnership of Hamilton (26no) and Dane Stevenson (16no) which sealed the win.
Batsmen secure cup
GOULBURN/HIGHLANDS set South Coast a challenging total in the Burns Cup final on?Sunday at Bradman Oval.
Chasing 257 to win from 50 overs, South Coast was required to score more than five runs per over to win the game.
Goulburn/Highlands openers Tim Goldfinch (11) and Ben Wright (17) put on 29 for the first wicket.
Captain Nathan Wright (55) continued the run accumulation, but it was fellow Robertson/Burrawang cricketer Ben Hamilton who hammered the opposition bowling, finishing on 93 not out.
Hamilton's innings contained 16 fours and a six.
Simon Reid made a useful 27 down the order.
With only three overs to go Dane Stevenson made a quick fire 14, clubbing a big six and a four.
Sundries totalled 23 runs.
In total, the team's innings was made up of 36 fours and two sixes.
After batting consistently against South East on Saturday, the visitors were unable to reproduce that form.
South Coast struggled to 8/80 and was looking down the barrel of defeat.
Only a hard hitting partnership of 38 delayed the inevitable and South Coast was dismissed for 144 in the 32nd over.
The Goulburn/Highlands bowlers ensured the opposition batsmen needed to play every ball on its merit.
Both Mitch Wright and Debs took the new ball, with Debs starting with two maidens.
The first wicket to fall was the result of a run out initiated by Nathan Wright.
Wickets fell regularly with Mitch Wright (2/53 from 10 overs) and Debs (2/12 from seven overs) leading the way.
Dean Webb (1/21), Murray Burgoyne (2/28) and Dane Stevenson (2/26) wrapped up the opposition's innings.
The Burns Cup, first won by the Federal Capital Territory in 1935, was presented to captain Nathan Wright by Barry Templeman, a life member of Southern Zone Cricket.
This was the first time that Goulburn/Highlands had won this prestigious cup.
Southern Zone selectors will shortly announced the team to attend the NSW Country Championships to be hosted by Griffith prior to Christmas.
Southern under 19s
THE Southern Zone under 19s squad has been selected to attend a final trial in Queanbeyan this Sunday.
Also in attendance will be the Under 19 ACT squad.
The combined Cricket ACT/Southern Zone team will be selected from these players.
Alex Debs and Matthew Pike are representing the HDCA.
As a result of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW and Cricket ACT earlier in the year, four players playing in Sydney Grade cricket, with Southern Zone affiliation, have also been nominated.
One of these players is Max Moran, who previously has represented HDCA in a number of different competitions.
* Click here for a full wrap up of Goulburn/Highlands winning the Burns Cup, including a gallery of photos.