James Murphy
The South Australian Outbacks cricket side has returned from the 2023 Australian Country Cricket Championships in Canberra with a fourth-place result.
The Outbacks finished their campaign with three wins and three losses after seven days of competition against the best country cricketers Australia has to offer.
The Limestone Coast was well represented in the team, with North Sportsman’s Nick McInerney, Penola’s Jack Mullan and former Mount Gambier and District young-guns Connor Prior and Ben Thiel on the roster.
South Australia opened its championships against New South Wales with a loss.
NSW won the toss and sent the Outbacks in to bat, who finished up in the 45th over with a total of 187 runs.
Prior was the best of the Limestone Coast representatives and the only to reach doubles figures on 11.
The swap came and NSW started its chase strongly, with opener Nicholas Broes there for the long haul.
He finished up with 97 runs off 100 balls and when his wicket fell NSW was 4/186, with the target reached soon after.
Mullan was the best with the ball, finishing with 2/35 in a respectable bowling display.
Day two saw the Outbacks up against eventual winner Victoria.
Another tough game was had and SA’s 108-run target was easily beaten in the 17th over by their cross-border rivals.
A 47-run haul from Mitchell Fuss was the best return from the Outbacks, while McInerney’s five runs was the best local output.
Another loss on day three came against Western Australia.
WA won the toss and batted first, setting a big target of 7/222.
McInerney popped up with a wicket, while with the bat he managed 13 runs including three fours.
However, the Outbacks were unable to find a stable partnership and pulled up short at 9/130 after the 50 overs.
Prior made eight runs, while Thiel made six.
Sitting 0-3 heading into game four, things took a turn for the better.
Up against the ACT, the Outbacks were sent in to bat in the first innings.
The runs started to flow and eventually a solid target of 237 was set.
ACT started their chase strongly and were well in the hunt throughout, but in a thrilling finish they fell 10 runs short to hand SA its first win of the series.
McInerney was a standout with the ball, taking 3/5 as well as a run out.
Now buoyed with confidence, the Outbacks went on to win their next two games.
Queensland Country was the next opponent and despite setting a solid target of 266, SA had them covered in another nail-biting finish.
Prior made 21 runs for the match, while McInerney finished on 17, with the game won in the final over with one wicket to spare.
South Australia had the bye in Round 6, before its final outing against Philippines on the Friday.
The Outbacks won the toss and sent their rival to the crease for the first innings.
Philippines made just 138 runs against a strong bowling attack, highlighted by Cameron Sumner’s 5/28.
McInerney claimed 1/18, while Prior gave up just 13 runs during his four overs with the ball and Thiel bowled for six overs at the expense of 22 runs.
When the Outbacks came in to bat a rounded performance was enough to clinch the win in the 41st over with four wickets to spare.
Mullan made 15 runs, while Prior impressed again with 30 and McInerney finished not out on 12.
Overall it was a championships of two halves, with their three wins leaving them in the middle order for a fourth-place finish out of the seven sides.
