The annual cricket match between the Under 19 teams of the North Queensland Cricket Alliance and the South Queensland Cricket Conference was concluded today at the ground of Queensland Cricket, the Allan Border Oval at Albion. After a tight contest the match was won narrowly on the first innings by North Queensland, the margin being seven runs.

Leading run scorer of the match was Michael Sternberg, a Northsiders player in the Ipswich Association. Michael recorded the only half century of the week end in scoring 68 and followed his good form in the Schaefer Shield last week end and earlier in the South Queensland Under 19 championships for the O’Dea Shield. The leading run scorers for North Queensland were Troy Webster of Gladstone and Barry Weare of Cairns each of whom scored 47 in their teams winning total.

The wickets were well shared amongst the bowlers of both teams with the best figures being produced by Barry Weare. Bowling late in the South Queensland innings he finished with three wickets at a cost of seven runs. Townsville allrounder Jonathon Reinders sent down sixteen overs to finish with three wickets for 40. For South Queensland Ben Geiger of St George took the honours with three wickets for 26. Paceman Nathan Madsen of Ipswich sent down twenty-one over to capture three for 72. Slow left armer Paul Milne of Ipswich, showing the benefit of his just completed season of League cricket in England, sent down thirty over to concede just 50 runs but was rewarded with only one wicket, that of Clermont opener Reece Williams.

At the conclusion of the match a Queensland Country Under 19 team was announced. This team will meet the Queensland Under 17 team at Allan Border Field, Albion on 6th, 7th and 8th December. The team is:-

Troy Webster (Captain, Gladstone)
Reece Williams (Clermont)
Lindsay McKell (Ingham)
Michael Sternberg (Ipswich)
Barry Weare (Cairns)
Paul Milne (Ipswich)
Jonathon Reinders (Townsville)
Dean Hanrahan (Cairns)
Luke Stenhouse (Ipswich)
Ben Geiger (St George)
Chris Summers (Gympie)
David Escriva (Home Hill)

Webster, Geiger and Escriva were members of the Queensland Secondary Schools team which defeated New South Wales Secondary Schools to win the Carbine Cup in the match played at Mackay in December last year. David Escriva represented Queensland Under 17 in last seasons national Under 17 Championships while Jonathon Reinders had played in the Queensland Under 17 team in 1997-98.

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