Lions all-rounder Teague Valli stars as his side claims ADCA under-17 T20 premiership over Collingwood Park

Royals claimed back-to-back T20 titles in the LSR Sports Albany and Districts Cricket Association under-17s competition after beating Collingwood Park on Sunday. In a terrific grand final at Turf North, Park were in early trouble in their pursuit of 132 to win but a 37-run partnership between O’Shea Durack and Ethan Foreman kept their side in the hunt. However, the Lions’ disciplined bowling attack proved too strong as the run rate climbed in the final few overs. Park needed 26 runs to win from the final over but fast bowler Teague Valli sealed the Lions’ triumph as he conceded just one run to hand his side the silverware. Valli was named player of the final for his brilliant batting innings of 63 not out and then a damaging four-over spell that returned 2-18. His side claimed the T20 premiership for the second straight season after finishing 24-run winners over their rivals. The Lions didn’t look like surpassing 100 batting first after the loss of openers Caleb Haua (9) and Devon Jefferies (10) cheaply. Valli made a quick-fire half century before retiring and Riley Bessen launched two sixes in his 22 runs off only 14 balls, but after that the Lions struggled. No other batter made double figures and Davey Wignall was the final wicket standing which allowed Valli to return and crunch some crucial late boundaries to lift his team’s total. Valli hit five fours and three sixes in his devastating knock of 63 that came from 47 balls as the Lions finished 9-131. Austin Brown (2-35) and Peter Darmody (2-16) were the multiple wicket takers for Park. After a solid start from Park openers Darmody and Rory Luscombe, young seamer Hayden Leo struck first for the Lions. Luscombe was brilliantly caught by Vince Bascombe for 13 and then Jed Schwarzbach was caught behind for a duck to give Leo his second scalp. Park fell to 3-25 when Valli clean bowled Darmody for 10 then ripped through Buddy Robinson for seven soon after. Durack fought Park back into the game with his innings of 30 and Foreman played a good support role with 22 from 24 balls but their side was unable to score freely in the last few overs. Austin Brown made a run-a-ball 15 at the end but Park could manage only 6-107 in reply. Leo was terrific with 2-16 from his four overs and was well supported by Valli and Matt Thompson (0-17 from four). In the third and fourth playoff at Turf East, Railways won a thriller by four runs against Manypeaks. Lachlan Tindale blasted 52 retired not out from only 25 balls while Marshall O’Meara chipped in with 43 as the Tigers made 174 batting first. Despite strong contributions from Tom Geddes (45no), Regan Christensen (31) and Angus McSweeney (28) Peaks fell to 5-170.