Two local cricketers have played starring roles for the SA Outbacks team at the Toyota Australian Country Cricket Championships for 2023/24.
Hamish Case and Nick McInerney helped the SA Outbacks finish fourth in the tournament, with Case rewarded with the Don Bradman Award.
North Sportsman’s player Nick McInerney was selected to represent the Mount Gambier and Districts Cricket Association on the national stage, alongside former West Gambier and Yahl player Case.
Case has currently been playing his club cricket for Tea Tree Gully in the SA Premier League in Adelaide but played the majority of his juniors in Mount Gambier.
Case starred in the side’s first match, batting fourth he came out and played an impressive innings making 76 off 90 including 10 fours.
McInerney was not as successful in his first dig at the championships scoring a golden duck, but he picked up 1/36 with the ball.
Unfortunately the Outbacks could not claim the win with Queensland Country chasing the total down in 47 overs.
The second match proved a better result for the side with a win over Australian Capital Territory Country.
McInerney had a much better game with the bat finishing not out for 52 off 61.
Case was dismissed for 43 off 54, with both Case and McInerney picking up a wicket in the first innings.
After two one day matches to kick off the tournament the side played four T20 games.
The Outbacks won the first of the T20 matches with McInerney opening and scoring nine, while Case managed 18.
The side lost the second of the T20 games but both the locals performed well in a losing side.
McInerney fared well with the ball taking 2/11, with Case picking up a wicket himself, The side fell one run short in the run chase with Case finishing with 53 off 47.
The Outbacks were back to winning form in round six with Case picking up a wicket with the ball.
He was out for a duck with the bat but McInerney’s 24 off 13 helped get SA over the line for its third win of the championships.
Round seven reverted to one day matches with the Outbacks losing after some wet conditions meant the Duckworth-Lewis method had to be used.
Both locals took wickets with final figures for Case 2/51, while McInerney took 1/17.
The pair could only manage 15 and five respectively with the bat as Victoria Country claimed a second win over the Outbacks.
The Outbacks defeated New South Wales Country in the penultimate round, McInerney picked up a wicket and finished 22 not out playing a crucial innings in SA’s run chase.
The final round saw the Outbacks finish with a defeat at the hands of Western Australia Country.
McInerney took 2/23 in the first innings with WA scoring 205, and in response the Outbacks could only manage 108, with Case scoring the second most runs for the innings with 16.
McInerney finished the tournament with 119 runs and nine wickets.
Case finished the tournament with 268 runs which was the most for the tournament, and for his incredible run scoring Case was awarded the Don Bradman award.
Case also received the Don Woon medal as the Outbacks player of the tournament.
