
Top scorer Mick shows spirit shared with group of mates
CENTRALS fast bowler Mick Abbott has never dismissed Queensland cricket's "Don Bradman'' Brian May.
The spirited all-round player is not alone.
Many bowlers have tried and most fail as the former Ipswich batting maestro continues to plunder runs for Toowoomba side Wests.
May remained 63 not out to guide his team to a comfortable victory over Centrals in their latest Harding-Madsen Shield clash at Limestone Park.
Abbott earlier topscored for his team with 41, providing a late burst of runs after Centrals slumped to 8/113 after being 4/17 on a good batting wicket.
However, Abbott knew 139 was never going to be enough runs against one of the teams favoured to challenge for this year's Harding-Madsen Shield honours.
Wests only lost one wicket chasing the low target.
Centrals are going through a mini rebuild this season having lost players like former captain/all-rounder Matt Guest and bowling spearheads Rhys O'Sullivan and Geoff Klease.
"We've got a few other boys in the side this year and we've been going quite well so far,'' Abbott said.
"We got shown today essentially they (Wests) are the best side in the competition, we think. Just too classy.''
The Ipswich Grammar School PE teacher said 220 was a par score from 45 overs on the Mark Marsh Oval wicket.
"We just didn't get enough runs today,'' Abbott said.
"There was a little bit in the wicket early.
"They put a little bit more grass on it than usual. It (the ball) moved around a little bit with the seamers early and they bowled quite well with the conditions.''
As for his innings after the batting collapse, Abbott did what he could as a tailender.
Abbott was supported at the end by David who made 30.
"We didn't really have a choice,'' he said.
"We tried to make what we could but the lack of a total today probably hurt us in trying to beat a good side like Wests.''
Abbott has been with Centrals for five years after playing with Wests in Brisbane.
"I'm just trying to help the junior players and contribute where we can,'' he said, having shared in the club's most recent premiership two seasons ago.
Abbott, 28, also played when Centrals broke their grand final drought three years before that.
"It's a really good group of guys to turn up and play cricket with each week,'' Abbott said.
"I just enjoy the company to be honest and any results from there are a bonus.''
He also plays Webb Shield for Ipswich.
As for the latest batting collapse, Abbott was confident the Kookaburras would hit back strongly.
"I back us in to get runs again next week,'' he said. "Today they (Wests) just bowled well to the conditions.
"A few things probably didn't go our way in terms of luck . . . against a good team.''
And with no Brian May to contend with, Centrals' hopes are greatly improved.
Wests remained unbeaten with Laidley their main threat for the title.
Laidley easily accounted for Highfields in their latest match at Bichel Oval on Saturday.
Laidley's win came after setting Toowoomba opponents Highfields 190 for victory.
Opener Chris Wilson topscored with 39 as Laidley were bowled out in the 44th over.
However, their total proved plenty, dismissing Highfields for 70 in the 25th over.
Opening bowler Liam Dean took 4/26 with all-rounder Mick Sippel chipping in with a decisive 3/3 off 2.1 overs.

In other weekend Harding-Madsen Shield matches, Marburg-Mt Crosby Thunder secured a confidence-boosting victory over Met Easts in Toowoomba.
After compiling a healthy 9/230, Thunder bowled out Met Easts for 177 in the 41st over.
Thunder opener topscored with 49, well supported by loyal clubman Lee Watts (41).
Anderson also snared 3/32 off six overs.
Thunder teammate Lucas Sefont contributed a valuable 3/58 off 10 overs.
Northsiders beat University at Keith Stern berg Oval.
After bowling University out for 135 in 39 overs, Northsiders reached the target with nine wickets down in the 31st over.
Ipswich stalwart Kev Cumming led the Northsiders attack with 5/32 off his 10 overs.
He was well supported by Dom Salton (2/21) and part-time spinner Stephen Humphreys (2/13).
South East Redbacks beat Brothers after amassing 8/259 and dismissing Brothers for 237.
Harding Madsen Shield
Metropolitan Easts v Marburg Mt Crosby Thunder at Harristown
Thunder Innings
Jacob Anderson c Kahler b Elford 23 (45)
Todd Anderson c Kahler b Gimbel 49 (88)
Tobias Nugter run out 0 (0)
Lee Watts c Elford b Gimbel 41 (49)
Mitchell Raine c M. Dennis b D. Brown 28 (34)
Aaron Nugter c Milton b D. Brown 7 (9)
Nick Raine b D. Brown 3 (6)
Lucas Sefont c&b M. Dennis 18 (19)
Blayde Klass b D. Brown 2 (4)
Patrick Schmidt not out 9 (9)
Connor Anderson not out 2 (2)
Extras (8lb 35w 5nb) 48
Total (45ov) 9/230
FoW: 71, 71, 147, 162, 178, 187, 200, 203, 221
Bowling: D. Brown 10/0/36/4; K. Tonkin 9/0/63/0; M. Dennis 10/0/50/1; M. Elford 7/1/30/1; B. Brochiere 5/0/30/0; K. Gimbel 4/0/13/2.
Mets Innings
R. Milton b C. Anderson 10
B. Brochiere c J. Anderson b Klass 17
D. Brown c C. Anderson b Sefont 37
D. Pollock b Sefont 10
L. Brown c C. Anderson b T. Anderson 16
K. Tonkin lbw C. Anderson 22
M. Dennis c Raine b Sefont 21
P. Van Der Kooij c Schmidt b Klass 21
B. Kahler b T. Anderson 9
K. Gimbel c Klass b T. Anderson 1
M. Elford not out 5
Extras (5lv 2w 1nb)
8 Total (40.2ov) 177
FoW: 28, 60, 76, 96, 100, 139, 142, 156, 162, 177
Bowling: Blayde Klass 7.2/0/23/2; Patrick Schmidt 7/2/22/0; Connor Anderson 10/3/37/2; Lucas Sefont 10/0/58/3; Todd Anderson 6/0/32/3.
Thunder won by 53 runs
Highfields v Laidley District at Bichel Oval
Laidley Innings
Chris Wilson c Singh b Cotter 39 (64)
Tom Sippel b Carroll 18 (17)
Gerard Sippel c&b Carroll 0 (1)
Michael Sippel c Anderson b Carroll 29 (37)
Matthew Grassick b Woolcott 23 (29)
Terry Emerson c Galvin b Kelly 5 (10)
Travis Ilka c Sanderson b Neilsen 6 (30)
Shanley Neuendorf not out 36 (39)
Josh Ryan c Galvin b Neilsen 1(5)
Samson Ryan c&b Neilsen 0 (3)
Liam Dean c D. Anderson b Carroll 5 (25)
Extras (1lb 26w) 27
Total (43.2ov) 189
FoW: 27, 28, 109, 109, 118, 139, 152, 158, 163, 189.
Bowling: B. Martin 7/1/27/0; N. Carroll 9.2/3/41/5; D. Anderson 3/0/28/0; A. Kelly 10/2/40/1; A. Singh 1/0/12/0; B. Woolcott 8/0/28/1; K. Neilsen 5/1/12/3.
Highfields Innings
B. Galvin c G. Sippel b Dean 0 (3)
J. Porter c Wilson b Dean 0 (13)
M. Kelly b J. Ryan 9( 29)
N. Carroll c Wilson b S. Ryan 11 (27)
K. Nielsen c Grassick b Dean 1 (3)
B. Woolcott c Ilka b Dean 10 (12)
D. Anderson bc Neuendorf b S. Ryan 14 (34)
A. Singh c Neuendorf b M. Sippel 2 (11)
B. Anderson c Grassick b M.Sippel 6 (9)
A. Kelly not out 6 (5)
B. Martin lbw M. Sippel 0( 1)
Extras (2lb 7w 2nb) 11
Total (24.1ov) 70
FoW: 0, 1, 11, 12, 26, 46, 54, 62, 64, 70
Bowling: Liam Dean 10/2/26/4; Jem Ryan 6/1/11/1; Samson Ryan 6/0/28/2; Michael Sippel 2.1/0/3/3 .
Laidley win by 119 runs
Central Districts v Western District Toowoomba at Limestone Park
Centrals Innings
Wayne Jones b Hoger 1 (4)
Tim Weber c Nunn b Hallas 23 (40)
Lachlan Vellacott c Nunn b Hoger 4 (4)
Caleb Risson c c Spanner b Hoger 0 (2)
Sam Strong c May b McCarthy 1 (12)
Harry Dobson lbw Brimblecombe 15 (24)
David Lyell c Neale b Brimblecombe 39 (53)
Braydon Osborne b Hallas 0 (1)
Mick Abbott c Nunn b Connolly 41 (87)
Alex Dell c Neale b McCarthy 1 (7)
Brendan Ashton not out 2 (13)
Extras (2b 1lb 8w) 11
Total (41.1ov) 138
FoW: 1, 5, 10, 17, 48, 50, 50, 113, 126, 138
Bowling: S. McCarthy 10/0/31/2; R. Hoger 10/1/29/3; C. Brimblecombe 10/0/43/2; M. Hallas 6/0/15/2; M. Connolly 5.1/0/17/1.
Wests Innings
L. Neale c Strong b Dell 6 (8)
M. Nunn not out 51 (132)
B. May not out 63 (95)
Extras (3lb 17w) 20
Total (39.1 ov) 1/140
FOW: 10
Bowling: Brendan Ashton 4/0/13/0; Alex Dell 7.1/0/26/1;Lachlan Vellacott 10/1/25/0; Michael Abbott 5/0/19/0; Wayne Jones 10/2/36/0; Sam Strong 3/0/19/0.
Wests win by nine wickets with 35 balls to spare.
Northsiders v University at Sternberb Oval
Uni innings
T. Wilson 23
J Bidgood 0
N Brown 7
C Mays 0
A Taylor 1
D Sullivan 39*
M Bourke 29
J Crosby 17
J Littleproud 5
A Johnston 2
J Fry 0
Extra (1b 9w 1nb) 11
Total (39ov) 134
Bowling: Callum Wilton 10/2/26/0; Kev Cumming 10/3/32/5; Zach Fisher 6/0/31/0; Dom Salton 7/1/21/2; Nick Verrenkamp 2/0/10/0; Stephen Humphreys 4/0/13/2.
Northsiders Innings
Jordan Alegre c ? b Bourke 33 (65)
Caleb Doyle c ? b Johnston 27 (29)
Luke Pollock c ? b Bourke 16 (17)
Nick Verrenkamp c ? b Fry 15 (17)
Shane Krings not out 14 (26)
Zach Fisher c ? b Fry 0 (5)
Stephen Humphreys c ? b Fry 0 (1)
Dom Salton c ? b Fry 1 (2)
Nathan Fisher c ? b Fry 0 (4)
Kev Cumming b Fry 4 (4)]
Callum Wilton not out 4 (15)
Extra (19s 2nb) 21
Total (30.5 ov) 9/135
FoW: 36, 67, 87, 97, 98, 98, 106, 107, 113
Bowling: Jacob Fry 10/0/31/6 (including a hat-trick); A. Johnston 10/0/39/1; J. Littleproud 5/0/21/0; M. Bourke 5/0/32/2; C. Mays 0.5/0/12/0 .
Northsiders won by one wicket with 85 balls to spare .
South East Redbacks 8/259(45) - A Perera 100 defeated Brothers 237(43.2) - Faraz Khan 54.
Northern Brothers Diggers 9/268 defeated University 116(35.4) .
Cricket Ipswich 2nd Division
Centrals 180 (35.2) - Dan Smith 49, Jamie Koch 12, Kobe Rae 18, David Cupit 32*, Campbell Moore 27 defeated Redbacks 136 (32.3) - Jamie Koch 1/20 (5), Mathew Burgemeister 1/19 5), Daniel Warner 1/18 (5), David Cupit 1/27 (6.3), Dan Smith 3/23 (8).
Thunder 4/180 (30.1) - Braydon Armstrong 90*, Ben Donnelly 19, Pete Whelan 27, Jap Singh 15, Nathan Turner 14*; Billy Harsant 2/24 (6), Chris Butt 1/27 (6), Trent Kammholz 1/25(3) defeated Northsiders 6/176 (40) - Cody Danziel 78, Brent Croker 24, Trent Day 29*; Jai Rose 1/14 (4), Joel Mitchell 1/13 (5), Tom Hall 2/23 (8), Darrin Mitchell 1/24 (5), Liam Harris 1/28 (6).
Laidley 9/234 (40) - Laurence Pratt 12, Damien Wilson 10, Shane Lehmann 11, Mark Adamski 112*, Craig Crack 27, Jared Adamski 13* defeated Brothers 70 (29).
3rd Division
Laidley 2/263 (40) - Ryan Harrison 1/55, Sam Perrett 1/25 (8) defeated Thunder 221(36.1) - Mark Hughes 47, Alfonso Jimenez 10, Anthony Trimboli 14, Macauley Rapmund 47, Kyle Muller 50.
Thunder Storm 6/349 (40) - Kel Janke 25 (14), Fletcher Madden 105(85), Ishan Pal 44 (26), Ben Naish 52 (49), Sam Callaghan 52 (38), Chris Sefont 20 (18), Isaac Jordan 10* (7); Dean Aitkin 1/47 (7), C Mooney 3/60 (8), Ben Wenzel 2/47 (8) defeated Redbacks 135 (27.4) - Ben Wenzel 36(41), Gary Copeland 47 (38), Dean Aitkin 13* (30); Kynan McDonald 2/15 (4), Dominick Morgan 1/15 (4), Isaac Jordan 4.2/2/22/3, Byron Yule 1/7 (2).
Strollers White 153 (23.2) - Matthew Wild 1/42 (7), Anthony Keasey 2/26 (5), Karl Brady 2/38 (4), Josh Sandnes 5/1/22/3, Rhyan Phoenix 2/21 (2.2) defeated Strollers Blue 97 (22.2) - Michael Webster 15, Anthony Kramer 23, Matthew Wild 15.
Webb Shield
Game 1: Warehouse Association v Ipswich Pioneers at Dakabin
Pioneers Innings
Tom Sippel c Moulton b Rees 32 (34)
Faraz Khan b Rees 27 (53)
Lachlan Vellacott lbw Rafter 4 (14)
Nick Verrenkamp c Howard b Anthony 14 (30)
Tim Weber b Rafter 4 (14)
Sam Strong st Wijayasekara b Anthony 6 (22)
Lee Watts st Wijayasekara b Mehta 0 (1)
Wayne Jones b Mehta 1 (9)
Mick Abbott c Rees b Anthony 3 (12)
Jem Ryan not out 8 (11)
Callum Wilton c Rees b Anthony 0 (2)
Extras (12w) 12
Total (34.3ov) 111
FoW: 62, 66, 72, 83, 96, 97, 99, 99, 111, 111.
Bowling: D. Mitchell 3/0/19/0; O. Patch 4/0/18/0; S. Rees 8/0/29/2; E. Rafter 8/1/18/2; C. Anthony 6.3/1/11/4; S. Mehta 5/1/16/2.
Warehouse Innings
H. Marks lbw Ryan 2 (5)
S. Carwood c Watts b Wilton 0 (5)
S. Mehta b Wilton 5 (15)
G. Elworthy b Wilton 9 (22)
B. Howard c Verrenkamp b Wilton 0 (1)
P. Moulton not out 59 (65)
S. Wijayasekara b Wilton 2 (3)
C. Anthony lbw Sippel 2 (11)
S. Rees not out 31 (37)
Extras (5w) 5
Total (27.2ov) 7/115
FoW: 3, 7, 10, 18, 23, 25, 52
Bowling: Jem Ryan 8/1/36/1; Callum Wilton 7/0/26/5; Tom Sippel 4/1/19/1; Lachlan Vellacott 4/1/15/0; Michael Abbott 2/0/9/0; Wayne Jones 2.2/1/10/0.
Warehouse win by three wickets and 136 balls to spare.
Warehouse lead the 3 match series 1-0.