Archie Teasdale’s 49 not out got Moama back into the grand final against BLU.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
He might not have been the consensus prediction for man of the match honours heading into the McMahon Shield grand final, but Archie Teasdale stepped up when his Moama side needed him most.
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Batting at nine and coming to the crease with his team in all sorts against a firing Bamawm-Lockington United attack at 7-94, Teasdale combined with Rhys Drennan to add 51 for the eighth wicket, before going on to stand tall as the not-out batter on 49.
The phenomenal innings saw Moama post 190, a total far from anyone’s minds when he first strode to the middle, and earned Teasdale the man of the match award from the umpires.
“They had us on the ropes early, and I thought we were in a bit of strife,” Teasdale said.
“When Rhys Drennan and I went out to bat, we put on 50-odd, we thought get at least 180, 190 on the board and see how we go.”
Moama went on to dismiss BLU for 130 in the second innings and claim the McMahon Shield for the first time in Goulburn Murray Cricket history.
Junior teammates who came up through the Moama system, Teasdale and Drennan seized on the opportunity to bat together on the biggest stage the GMC has to offer.
Moama junior product Archie Teasdale was man of the match in the grand final.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“We've grown up all our lives together,” Teasdale said.
“We just said to each other, ‘You dream of these moments. How good's this? So, let's just keep going and see what happens,’ and it worked out, which was pleasing.”
Commitment to the cause and comradeship on and off the field were some of the strengths of the now premiership squad for Teasdale.
“We're all extremely close so it's been easy to sort of get that chemistry going on and off the field,” he said.
“Training with Matt Saunders, our new coach this year, he pushed us to our limits each Tuesday and Thursday.
“It doesn't matter if we've got a semi-final, grand final, we’d be out in the field, in the nets for at least two hours, so if we didn't have Matt and the committee and all the boys just helping us along the way, we wouldn't be here.”
Teasdale’s captain, Joel Murphy, heaped praise on the young star, who in many ways saved his team on grand final day.
“We're just really proud of him, a young junior who's come through our junior system,” Murphy said.
“In all honesty, he was on the edge of selection, and he got his game, and he's batting down the order.
“He's a lot better than a number nine, but that was the only spot available for him in this team and to come in at 7 for 90 and get 50 not out and get us to a score that wins us the game was amazing, and I'm so wrapped for him.”
