Stumped on home turf

RAAF Queensland batsman Leading Aircraftman Luke Gozzard plays a textbook defensive stroke during his side’s interservice cricket finals clash with South-East Queensland Army.

HOST side RAAF Queensland could not capitalise on their home ground advantage, going down to South East Queensland Army in the final of the 2002/2003 state interservice cricket carnival.

This season’s competition featured four teams, South East Queensland Army, North Queensland Army, RAAF Queensland and the Barbarians, a composite team made up of players who missed out on selection in the other three sides.

SE Qld Army and RAAF Qld qualified for the final with two wins from two, and one win and a loss in their respective lead-up matches.

Rain shortened the final to 45 overs apiece, with Army winning the toss and sending the Air Force in to bat on a suspect pitch at Ipswich Grammar School.

Army’s bowlers adapted quickly to the moist conditions, restricting their opponents to a meagre total of 9 for 74 off their allotted overs.

Flying Officer John Price was the best of the Air Force batsmen with 21, while Army’s Corporal Jones bagged 4/15 off nine overs and was well supported by Corporal Blackman with 3/5 off nine.

Army was never troubled in its run chase, passing Air Force’s score in just 22 overs.
CPL Blackman backed up his bowling performance with a stellar display with the bat, hitting 30 in tough conditions.

Despite the heavy loss, it wasn’t all bad news for the hosts, with Corporal Mark Hancock named bowler of the carnival with 4/24 of 16 overs.

CPL Hancock was named vice-captain of the Queensland Combined Services side, which also featured fellow Air Force players Squadron Leader Chris Ward, Leading Aircraftman Daniel Amiet and Leading Aircraftman Ricky Mace.

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