Nugter opens up in style as Hornets sting like bee
IPSWICH-Logan has recorded its first Plunkett Cup win, comfortably beating Churches at Baxter Oval yesterday.
The Hornets made 244 batting first, with opener Aaron Nugter top scoring with 53 from 56 deliveries.
"I haven't done it for a while," Nugter said of opening the batting.
"But I was happy to do it."
Churches opened the bowling with a spinner and, with only two men allowed outside the circle to start, Nugter cashed in.
"The wicket was holding up a bit so if they bowled short, it was begging to be hit," he said.
Nugter had the opportunity to play in the same team as little brother Tobias, who was making his debut, aged 14.
"He's a really good fielder and has really good hands," Aaron said.
"Milney asked me if he was any good and I told him he had good hands. So he put him on the boundary and soon after he took a really good catch.
"He was nervous though."
Tobias was one of two 14-year-olds in the largely developmental squad, the other being Laidley's Jackson McQuilty.
"It was good to help a few of the young blokes out," said Nugter, a relative veteran at 22.
"They're all pretty good young kids. They just need some confidence."
Spin bowling all-rounder Corey Lucas was one who greatly impressed Nugter, with his flight and turn.
Paceman Jonathan Newton was another to catch the eye.
When it was Ipswich's turn to field, captain Paul Milne followed Churches' lead, opening the attack with his spin bowling, with more success than his Churches counterpart.
"He's smart," Aaron said of Milne, who is his club skipper at Northsiders.
Yesterday's knock from Nugter followed a half-century for the Tigers on Saturday.
It is a rich vein of form that will likely see him in the Ipswich Pioneers Webb Shield squad for their match against Papua New Guinea on December 9.
If he's not, he is more than happy to continue with the Hornets Plunkett Cup team, which next plays Beaudesert at Beaudesert on the same day.
Ipswich's Ben O'Connell will captain Queensland Country at the national country championships in January for the second successive year.
The team was named yesterday following the Queensland Country Cup, which was won by North Queensland by two runs over the O'Connell led South Queensland Country at Allan Border field.
South Queensland batted first and reached 249 with Craig Cumming the pick of the three Ipswich players, scoring 25.
He also took a wicket as North Queensland reached 251, earning selection as a Queensland Country shadow player for the tournament in Bundaberg.
Key scores
Ipswich Logan 244 (Aaron Nugter 53, Glenn Lauchlan 28) d Churches 172 (Paul Milne 2-19, Jackson McQuilty 2-20) at Baxter Oval.
