Wichura stars in national title

Tim Wichura was man of the match in Queensland’s national indoor cricket grand final win on Saturday.

David Nielsen

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• Wichura's agony and ecstasy

TIM Wichura is proof that perseverance pays off.

Having watched his Queensland team mates contest the past two national indoor cricket finals from the bench, Ipswich’s Wichura finally got his chance to play in one.

He made it count, earning the man-of-the-final award in Queensland’s 136-100 victory.

“Not too bad,” was how Wichura, a master of understatement, said he was feeling following Queensland’s win.

Asked what he did to win the man-of-the-final award, Wichura replied “no idea”.

“I played all right I guess,” he quipped.

In fact Wichura and his batting partner Chris Boyce put on 45 runs together in their four overs, contributing one third of Queensland’s runs.

With North Queensland chasing a big total, Wichura then denied them any chance by making four run outs.

He made up for a semi-final performance he described as “pretty poor”, even though Queensland beat WA 139-115.

WA and North Queensland had inflicted Queensland’s only defeats of the tournament, both on the final day of round matches, after Queensland had already qualified for the semi-finals.

Rather than give their opponents the psychological edge, Wichura believes the losses were the best thing for his team.

“I think that was what we really needed,” he said.

“We couldn’t really go through undefeated.

“It opened our eyes a bit.”

From there the Queensland batsmen proved virtually unstoppable, avenging last year’s final defeat by WA, then proving their state’s dominance of the sport in the final.

“The final was awesome,” Wichura said.

“I actually played all right for once. After the last couple of years, I managed to play a final.

“I think it is an omen when I play with Ridgey (Michael Ridgewell).

“When we both play for Queensland, we win.”

For fellow Ipswich cricketer Ridgewell, however, the frustration continues.

As in 2008 he was an overlooked squad member during the final.

Last year Ridgewell missed out on Queensland selection but was voted the second best player of the tournament after starring for North Queensland.

But Ridgewell had no complaints, admitting his batting did not warrant a starting spot in the final.

“I bowled all right,” he said. “I just had a shocker with the bat.”

The Queensland women’s team, which has dominated the sport for the past decade, lost their final to Victoria.

Ipswich’s Jodie Spall has been an integral part of that team playing in “nine or 10 finals” and this was only the second final she has lost.

“We were gutted but we handled defeat the same way we handle victory,” Spall said.

Spall was happy with her own performance throughout, particularly her batting, but said it was with the bat that Queensland let themselves down in their only two losses, both to Victoria.