Will there be a better Twenty20 innings than this, at any level, this summer?
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Brendan White smashed 169 runs off just 59 balls, including 17 sixes and 11 fours, as Lake Illawarra posted 2-237 off 20 overs, before Oak Flats were restricted to 9-116 in reply.
To top it off White finished with 45 and brother Kerrod 89 in the Lakers total of 7-336 in Sunday’s one-day final, setting up a 75-run victory over The Rail, to claim the first of a potential South Coast treble.
“It was some of the cleanest hitting you’ve seen,” captain Mark Ulcigrai said of Brendan’s innings on Saturday.
“Obviously Sunday was the big one for us, but it was a great innings and it’s not often any player finishes with a score like that off just 50-odd balls.
“It’s good to be unbeaten going into the break.
“Obviously we’re here to win trophies like everyone else, so hopefully we can have some more success next year.”
Lake Illawarra are already through to the Twenty20 final, on a date to be confirmed, and also now guaranteed a finals place in the overall competition, with 101.5 competition points, 35 more than The Rail in second. On Sunday, Kerrod White led the way, though Tode Biracoski was rated man-of-the-match with 46 runs and two wickets.
“He was outstanding,” Ulcigrai said. “And that’s the thing. We knew having Kerrod back would be great for us this season, but guys like Tode and Ryan Maguire have really stood up as well.
“Winning the one-day final is the first step, but it’s a pretty good way to go into the Christmas break.”
But for all of their efforts, Brendan’s extraordinary effort on Saturday is the biggest reminder why Lake Illawarra could be an irresistible force in 2018. Brendan ensured the Lakers would secure their place in the Twenty20 final, before Josh Hore took 3-34 and Biracoski 2-3 off two overs in a remarkable 121-run win.
Then, with The Rail needing more than six per over from the outset in the Sunday one-day final, the Lakers secured a 75-run triumph.
“They made a real fist of it, but with 330 on the board, you always feel like you’re in control,” Ulcigrai said.
“We probably cruised along a bit in the field, but we did enough.”
In the other Saturday Twenty20 matches, Shellharbour stayed in the top four by beating Kookas by 20 runs, but Gerringong stayed in the finals hunt with a win over The Rail.