24/03/2026
MACU U13s lift Merv Bourke Shield with composed all-round display
Alchin’s blazing 44 and disciplined lower-order support set up a commanding grand final win
MACU U13s 6/147 vs Beechwood U13 59
Grand finals often hinge on one batter seizing the occasion, and for MACU U13s it was Noah Alchin who shaped the day with a fluent, fearless innings. Batting after winning the toss at Wayne Richards Park, MACU absorbed an early setback at 11/1 before Alchin counter-punched, striking 44 (30) with 10 fours to seize control of the first innings. His partnerships through the middle – first lifting the total to 72/2 and then helping push it beyond three figures at 115/3 – gave MACU the platform they wanted. Around him, William Kee’s busy 11 (13) and later contributions from Austin Bunt, who added a brisk 13 (13), kept the tempo high, while captain Beau Lill and the patient Jensen, 13* (36), steered the side towards a confident 6/147. Green’s 6* (11) ensured MACU finished with momentum, having lost only two wickets in the last 32 runs.
With a defendable total on the board in a grand final, MACU’s bowlers and fielders tightened their grip from the outset. Early breakthroughs built pressure, the ground fielding stayed sharp, and catches were held when half-chances appeared. As the required rate climbed and nerves took hold,
MACU’s discipline never wavered, closing out an 88-run victory that reflected both Alchin’s initiative at the top and the collective resolve across the side.