Step aside Steve Smith, when it comes to captains knocks and a purple patch of form, local sportsman Geoff Palmer is running circles around the Australian skipper.
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Adding his second trophy to the cabinet in just a week after backing up last weekend’s Doug Wright Shield victory with the Criterion Coyotes the wicket-keeper batsmen guided his Can't Bowl There side to victory in the 2015 Jason Sams Memorial Sevens Challenge played on the weekend at sporting fields acoss Young.
In what was the largest tournament in the Sevens history, with over 30 teams competing, it came down to the top 16 for Sunday's knockout section with net run rate proving the difference after the final two rounds on Saturday were called off due to afternoon thunderstorms.
At Henry Miller Oval Scared Shotless defeated Shut up and Fish to kick off the knockout stages with a tight six run victory, Scared Shotless replying with 4/ 80 successfully chasing down the Shut up and Fish's score of 1/74.
In the other knockout match at Henry Miller, defending champions the Criterion Crushers defeated the team from Shoalhaven who were never in the contest after the defending premiers posted a massive 1 for 101, the Wanderers in reply unable to get started in their run chase and finishing on 81 without loss.
The B-Grade Blues were too good in their opening Knock Out stage against the visiting Bowning Buffaloes at Saw Pit, while in the other match at the same ground saw eventual winners Can't Bowl There knock the Cherryatrix out of the sevens tournament.
At Young North Public School the Slongs were too good for Pineapple Express in the opening round of the knock out stage, while the Gods of Love immediately advanced after the Son of a Pitch side were forced to forfeit following an unexpected illness to the team’s skipper (we wish you a speedy recovery).
Grenfell-based side Stumped completely outclassed the Criterion Backyard Legends - where in a very entertaining match between the Fatboys and the Underages, where 22 were needed off the last over - the Underages snuck through knocking out the former winners.
Another entertaining match was to follow at Keith Cullen Oval when the Underages took on Scared Shotless. Batting first the Underages posted a massive 119. However some big hitting by Hughes late in the run chase, in an innings that earned 33 runs - 30 of which came from five massive sixes - the Scared Shotless snuck home after needing three runs off the final ball which was hit by Hughes for another six to secure victory.
Elsewhere the Blues defeated the 7 Gods of Love to progress, and The Slongs went down to Can't Bowl There.
Can't Bowl There then booked their place in the final following victory over the Blues in a tough, hard fought qualifying final. Before they were joined by Stumped who got up against Scared Shotless.
Geoff Palmer won the toss heading into the final and elected to bowl first, where some quick movement across the ground helped cut off the big boundaries the Stumped guys from Grenfell were able to find all day.
Walker, Stumpeds' big hitter, was restricted to an innings of just 35 which included four boundaries and two sixes.
Scelly picked up two wickets in the final over to help avoid a last over onslaught as Stumped posted 3 for 80.
Needing 81 for victory, skipper Geoff Palmer led from the front for the Can't Bowl There side.
Smashing five sixes, and two fours on his way to 54 - his second half century on the trot - while Ashton chipped in with 12 and Scelly with 7 - both not out as the Can't Bowl There side strolled to victory with five balls to spare.
Geoff Palmer was later awarded the Player of the Final for his 54, and took away a brand new pair of boots from Blundstone before later in the night securing both fourth place (signed Nathan Lyon cricket bat) and first place (signed NSW Blues cricket Bat) in the associations mega raffle.
Palmer opted to give someone else a chance at winning a prize and re-drew his Nathan Lyon cricket bat that was then won by the wife of Brett Humphries.
Shannon McKenney took out the signed Steve Waugh cricket bat, while event co-ordinator Brendon Meynell was rewarded for his hard work when his name was drawn out for the signed Brett Lee cricket bat.
Keep an eye out for our Jason Sams Memorial Sevens Challenge gallery.
