The Ballina U/13s cricket carnival had its 30th running last week and included 16 teams from across NSW and Brisbane.
Seven teams came from as far south as Sydney and Newcastle, joing those from Tamworh and the Mid and Far North Coast.
Teams played a 40-over game each day till Wednesday before being graded for a series of finals over the last two days.
Eventual first-grade winners, Manly Warringah, performed well all week, according to organiser Geoff Jacobs. ‘But all teams were credible across the competition,’ he said.
In a first, an all-girls team from Newcastle joined the competition.
In the past girls joined teams as individual players.
The competition came to a head on Friday morning with finalists battling for supremacy before an afternoon presentation.
Manly won first division after posting 116 and bowling out Sydney Blazers.
Jacob Smythe shone for Manly, bowling 5/6 off 5.5 overs.
Tamworth’s Will Davis took out the Player of the Carnival and Batting Aggregate awards after scoring 205 runs at 51.25 and taking seven wickets at an average of 16.71. He took two catches.
