Murray brings the magic as Souths show maturity beyond their years in grand final boilover

Led by a brilliant performance with the bat from Murray, the young Souths side played with maturity beyond its years to shock competition leaders CYMS in a stunning Twenty20 decider boilover.

A fantastic bowling and fielding performance restricted the Cougars to 8/107 and then Murray took centre stage in the chase.

The 18-year-old co-captain continued his fine season with 68 from 51 balls but still had to endure some tense moments after getting out with 19 runs still needed for victory.

Bradley Boneychillie (13 not out) proved the finisher as the Hornets won a brilliant final with two wickets and four balls to spare.

"There was a lot of belief that we could win the game, but we'd have to have the game of our lives," Murray said.

"Then when we started bowling and everything started going to plan, things started to look up from there.

"It (winning) is a feeling unlike anything else. You don't get it often and to be able to get it so early (in our careers) was a very good thing."

Smart field placings and top spells from spinners Harrison Quinn (3/19) and Lockie Rummans (2/21) were key to Souths' success.

Boundaries were hard to come by and a number of CYMS players - including the dangerous Ben Patterson (3) - were caught in the deep.

Despite the total being an achievable one, CYMS was still well in the game due to the quality of their bowling attack.

Murray played out a maiden in the first over before Rudy Peet (0), Harry Roscarel (1), Quinn (2) and Rummans (0) all fell before the score was 15.

"All I was thinking while the wickets were falling was if I started panicking and rushing then everything could have just hit the fan," Murray said.

"I knew if I had someone else with me and everything went to plan we could do it, but there was that doubt in my mind when everyone started getting out."

After starting his innings with eight dot balls, Murray crunched a pull shot for a monster six off Bailey Edmunds and that got his night rolling.

Nine runs came off a Ben Knaggs over and then the 13^th over proved decisive.

With young leg-spinner Ayden Hunt bowling, Murray bombed two sixes and 16 runs from the over had Souths suddenly firmly in the chase.

Murray was also hugely successful against Paddy Nelson's off-spin - despite one huge and contentious caught behind call which was turned down - with switch hits resulting in numerous vital boundaries.

"That's all I was thinking really, to pick one bowler on that team and have a couple of big overs and then we get back in the game," Murray said.

"As a young kid I always played hockey so those reverse sweeps come pretty naturally for me.

"I obviously did back myself to have a go and try and get the boys in a really good position."

Murray certainly did that but when he was caught behind off the bowling of Knaggs the final 19 runs needed looked like a mountain to climb.

Fortunately for Souths, Boneychillie was the man to stand up and a four off Patterson in the penultimate over went a long way to securing the title.

Kane MacFarlane then hit the second ball of the final round through to covers to secure a title few would have predicted at the start of the season.

"I was very, very, very nervous," Murray said of sitting on the sidelines.

"I think Brad, that was the game of his life in the game. It was very good from him."

Souths celebrated the win in style, with this unlikely group of youngsters proving able to do what a star-studded Hornets team couldn't when losing three straight RSL Whitney Cup deciders 2015/16-2017/18.

"It was incredible," Murray said.

"As such a young team, for us to win that, that's an incredible achievement by all of us."