The duo were members of the North Coastal under 16s, which captured the NSW championship after a nail-biting Twenty20 encounter against Bankstown.

McMahon and Whitton were thrilled to be a part of the winning team, with the final being played on the Sydney Cricket Ground for the first time in the history of the State Challenge.

The teenagers gained selection in the North Coastal side after attending trials in Coffs Harbour to compete in the prestigious Bradman Cup competition in Wollongong in January.

The four-day tournament featured the eight NSW Country cricket zones in the under 16’s age group.

The team defeated Riverina, Illawarra and Central Coast before coming up against the very strong Central North outfit in the decider.

North Coastal was victorious in the final and, as a result, won the right to take on Bankstown, the winners of the AW Green Shield, the Bradman Cup equivalent for Sydney teams.

The game was played in wet conditions on an SCG surface that was doing plenty.

Bankstown won the toss and had no hesitation in sending North Coastal in to bat.

With the weather threatening to stop the fixture before it even started, the country boys posted a very competitive 7-168.

McMahon opened the batting and scored 16 (four boundaries) to get his team moving in the right direction on the scoreboard.

Captain Dain Moreton, from Lismore, chipped in with a well-earned 50.

With the ball in hand, McMahon then built some tight early pressure from his four overs and was unlucky not to take a wicket.

Bankstown’s top order, however, was very talented and, at the half-way mark, they looked to be in control of the match.

McMahon bowled in the middle and latter stages of the opposition’s innings and was given the responsibility of tackling the final over in the match with Bankstown requiring 10 runs for victory.