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It was a marked change from the halcyon days of the late 1980s and mid-1990s when Queanbeyan was one of the top cricket clubs in the ACT.

Desperate times called for desperate measures so the club vigorously pursued a youth policy.

Fast forward to the current season and the Bluebags are now strong across all grades. Queanbeyan's First Grade side is ready to play in Sunday's Konica Cup one-day final while the Bluebags' Fourth Grade side was crowned one-day champions over the weekend.

Club secretary Ron Bates has been there every step of the way during the Bluebags' renaissance.

“We suffered in the early to mid-2000s because so many well-established players retired,” Bates said.

“So we were pretty keen to introduce a youth policy so kids could actually get a go in the senior ranks.”

The Bluebags' young Fourth Grade side is a prime example of the policy's success.

Fourths won last year's two-day competition before their recent one-day final win over Wests/UC.

The Bluebags set Wests/UC a competitive 227 for victory after John Bull (93 runs) and Josh Gregory (43) rescued their side from the precarious position of 5-90 after 30 overs.

In reply Wests/UC could only manage 8-183 from their 50 overs.

Queanbeyan's spinning duo of 15-year-old Jeremy Macdonald (1-24 from seven overs) and off-break bowler Mark Solway (1-40 from 10 overs) were instrumental in restricting the run flow of their opponents.

Macdonald believes the side's never-say-die attitude got them home.

“At one stage I would have been happy for the boys to set Wests/UC a target of 180,” he said.

“But John and Josh came in and saved us.

“Then during the middle overs of their chase the scores were looking close.

“But we kept on taking wickets. They didn't have many batsmen remaining in their last 10 overs but we were surprised to see them block instead of attack.”

Despite being fresh out of junior cricket ranks, there is nowhere else Macdonald would rather be than playing against the competitive seniors.

“We get a lot of older players that like to rip into us but we give it right back,” he said.

The Bluebags' Fourth Grade side will go into tomorrow's second day of their match against Eastlake at Deakin West needing 241 for victory.