Close call for the Bulls

AN EXCITING season of A-Grade cricket in the Busselton-Margaret River region resumed after the December T20 competition with Vasse, Cowaramup and Margaret River Hawks all recording wins on Saturday.

Vasse threw their hat into the ring as premiership contenders when they upset reigning Barnard Cup holders Dunsborough at the Dunsborough Playing Fields, while Hawks returned to the top of the table when they beat a young St Marys side at Barnard Park.

The Cowaramup Bulls recorded the closest win of the weekend when they scraped home by 16 runs against Yallingup-Oddbods in the remaining game at Bovell Park.

At Dunsborough, a match-winning spell of 4-24 by Jacques Allen was the difference between Vasse and the home side.

Allen’s decision to revert to medium-pace from his former spin bowling paid big dividends when he had key batsmen Ajith Rajapaksha and Phil Watts caught behind cheaply as Dunsborough struggled with a weakened lineup on a wicket which was difficult to bat on at times.

Determined batting from Darcy Hume (31) and Isaac Trainer (22) averted a complete collapse as Dunsborough reached 108 all out in 33 overs.

Keeper Josh Perks was in great form for Vasse with four catches, while the return of Brad Kearney (1-14) and the availability of former Dunsborough player Ryan Clark (1-21) bolstered the strength of the attack for the visitors.

Needing 109 to win, Vasse chased aggressively through Simon Harkness (39) and Ryan Clark (33) to reach the target with only three wickets down and almost 20 overs to spare.

At cricket HQ at Barnard Park, a great game was played in excellent sportsmanship with Margaret River Hawks being restricted to 9-117 from 50 overs by a Saints attack led by teenager Sean Zahra (1-8 off 10 overs) and veteran Justin Chandler (3-25).

Rumesh Silva (28) led the run-making for Hawks and then captured 3-12 from eight overs of left-arm spin, while legspinner Peter Crimp snared 4-12 from nine overs for the visitors.

Saints had started their chase for victory brightly with skipper Zoraiz Saeed hitting 38 runs, but when he fell at 6-64 the end came quickly, as Saints were dismissed for 78 on a wicket which was rated excellent by the umpire.

At Bovell Park, Cowaramup (without the Oates brothers) narrowly accounted for Yallingup-Oddbods (without the Colombera brothers).

Batting first, the Bulls lost skipper Archer Coates in the opening over and were struggling at 7-77 until sensible batting from Ben Shepherd (19 not out) and tailenders Matthew Burgess, Lachie Kirkham and Ben Cook bumped the score up to 139 all out.

Peter Vrankovich returned the best figures of the day for YOBS with 4-34, while Justin Gilbert (54 off 48 balls) entertained the watchers by hitting a ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile back over the bowler’s head for six, as YOBS made a bold start to their bid for victory.

A strong team effort from the visiting attack then saw Tom Coulson, Ben Shepherd, Ben Cook and Campbell Smith each claim two wickets as YOBS wound up on 123: 16 runs shy of the Bulls.

In B-Grade, Hawks (152 all out) were overtaken by St Marys (5-154) at Barnard Park with eight overs to spare.

Tyson Warnke’s 72 off 68 balls accounted for nearly half the Hawks’ score, while Peter Grygorcewicz and Robbie Trebell took three wickets each for St Marys. Kieran Zahra’s unbeaten 33 played the anchor role for Saints in their chase.

Dunsborough easily accounted for Vasse in the other B-Grade game at Dunsborough, dismissing the visitors for 80 (Jake Charles 4-20 and Henry Marriott 3-23) and reaching the required target for four wickets in just 13.3 overs with Ian Purcell striking 35 runs.

In C-Grade, YOBS Academy (8-193) defeated Dunsborough White (8-148) at the Dunsborough Lakes, with Lochlan Gilbert and Reilly Johnstone hitting 47 runs each for the victors and Bruce Siney scoring 53 for the vanquished.

Cowaramup (141 all out, Anthony Lunt hitting 47) were thrashed by nine wickets by Dunsborough Blue, for whom Garry Dagg (52 not out), Oliver Miles (34) and Chris Dudley (44 not out) all cashed in with the bat.

At Churchill Park, an unbeaten maiden century from Matt Snaddon (101 not out) led St Marys to a winning total of 5-215 against Nannup, who responded with 7-139, Laurence York bagging 5-18 for Saints.

Yallingup Oddbods (70 all out) were defeated by Vasse (2-71), with Richard Atkinson hitting an unbeaten 39 for Vasse.