'Devastatingly low scores': Teams crash in history making round

IT MUST have been something in the air on Saturday as Vasse, Yallingup-Oddbods and Margaret River Hawks all crashed to devastating low scores in the A-Grade division of the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association.

Vasse were routed for 37 by Cowaramup at Cowaramup Oval, their lowest ever A-Grade total, while Margaret River Hawks gave up their spot as the ladder leaders when they were bowled out for 94 by Dunsborough at Gloucester Park.

Meanwhile at cricket headquarters at Barnard Park Yallingup-Oddbods were dismissed for only 58 by St Marys – who very nearly lost the game, ultimately scraping home in a thrilling one-wicket finish.

It is the first time in the history of the six-team Busselton-Margaret River A-Grade competition that no side has reached 100 runs in the same full round of fixtures.

At Cowaramup Vasse, who won the toss and decided to take first use of a juicy deck, were challenged by plenty of sideways movement as well as movement off the wicket as they collapsed to the fast bowling of Connor Oates (4-17) and Dan Williams (2-7).

No batsman reached double figures, Jeremy Murphy (8) top-scoring.

Vasse were without their best batsman in Simon Harkness – but Cowaramup were similarly handicapped after Nathan Coulter-Nile called in sick and missed the game.

Needing 38 to win, the Bulls cantered home by nine wickets, and inside eight overs, with Aayush Patel (26 not out) leading the way.

In Busselton Yallingup-Oddbods – also batting first on a track that kept low and seamed both ways – were soon in trouble at 1-3 and scrambled to their lowest score of the season, 58, before losing their tenth wicket in a tense battle with St Marys.

Skipper Nayton Colombera (16) top-scored, while Justin Chandler returned handsome figures of 4-14 from six overs for Saints, and Ryley Barrow and Bailey Ford both took 2-13.

Chasing only 59 to win, Saints looked to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they collapsed to 9-50, losing four wickets to lbws in the tricky conditions, before the final pair of Justin Chandler and Ryley Barrow got them just across the line.

Wides (22) easily top-scored for St Marys, with Peter Vrankovich (3-13) and Max Byrne (2-16) bowling well for YOBS, in addition to veteran Neil Langenhoven who moved the ball around beautifully.

Down at Margaret River Hawks could muster only 94 all out with young Sam Joyce (35) benefitting the most after being caught, first ball, at second slip off a no-ball.

Offspinner Elijah Truscott with 4-24 returned great figures for Dunsborough, who were led home to a seven-wicket win by stand-in skipper Cain Reynolds (41) and fellow opener Alex Cooke (29).

Harrison Sutherland hit perhaps the shot of the season when he smashed Rumesh Silva over the long-on fence for a mighty six near game’s end.

In B-Grade cricket there was a surprise when St Marys contained Yallingup-Oddbods to a paltry 8-83 off their full 45 overs, with Karl Rogers (4-14) and left-armer Jason Hills (0-8 off nine overs) sending down hand grenades.

Matt Miller with 56 not out off 58 balls made the chase look easy as Saints won by eight wickets.

At Gloucester Park, Margaret River Hawks (124 all out, Henry Marriott 4-16) were overcome by Dunsborough (6-126) with nearly 20 overs to spare.

Two full rounds of C-Grade cricket were played at the weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The individual highlight was surely an incredible one-handed catch by Cooper Lewis for St Marys at the Vasse Playing Fields on Sunday, hurling himself sideways to grab a full-powered pull shot: rated as probably the greatest ever catch by a 14-year-old in BMRCA history.

In Saturday’s C-Grade fixtures, Vasse (131) defeated Yallingup-Oddbods (75 all out), Tye Denton having a day out with 32 runs and 4-14, Dunsborough Blue (152, including 65 from Garry Dagg) accounted for Cowaramup (57 all out), Nannup (4-202) defeated St Marys (122) with Lachlan Smith and Ethan Hancock adding 124 for Nannup’s opening wicket, and Dunsborough White (1-113) overpowered YOBS Academy (112 all out) by nine wickets.

On Sunday, St Marys (156) upset Vasse (127 all out), YOBS Academy (8-124) enjoyed a two-wicket win over Yallingup-Oddbods (122 all out) with Jordan Lullfitz taking 5-9 for the Academy, and Dunsborough Blue (1-44 in 11.2 overs) put Margaret River Hawks to the sword after bowling them out for 43, Nathan McClymont taking an outstanding 6-20 for Dunsborough Blue.

In last week’s C-Grade report an editorial error published Vasse’s total as 3-75 off 40 overs. The correct total was 3-275 off 40 overs.