Hawks shine & spin steals the big show

Saturday at Gloucester Park was all about one man: Mathew Kent.

The Margaret River Hawks’ legend and life member took to the field for his 400th game, and the day was nothing short of a celebration.

With the crowd packed full of past players and Hawks supporters, the atmosphere was buzzing-and so was Mat, despite having to wear a few extra bandages to mark his milestone!

The Cowaramup Bulls won the toss and decided to bowl first.

The Hawks, clearly eager to give Mat the perfect gift, came out swinging-quite literally.

Shane Joyce wasted no time, smashing 49 off just 38 balls. His boundaries were so sharp that a few onlookers wondered if he was auditioning for a lumberjack competition.

Meanwhile, captain Jack Green held up the other end with a stoic 29 from 75 balls, playing the role of the team’s wise tortoise to Joyce’s hare.

Then came Grant Garstone, showing off his classy 56 off 75 balls, including a huge six that might still be orbiting Gloucester Park.

Henry Shawcross chipped in with a well-paced 43 off 53, but the loudest cheers of the day came when Mat Kent walked out to bat.

The legend managed a humble 3 runs, but the crowd erupted as if he’d scored a double century, cheering him all the way back to the pavilion.

The Hawks posted 208, and after a quick innings break, the real fun began. Mat was honored with a standing ovation and some cheeky commentary about his famous boundary-line catches (and the ones he swears he almost got).

But the Hawks’ bowling attack took the spotlight next.

Danny Weston got things moving with 3/47, but it was spin wizard Rumesh Silva who stole the show. Silva had the Bulls’ batsmen looking like they were trying to hit ghosts-his leg-spin bamboozled them as he finished with an eye-watering 4/17.

Peter Crimp, not wanting to be left out, grabbed 3/25, while Mat Kent, though wicketless, kept it tight with 0/13 in his four overs.

The Hawks bowled the Bulls out for 136, sealing a 72-run win and giving Mat Kent the 400th-game memory of a lifetime.

Hawks Fall Just Short in Thriller

In another drama-filled match at Gloucester Park, the Margaret River Hawks narrowly lost to the Cowaramup Bulls by just four runs.

Yes, four runs-the type of loss that’ll haunt you in your dreams (or, in this case, over a few post-match cold ones).

Cowaramup won the toss and decided to bat first, much to the delight of Alastair Wilkie, who struck early, trapping Bulls captain Ben Kirkham lbw for 33.

Wilkie’s 2/20 from five overs had the crowd cheering, but let’s be honest, they were probably wondering how he makes swinging the ball look so easy.

Bailey Groves, the Hawks’ resident spin magician, continued the destruction. His 2/34 from eight overs had the Bulls’ middle order spinning more than a dance floor at a wedding.

And when Michael Earl got into the act, grabbing 3/10 from his six overs, the Bulls were in real trouble.

Earl’s dismissal of Charlie Moulton, courtesy of a screamer of a catch by Mathew Drake at mid-off, had the crowd gasping.

The Bulls scraped to 146 all out, but the Hawks were confident of chasing it down. Or so they thought. The Hawks’ chase began like a bumpy road trip. Wilkie made a solid 11 but was caught, and despite Spike Jacobs’ patient 13, the innings never quite clicked into gear. Thomas Joyce blasted 17 off 14, and Xavier Thomas gave it a go with 23, but it wasn’t enough. Michael Earl chipped in with 14 before being stumped, and it all came down to captain Curtis Bacich.

The skipper stood tall with 22*, guiding the lower order like a ship captain navigating rough seas, but even he couldn’t get them over the line. Blake Gillam gave the Hawks hope with a quickfire 13 off 12, including a six that nearly landed in the next postcode. But when he was caught and bowled, the Hawks’ hopes were dashed, and they fell just four runs short at 142. Close-but not quite enough.

After the match, Bacich shrugged with a smile, “It’s one of those days where cricket gives you four-run heartbreak. But we’ll bounce back.”

Tom Joyce Shines

It was a day to remember as 14-year-old Tom Joyce made an unforgettable debut for the Hawks U16s. In a thrilling T20 clash against Yallingup-Oddbods Orange, Tom announced his arrival and dominated the game with an outstanding century. His 102 off just 67 balls was filled with seven boundaries and five towering sixes, a masterclass in both power and precision.

The Hawks won the toss and elected to bowl, with their bowlers restricting Yallingup-Oddbods to 3/131 in 20 overs. Manning Smith led the charge with a key wicket, while Tom Joyce made his mark early, taking a brilliant catch off Archie Berry’s bowling to dismiss Jack Jubb for 1. Samuel Joyce, Tom’s older brother and the team captain, also contributed with an economical spell, taking 1/7 from his three overs.

But it was with the bat where Tom truly stole the show. Coming in at a tricky spot with the Hawks wobbling at 2/7, he steadied the innings and then exploded, smashing boundaries at will. Samuel Joyce added a quickfire 51* off 36 balls to support his younger brother, as the Hawks chased down 195 to win with ease. It was an incredible debut, one that fans and teammates will be talking about for some time!