Saints fall to Dunsborough as Quinn maintains pressure

DUNSBOROUGH fast bowler Anthony Quinn is on track to achieve one of the most accurate seasons of wicket-taking in Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association history, after taking another 5-11 in his team’s victory against St Marys at Barnard Park on Saturday.

Quinn has now taken 25 wickets for 98 runs in six A-Grade games for Dunsborough this summer – an average of less than 4 runs per wicket, including a remarkable 21 dismissals “bowled”.

Reigning premiers Dunsborough are also clear leaders on the Yates Shield points table with five wins from six games, after Margaret River Hawks suffered their second loss of the year when they were upset by Cowaramup at Cowaramup Oval.

Dunsborough made the most of a benign Barnard Park wicket to score 5-260 off 50 overs against the young St Marys attack, including a huge 198-run stand between opener Tim Reynolds (82 not out) and dynamic keeper-batsman Ajith Rajapaksha (105 off 105 balls).

The depleted Saints were dismissed for 77 in reply, with David Robertson (22) getting his best start of the season so far.

At Bovell Park, Yallingup-Oddbods made the most of a perfect wicket and a couple of ring-ins from the Bunbury competition bye to make an even higher total than Dunsborough, notching 8-287 against Vasse. Marist import Bahadar Esakhiel (101 off 131 balls, 6 fours and 5 sixes) earned the honour of becoming the first player to score a century on A-Grade debut for YOBS, while Cooper Clarke-Dehring (46 off 36 balls) also introduced himself to the BMRCA with a stylish display.

Bill Cawley (3-37) was the pick of the bowlers for Vasse, who responded with some big hitting of their own with Ross Kettlewell striking a ball lost in the creek in the opening over of their reply. Vasse ended their response on 152, skipper Scott Young 59’s off 50 balls including another four sixes, and YOBS veteran Neil Langenhoven making a welcome return to the game with 1-10 off seven overs.

Cowaramup’s first game on home soil this season proved fruitful with international Nathan Coulter-Nile grabbing 5-26 to play a big role in his team’s 66-run win over Margaret River Hawks. Batting first, the Bulls finished on 8-195 from 50 overs with Fraser Oates (58 off 58 balls) the cornerstone of the innings, supported by skipper Archer Coates (31) and opener Josh Curtis (32).

Leigh Westcott with 1-8 off 10 overs was by far the most impressive bowler for Hawks, who were dismissed for 129 in reply.

In B-Grade cricket, St Marys notched 7-135 against Dunsborough at Barnard Park with Mitch Barrow hitting 41, before Dunsborough responded forcefully to win by eight wickets, Tully Schofield and Cam Morris enjoying an unbroken century stand to finish proceedings inside 26 overs.

At Bovell Park, Vasse were contained to 152 by YOBS, whose openers Tom Payne (69) and Fletcher Wetherall (54) nearly carried them to a 10-wicket win, before a remarkable collapse of 6-14 totally transformed the game.

Two rounds of C-Grade cricket were played over the weekend, with the outstanding performance being recorded by Hayden Jones with 162 not out for YOBS against St Marys at Churchill Park – the highest individual innings ever scored in the 16-year history of the C-Grade competition.

In other C-Grade games on Saturday, Dunsborough Blue (4-170) were too strong for Nannup (56 all out), Vasse (171) beat Margaret River Hawks (116) with Charlie Joyce taking 5-15 for Hawks, and Cowaramup (8-224) outlasting YOBS Academy (192 all out).

C-Grade cricket on Sunday saw a hint of controversy, with A-Graders and B-Graders making up the numbers for some teams depleted by players going to the Test match. St Marys (121 all out) were no match for Dunsborough Blue (2-122 in 24 overs), Yallingup-Oddbods (142 all out) were outplayed by Cowaramup (7-145 in 35 overs) and Margaret River Hawks (8-188, with Jack Green and Shane Joyce hitting half-centuries) had the better of Dunsborough White (162).

At Bovell Park, YOBS Academy enraged Vasse by opening their batting with Haig Colombera, who smashed 71 runs off 26 balls (8 fours and 5 sixes) to decide an otherwise even contest which had seen Vasse, batting first, contained to 6-160 from 40 overs.