Yallingup-Oddbods give unbeaten Hawks a scare

BOTTOM team Yallingup-Oddbods gave the unbeaten top side Margaret River Hawks their biggest fright of the A-Grade cricket season to date when they failed by only 10 runs to tie a great clash at Barnard Park on Saturday.

A rare A-Grade century partnership between a father and son, 110 runs for the second wicket between Shane Joyce (61) and Sam Joyce (49), laid the foundation for Hawks’ total of 9-189 from 50 overs batting first on a good cricket wicket.

Teenagers Bailey Knipe and Max Byrne shared seven wickets for YOBS, while Jude Foley held two stunning catches in a memorable A-Grade debut, one at full stretch above his head and one horizontal to the ground.

Another young player in Jamie Liston topped the batting for YOBS with 45 runs, ably assisted by Luke Wedderburn (36), as the underdogs reached 179 in reply before being bowled out in the 48 th over.

Slow bowlers for Hawks proved especially effective on the day, with offspinner Danny Weston (2-22) and left-arm orthodox Rumesh Silva (2-25) both continuing excellent personal seasons with tight 10-over spells.

Across town at Bovell Park, St Marys scored an upset eight-wicket victory over their more experienced Vasse counterparts.

Batting first, Vasse were held to 9-157 from 50 overs with the ever-reliable Jeremy Murphy (34) well supported by Jacques Allen (47) in the middle order.

Paceman Justin Chandler, returning for his first game of the season, secured the best figures for St Marys with 3-13 from eight overs, before skipper Zoz Saeed (71 not out) and young Spencer Drummond (55 not out) shared a century stand in reply to see their team home with more than 10 overs to spare.

At Dunsborough, a good contest was enjoyed in great conditions before the home side prevailed over the improving Cowaramup.

The highlight of the Cowaramup innings of 174 from 44 overs was a dynamic knock of 58 from 60 balls by skipper Archer Coates, including 7 fours and 2 sixes.

Openers Josh Curtis (33) and Aayush Patel (25) also showed solid batting for the Bulls, while Dunsborough’s Anthony Quinn (5-22) established himself as the competition’s most successful A-Grade bowler so far with 15 wickets in four games (including a remarkable 13 out “bowled”).

Dunsborough teen Tom Reagan (2-30) also had the honour of dismissing international player Nathan Coulter-Nile in the Cowaramup innings for only 11.

Chasing 175 to win, Dunsborough were held together by an excellent knock of 77 from Alex Cooke, supported by Cain Reynolds (38), eventually winning by five wickets with five overs in hand.

In B-Grade games, a close finish between St Marys and Vasse at the Vasse Playing Fields ended with Saints prevailing by a mere 6 runs.

Batting first, St Marys tallied 9-181 with skipper Matt Miller (55) supported by Robbie Trebell (44) and Aaron Mattock (38).

Mark Sauzier’s 5-30 for Vasse included a wicket from the opening ball of the game.

Vasse responded with 175 all out, including 66 from Adrian Handreck and figures of 4-31 by Cooper Lewis for Saints.

On the synthetic wicket at Barnard Park, Hawks had by far the better of Yallingup-Oddbods, winning by 125 runs.

Chris McLean’s 66 off 43 balls for Hawks included 11 fours, while Tyson Warnke (48 off 50 balls) also showed plenty of style at the crease.

In response to Hawks’ 6-222, YOBS were dismissed for 97 inside 24 overs, with Sam Power’s 35 the only highlight.

Blake Gillam (four wickets) and Aaron Thomas (2-4) shared the bowling honours for Hawks.

In C-Grade cricket the derby between YOBS and YOBS Academy for the Braid-Cameron Cup was highlighted by a ton from Trevor Golding (101) in the YOBS innings of 5-189 from 40 overs.

In reply, Joshua Hill grabbed 4-10 for YOBS as the Academy boys were routed for just 68.

At Churchill Park, a huge first-wicket stand of 174 between Aaron Mott (116) and Matt Enright (55) set the scene for Vasse’s innings of 3-247 against St Marys.

In reply, Saints were held to 162 with Adrian La Mancusa hitting 39 (batting at No. 10) and Mahesh Uragala taking 4-23 for Vasse.

Dunsborough White journeyed successfully to Nannup, where they scored 218 (Darcy Carroll hitting 56) with Leigh Guthridge and Emma Bresser taking three scalps each for the home side.

Nannup were bowled out for 105 in response, Lachlan Smith making 33 runs.

The last game of the round saw Dunsborough Blue notch 8-196 at the Dunsborough Playing Fields and then dismiss Hawks for 62.