AN EXCELLENT all-round performance by Shane Edwards on Saturday has put Dunsborough back in form in A-Grade cricket in the Busselton-Margaret River competition.
Bowling off only three steps at the Cowaramup Oval, Edwards returned 3-15 off 9.4 overs to help Dunsborough dismiss Cowaramup for 160, and then struck an unbeaten 64 to see his side romp home by seven wickets in 36 overs and claim a valuable two bonus points in the process.
Cowaramup’s total of 160 all out, batting first, featured a determined innings of 80 from Fraser Oates, who came to the wicket in the opening over and eventually threw his wicket away in the 50th over chasing quick runs.
Dunsborough’s 18-year-old pace bowler Lachie Milton impressed with 4-31, while veteran Danny Hatton, despite being unwell, returned amazing figures of 1-5 off 10 overs with 7 maidens.
Hatton secured the vital wicket of Kavy de Silva, caught low at cover by Nick Ritchie, to swing the game Dunsborough’s way in the middle overs.
Buddhika Sanjeewa tried to resurrect Cowaramup’s run rate when he struck a huge six over long-off, which was saved from damaging a house only by the presence of a gum tree. But the shot of the match was a massive blow over square-leg by Edwards off de Silva, which landed on the top of the nets to bring up his half-century as the game neared its end.
Left-hander Aaron Mott (51 not out) shared an unbroken century stand with Edwards to see Dunsborough home comfortably.
At Barnard Park, Margaret River Hawks continued their competitive streak when they were narrowly outplayed by YOBS on a track where runs were hard to come by all day.
Batting first, YOBS suffered the unluckiest form of dismissal in cricket when a straight drive by Ben Clarke was deflected by bowler Grant Garstone into the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with Harvey Golding short of his ground.
Clarke was typically reliable with 31 runs, while Troyden Thorp (30) continued his great form in the middle-order in his first season in A-Grade. Teenager Ethan Piggott (30) also batted with great application as YOBS totalled 149 before being dismissed in the 50th over. Left-arm spinner Rumesh Silva (0-11 off 9 overs) justified his captain’s decision to use him to open the bowling, while newcomer Paul Farmer claimed the best analysis of the day with 4-18 off 8.4 overs.
Hawks were in with a chance of victory for much of their chase, thanks to classy left-hand opening batsman Shane Joyce, who hit 37 runs. Hawks maintained a good run rate, but just lacked someone to hold the middle order together, and eventually succumbed to 124 all out in the 40th over to go down by 25 runs. Ex-captain Nayton Colombera returned his best figures with the ball for years for YOBS with 3-7 while skipper Ben Payne took a vital 3-5 off 6.1 overs to put the pressure on when it mattered.
In B-Grade cricket, a fine knock of 48 by Isaac Haslam led St Marys to an exciting two-wicket win over Dunsborough at the Dunsborough Playing Fields. Hawks defeated Vasse in a low-scoring affair at Bovell Park turf, while YOBS took only 10 overs to knock off the runs after dismissing a depleted Cowaramup for 45 at Barnard Park.
B-Grade results: YOBS 1-48 (9.2 overs) (J. Wain 21no, J. Dipane 18no) b Cowaramup 45 (23 overs) (M. Braid 3-12, J. Trewren 2-6) at Barnard Park. St Marys 8-186 (43.3 overs) (I. Haslam 48, J. Lowe 30, C. Roberts 29, E. Moulton 25no, T. Begley 3-18, N. Whitney 2-21) b Dunsborough 9-184 (45 overs) (N. Whitney 50, B. Christmas 25, M. Snaddon 4-33) at Dunsborough Playing Fields. Hawks 124 (43 overs) (C. Baker 26, S. Bromilow 3-4, G. Snow 2-21) b Vasse 78 (20 overs) (A. Eades 29, J. Stanbury 5-28, J. Gannaway 3-36, M. Broun 2-13) at Bovell Park Turf.