Busselton and Margaret River’s two cricket sides in Senior Country Week endured a tough start in Perth this week when they both lost their opening two games by comfortable margins.
The number one side under Ben Payne’s captaincy had the closest game on Sunday when they scored 135 all out and were then beaten by Upper Great Southern by four wickets, which responded with 6-161.
Young batsmen Troyden Thorp (41) and Fraser Thompson (33) led the way with the willow, while Matty Braid, Danny Hatton and Ben Payne each took two wickets.
The Upper Great Southern Cricket Association returned to the senior’s country week as the defending premiers and began their campaign against Busselton Margaret River. The team worked hard to take home the trophy in back to back titles.
On Monday Busselton Margaret River proved to be no match for the powerful Eastern Goldfields side.
The Goldfielders racked up 8-268 from their 60 overs and then dismissed Busselton Margaret River for just 85.
Harvey Golding’s unbeaten 26 was the only bright light with the bat, while Matt Kent and import Rumesh Silva took two wickets each.
The number two side under Jamie Trewren’s captaincy also suffered at the hands of Eastern Goldfields.
In Sunday’s opening game Busselton Margaret River (2) were dismissed for 146, with Chris Dudley hitting 55 and import Ed Moulton making 31.
Eastern Goldfields responded with 6-246 from their 60 overs.
Monday’s second game for the number two side proved just as tough, with Albany (2) compiling 8-300 from 60 overs and then dismissing Busselton Margaret River (2) for 182.
Forty-eight teams are taking part in the annual Alcohol Think Again Senior Cricket Country Week, which is held in Perth from January 21 to 26.
The Hawks have a strong contingent attending with have five players and one manager making up about 20 per cent of the team.
Hawks young gun Kade Dittmar, fresh off a State 15s training camp made his senior country week debut in game one and made his A grade debut in game two.
In local cricket, Dunsborough and YOBS have earned the right to play off in the final of the B-grade T20 competition at Barnard Park on Saturday, February 3 following the concluding qualifying games.
The closest game of the weekend saw Dunsborough (8-116) scrape home by winning off the final ball of the 20th and final over against Vasse (6-115).
Dunsborough finished the qualifying rounds with four wins from four games, while YOBS had three wins and one loss.
Ethan Piggott was the notable performer for YOBS when he took 4-12 in his side’s win over Vasse.
Cowaramup won both their B-grade T20 games at Margaret River, racing to a seven-wicket win over St Marys in just 12.5 overs when Buddhika Sanjeewa struck 65 not out in the Bulls’ total of 3-121.
Cowaramup’s second win proved just as comfortable, scoring 2-170 from 20 overs with Tebsy King striking an outstanding 85 not out, and then restricting Hawks to 6-106 from their 20 overs.
Last Saturday and this Saturday are a bye for all A-grade sides due to Country Week.
