YOBS Cricket Club president Matty Braid celebrated his 100th game for the club when he captured career-best figures of 4-32 against Margaret River Hawks in A-grade cricket on Saturday.
Braid dismissed five Margaret River batsmen – four off his own bowling, and a lucky run-out at the bowler’s end – in his side’s eight-wicket win at Barnard Park.
Opting to bat first, Hawks compiled 110 all out from 38 overs, with allrounder Grant Garstone smashing an entertaining if brief 24 runs. YOBS chased the target down in 36 overs for the loss of just two wickets.
After dismissing four of the first five batsmen (and having the other batsman, Rumesh Silva, dropped at gully), Braid capped his day when Garstone smashed a ball back down the pitch at him, and Braid got a finger-tip to the ball as it crashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end with an unlucky Stu Roberts well out of his ground.
Earlier, a legside stumping by Ben Clarke off a wide was the fielding highlight of the day.
Hawks compounded their loss when they suffered yet another season-ending injury to a key A-grade player. Ryan Miller tore a calf muscle while setting off for a run and was stranded in the middle of the wicket. YOBS declined to run him out, allowing him to retire hurt. Hawks have already lost captain Paul Tognolini (arm), fast bowler Mat Kent (back) and allrounder Glen Ahola (hamstring) and are finding it increasingly difficult to put a team on the park as the finals approach.
Although Saturday’s result keeps YOBS on top of the points table, St Marys (who had the bye) can still snatch the Yates Shield for the minor premiership if they manage to win their last three qualifying games and YOBS lose to either Dunsborough or Cowaramup.
The other A-grade game last Saturday, played on an extremely grassy track at Cowaramup Oval, saw Cowaramup total 140 and Dunsborough overtake them with seven wickets in hand. Defending their modest total, Cowaramup were cock-a-hoop when they had Dunsborough 3-6, before opener Josh Reagan (63 not out) and allrounder Mick Walker (48 not out) steadied to get their side across the line in 31 overs.
A couple of chances in the field were put down as the result slipped away from Cowaramup, in what is proving to be another tough season for Ben Shepherd’s charges. Cowaramup’s best on the day were Aaron Holben, who hit a handy 23 runs, and allrounder Kavy de Silva, who dismissed Aaron Mott (0) and Nick Ritchie (2) to have the visitors on the ropes.
B-GRADE: The two leading teams in B-grade cricket this season, YOBS and Vasse, both suffered comprehensive losses on Saturday.
YOBS were outplayed by a strong performance from Al Wilkie’s Margaret River Hawks team at Barnard Park, while Vasse crashed out to Dunsborough on the turf wicket at Bovell Park. At cricket headquarters, Hawks scored 7-198 from their allotted overs with experienced hands Michael Earl (50) and Alastair Wilkie (45) playing the major roles. YOBS were then dismissed for 129. At Bovell Park, Dunsborough left-arm quick Richard Norrish had a red-letter day when he took 5-31 to see Vasse decimated for 66 all out, inside 19 overs on the turf wicket. Earlier, batting first, Dunsborough compiled 7-160 off 45 overs with Cam Morris (49) and Chris King (38) leading the way. Scott Young’s two wickets for Vasse gave him 27 wickets in 14 B-grade games this season, while Dean Ebert and Tom Perks also captured two wickets.
Results: Hawks 7-198 (45 overs) (M. Earl 50, A. Wilkie 45, M. Shinnick 31, J. Trewren 3-31) b YOBS 129 (31 overs) (J. Bruse 30, T. Payne 25, M. Jarvis 2-13, A. Wilkie 23, D. Weston 27). Dunsborough 7-160 (45 overs) (C. Morris 49, C. King 38, S. Young 26, D. Ebert 2-16, T. Perks 2-22) b Vasse 66 (19 overs) (D. Horncastle 15, R. Norrish 5-31, K. Smith 2-20).
