CLUB dedication to covering the wicket against rain paid off last Saturday when Margaret River Hawks scored a valuable win over St Marys in the only A-Grade fixture played in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association.
Annoying showers on Saturday threatened to cancel the game at Gloucester Park before the teams agreed to a reduced 40-overs-a-side contest, with the weather clearing just in time.
Batting first, Hawks totalled a superb score of 7-233 off just 40 overs, with class act Jay Wynd again getting among the runs with a devastating 83 off just 40 balls. Allrounder Mark Natale also chimed in with 49 runs.
It was the third week in a row where Hawks exceeded 220 runs after batting first.
Saints skipper Justin Chandler (4-32) led the bowling for the visitors, whose opening bowlers were hammered hard by Wynd.
St Marys were dismissed for 111 in reply, with Jono Lloyd (31), Ryan Lohr (26 not out) and Chandler (27 off 27 balls) all getting good starts, Hawks skipper Grant Garstone snaring 3-18 off eight overs, and Hawks taking the maximum 12 points from the result.
The other A-Grade encounter, between Dunsborough and Yallingup-Oddbods at Dunsborough, was abandoned without a ball bowled due to the persistent showers - as was the corresponding B-Grade game between the same clubs on the adjacent ground.
St Marys turned the tables on Margaret River Hawks in the only B-Grade game played, notching 152 all out from 29.4 of their reduced 30-over allotment at Margaret River, with skipper Peter Grygorcewicz (a hard-hitting 38 off 21 balls) and Justin Gower (42 from 42 balls) contributing well, before holding Hawks to 9-141 from 30 overs to score a tight 11-run win.
Cody Rodgers (40), Darcy Bailey (34) and veteran Paul Tognolini (32) all batted soundly for Hawks, while Dan Crain (3-26) made a welcome return for St Marys after a long absence due to work up north.
In C-Grade cricket, Nannup had the better of YOBS Academy at Bovell Park when they held the young Academy team to 5-129 off 40 overs and responded with 6-134 off 34 overs, Eden Williams hitting 50 runs for the victors.
At Barnard Park, Cowaramup compiled 7-167 off a reduced 30 overs and were then overtaken by Yallingup-Oddbods, who claimed the game with 5 balls to spare thanks to veteran Rodney Griffiths (83) leading a six-wicket win.
A maiden century by allrounder Jack O'Malley (100) led Vasse to a winning total of 176 all out off 36 overs at the Vasse Playing Fields against Dunsborough, who folded for 91 all out in reply. Darren Nisbett (4-22) starred with the ball for Vasse.
The remaining C-Grade game, played down at the Nippers Oval in Margaret River, saw St Marys muster 8-164 off a reduced 30 overs, with skipper Karl Clively hitting an unbeaten 35, before routing Hawks for 49 all out.
Clively completed an excellent allround performance when he took magnificent figures of 4-2 off four overs for Saints, while Karl Rodgers and Adrian La Mancusa took two wickets each.
All teams will now take a two-week break over Christmas and New Year, with fixtures resuming in all grades on January 8.
