ABSOLUTELY awful conditions for batting were endured by Vasse and Margaret River Hawks when the sides met in an A-Grade contest in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association at Bovell Park on Saturday.
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Balls were either shooting right along the turf or rearing up unexpectedly, making batting a total nightmare for both sides from start to finish.
Vasse batted first and made 101, with Miles Darragh hitting an outstanding 39, and then bowled out Hawks for 79.
Left-arm spinner Rumesh Silva (4-19) returned best bowling figures for Hawks, while Tom Perks (3-10) and Alistair Wood (3-11) effectively won the game for Vasse late in the day.
The win comes too late for Vasse to reach the finals, but it has nevertheless been an encouraging start to A-Grade for Shane Bromilow's side, which is certain to remain in the top division next summer.
In the other A-Grade game across town Yallingup-Oddbods defeated Dunsborough in a close affair at Barnard Park.
The wicket at Barnard was also a disappointing one, with shot-making hard to execute.
YOBS survived their full 50-over allotment and totalled 9-163, with Nayton Colombera (64) continuing his top form.
Dunsborough stayed in the contest till the end before finally being dismissed for 146, with Alex Cooke (33) best with the bat and left-armer Matt Connaughton (3-28) leading from the front with the ball for YOBS.
The other A-Grade game was a mismatch at Cowaramup, after St Marys were handicapped by the non-appearance of two players and were bowled out for 49 on a lively, consistent deck.
Evergreen fast bowler Dan Williams, 53, opened the attack for Cowaramup and returned 3-21 off 10 overs straight.
The Bulls knocked off the required runs in 7.5 overs for the loss of one wicket, and the game was all finished by 2.10pm.
For St Marys, the longest running club in the Association which will celebrate its centenary in 2025, the season has been an extremely trying one.
In B-Grade, Yallingup-Oddbods (9-111) were overtaken by Dunsborough (4-115) at Barnard Park, with Charlie Siney striking 39 runs for the victors and Jared Mott taking 3-20 for the vanquished.
Hawks were too strong in the other game, passing Vasse's total of 149 with the loss of a single wicket inside 18 overs, with Tom McDonald (52) and Grant Garstone (77) putting on a century stand for the first wicket.
In C-Grade, Riley Wood struck his maiden ton for Yallingup-Oddbods, who notched 3-222 at Cowaramup, and then bowled out the Bulls for 104.
Incredibly, the Cowaramup total included 7 ducks, believed to be an Association record.
Dunsborough's Chris Dudley continued the season of C-Grade centuries when he also got to three figures, hitting 109 not out in his team's 4-247 against the YOBS Academy, who responded with 137.
The other C-Grade game saw Nannup keep their finals hopes alive by beating St Marys by seven wickets at Bovell Park with Nick Mills (46 not out) playing the key role.
Margaret River Hawks could not muster the numbers in C-Grade and forfeited to Vasse.
