FIVE long weeks have passed since the Hamilton and District Women’s Cricket Association (HDWCA) players thought that their season would commence, but finally the players took to the field on Friday evening to play round six of the 2022-23 season.

Tarrington d Casterton District

SINCE Tarrington joined the HDWCA back in the 2013-14 summer, the Tigers hadn’t defeated Casterton on the field in that time.

Having won the toss at Wando Vale and the Tigers sent the home side into bat, and after a great start that saw Claire Widdecombe and Jacqui Robinson open the batting, the Tarrington bowlers restricted the Maroons to only 20 runs from the first five overs.

The prized wicket of Widdecombe (three) was snared by Kat Pickett, who bowled the Maroons skipper with her second ball of her first over to rock the home side.

Robinson and Kate Tomkins joined forces to combine for a run-a-ball 45-run partnership to rescue the top order, but when Tomkins fell for 22, Robinson followed suit only three balls later to see the home side flounder at 3-67.

With Aisha Hendricks and Eloise Millard to bowl the final two overs, the Tigers had their best two bowlers to deliver the death overs.

The bowlers kept the batters in check with only nine more runs scored to see the final tally reach 3-81.

Hendricks strode to the crease with Emilie Tonissen next to her and the pair were determined not to be dismissed before the target was reached.

The pair weren’t separated until the 14th over, as Widdecombe and Caeleigh Humphries took the new ball.

The winning target was reached just before Hendricks finally fell to Widdecombe for 29.

Widdecombe struck again when she caused Tonissen (25) to hit her own wicket, as the players looked to score as many runs as possible from the remaining deliveries, with Tarrington finishing on 2-98.

Grampians d Macarthur

GRAMPIANS travelled to Macarthur Recreation Reserve on Friday looking to record victory against the Demons.

The home team had to reduce the number of teams they fielded this summer from two down to one after several players left the club during the off season.

Even though some of its biggest stars are now playing with other clubs, Macarthur is still a force within the competition with players like skipper Sarah Cassidy and Leah Drendel still in the mix.

Cassidy stood at the non-strikers end and watched on, as Ashley Brilley (four) and Sarah Taylor (one) came and went with only 16 on the board before Drendel joined her captain in the middle.

The pair added 45 for the third wicket with Drendel belting 35 of those before having to retire after only 20 balls.

Lucy Barry grabbed two wickets in three balls, as she sent Sasha Romans (one) and Mel Fry (zero) back to the pavilion to rock the Demons’ middle order.

Cassidy carried on to bat for just short of an hour, adding 21 at the top of the order and the home side finished with 5-83 from their allotted overs.

The early wickets of Pumas skipper, Ella Jackson (seven), and Amelia Barry (one) gave the home side the early advantage, but Grace Potter (30) batted well.

Potter saw the side through to 57 in the 12th over before taking on the arm of Taylor to be caught short of her ground from a brilliant throw.

Olivia Read and Matilda Potter came together to add a further nine runs before Read (16) was bowled by Kelsey Hunt to give the Demons renewed hope.

From there though, Potter (23-not-out) and Lucy Fraser (seven-not-out) guided the visitors to the target and beyond to finish on 4-91.

Byaduk d Hamilton

BYADUK recorded victory, chasing down the victory target set by a new look Hamilton side at Mitchell Park on Friday.

Emily Huglin won the toss for Byaduk and promptly sent Hamilton to the crease, looking to keep the home side to a chasable score.

The Ducks had a magic start with three wickets falling for only 19 runs inside the first five overs, as Bonnie Gleeson (three), Mikaylah Sharrock (three) and Casey Walker (five) came and went after Xarifa Christie-Hill cut a swathe through the Hamilton top order.

Only a rear-guard partnership from Kellie McCrae (22) and Lauren Sharrock (23-not-out) saw the Hamilton side post 4-85 from the allotted overs.

Christie-Hill grabbed 3-15 with the ball.

Mikaylah Sharrock grabbed the early wicket of Huglin (five) but Julie Parsons (19) and Katelyn Millard (20) combined to take the score along to 42 before Millard fell.

Parsons carried on, helping carry the score to 2-66, before the Ducks lost three quick wickets for only two runs.

From there though Christie-Hill (19-not-out) and Susie Holcombe (23-not-out) combined to add 50 for the sixth wicket from the last five overs of the innings to carry the Ducks to a final tally of 5-118.

St Andrew’s def Pigeon Ponds on forfeit