HAMILTON North opening batsmen, Darren Groves and Sam Groves, posted an opening partnership of 209 to defeat Casterton District in its Hamilton and District Cricket Association B-C grade clash at Melville Oval on Saturday.

The father-son combination chased down the target set by the visitors, as the Hammers played its first home game at Melville Oval for the summer after the constant wet weather kept all games from the venue.

Hamilton North skipper, Brett Ezard, won the toss and elected to send the visitors in to bat on a surface that had been used all week for the Youth Premier League Under-16 carnival.

While the wicket was reported to be low and slow, the batsmen found form with Mark Penny (80) and Jedd Rhook (72-not-out) piling on the runs.

It was a maiden senior half century for Rhook, who will be playing in the Junior Country Week carnival next month, and the youngster showed he is a player to be watched, as the ball sped to the boundary on nine occasions in his 100-minute 88-ball innings.

He and Penny added 90 for the second wicket and Rhook batted through the innings after coming to the wicket at the fall of the first wicket, as Casterton District posted 4-201 from their allotted overs.

Knowing that the batting has been brittle this season, the Groves combination strode to the crease with the determination required to hunt down the target, as Darren played the aggressor and Sam (65-not-out) was content to turn the strike over.

The contest was tight throughout, as the run rate required was matched by the batsmen, but the Maroons continued to keep that rate at near run-a-ball pace.

Victory was secured in the final over when Darren Groves smacked the last of his 22 boundaries and then was dismissed for a match winning 134 to hand Billy Rhook a wicket, as dad Brian held the chance offered as the Hammers finished at 1-209.

St Andrew’s d. Byaduk

ST Andrew’s continued its undefeated start to the season, as the Drews accounted for Byaduk at home on Saturday in the closest match of the round at Pedrina Park.

The Drews won the toss and elected to send Byaduk in to bat on the hard wicket at Pedrina Park 1, and the visitors never came to terms with the surface.

Drew Pickford (28) posted the highest score for the match despite five other players from the Ducks reaching double figures, as the final tally sat at 8-112.

The home side was just as poor with their return effort, as the visitors’ first three wickets fell with only 15 on the board.

With only four overs remaining and a further 20 runs required and two wickets in hand, Ben Packman stepped forward to play a great rear-guard knock of 22-not-out to guide the Drews to victory.

College Eagles d. College

COLLEGE Turf hosted its first game of the summer and what better way than to have the Battle of the Birds derby played, as the two College teams squared off against each other.

The Eagles won the toss and sent College to the crease first with the experience of Leigh Alexander (41), Lachy Patterson (51) and Cameron Cuttler (35) leading the way to the final score of 9-150.

The Eagles replied with 8-224 after the early loss of in-form batsman Jonathan Jenkin (one), as Elton Brinkman (87) led the hunt for the target.

Tahara d. Branxholme

TAHARA can thank Luke Barnes for the retention of its undefeated start to the season, as the Blue Caps defeated the Bulls at Tahara Recreation Reserve on Saturday.

The home side inserted the visitors after winning the toss and proceeded to dismiss Branxholme for only 105, as Adam Campbell (37) and Jeremy Hunt (31) offered the only resistance for the Bulls.

It appeared likely the Blue Caps would resume after the tea break to knock up the required runs and build bonus points, but Branxholme had other plans.

The wickets tumbled, as the bowlers kept the Bulls in the contest and at 6-78, they were on track to post an upset.

Enter Luke Barnes, who smacked 30 of the 50 runs that were scored while he was at the wicket to win the game, as Tahara finished on 8-128.

St Andrew’s Saints d. Hamilton

ST Andrew’s Saints continued to hold a top four place with a solid victory against Hamilton at Clem Young Oval, as the turf wicket found a few players wanting in their techniques playing on the natural surface.

The home side was dismissed for only 124 and was bowled out well inside the allotted overs after Hamilton held sway with the ball.

Drews stalwart, Geoff Barker, showed those younger than he how to play on a turf wicket with 33 runs, while Adrian Ferguson’s 4-0 from 6.1 overs was the best with the ball for the visitors.

The Hamilton players needed to apply themselves to chase down the target, but it wasn’t to be despite six batsmen reaching double figures, as the final tally was kept to only 8-107 from the allotted overs.