THE Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) BC grade games were headlined by a tie between Casterton District and St Andrew’s on Saturday.

The Drews travelled to Island Park with its best side of the season and searching for its first win of the season, and when skipper, Jamie Logan, won the toss and bowled first, the visitors would have been happy with the start.

Casterton District didn’t set a rapid scoring rate by any means, with both Justin Carlin (11) and Mark Penny (34) striking at less than three runs an over, with Pierce Kelly’s 35 instrumental in pushing the home side’s tally up to 8-134 after 40 overs.

Logan finished with three wickets, before padding up and opening the Drews’ innings alongside Nick Emsley.

Six of the top seven all reached double figures, yet Latham Wishart’s unbeaten 27 was the highest score, as the visitors ran out of balls to pass the target, finishing the innings on 8-134 to split the points.

Kelly was the standout bowler with four wickets.

College d Tahara

COLLEGE caused one of the upsets of the season, with the Bluecaps suffering defeat for the first time this season.

The Eagles won the toss and batted first at Tahara Recreation Reserve, with Jonathan Jenkin getting to 30 before falling to Marcus Rhook, leaving the visitors at 2-54 and in control of the game.

George Huf came in at number three and his 76 from 72 balls proved vital to the result, with Leigh Alexander (24) and George Clark (32-not-out) also chipping in to get College to 5-181.

Jon Tonissen grabbed two wickets for Tahara.

Rhook added 31 at the top of the order in a positive start to the run chase, while Brad Gauci continued his good form with 50, giving the Bluecaps a strong foundation.

Hamish Myers’ 24 runs in the middle order was also important, but regular wickets proved costly with the home side restricted to 7-155 at stumps.

Jude Alexander impressed, collecting four wickets for the Eagles.

Grampians d Hamilton

GRAMPIANS grabbed top spot with a comprehensive victory against Hamilton at Kennedy Oval.

The Pumas batted first after winning the toss and Levi Templeton was the standout, constructing a knock of 60 before he was dismissed by Mark Lee.

Oliver Fenwick (28), Greg Millard (56-not-out) and Myles Alderman (31-not-out) helped push the total up to 4-214 after 40 overs.

The run chase was tough with Blues skipper, Nick O’Brien’s 14 the best out of the top six.

Lee added 25, but the home side was eventually all out for 141 in 36.2 overs.

Shaun Peters, Alderman and Oscar Templeton all grabbed two wickets each.

Macarthur d Branxholme

THE Demons continued on their winning way, easily accounting for the Bulls at Branxholme Recreation Reserve.

The home side bowled first after winning the toss and was quickly chasing leather around the ground.

Chris Moutray (46) and Matt Timms (128) set the side up for a big tally, with the side getting to 9-223.

Cody Griffiths grabbed three wickets for Branxholme, while Nicholas Williams and Andrew McFarlane grabbed a brace of wickets each in support.

Branxholme’s run chase was cautious from the start, and Timms backed up his century with a dominant bowling display to finish with 5-8 from 6.1 overs, as Branxholme was all out for 133.

Hamilton North v Tarrington

THE Hammers hosted the Tigers at Monivae Turf and it was the home side which won the toss and bowled first.

Dylan Bensch added 30 at the top of the order, while Andy O’Connor (26) was the only other batsman to score beyond 20, as Hamilton North was bowled out for 107 inside 29 overs.

Eli Crutch finished with 6-15 from his eight-over spell, while Jesse Webster grabbed three scalps of his own.

Hamilton North’s innings got off to a shaky start, losing Crutch (three) and Darren Jacobson (zero) to be 2-20, and when Darren Groves held out on 26, the Hammers were vulnerable at 3-42.

From then on, Robert Jacobson (44-not-out) and Sam Groves (25-not-out) saw the side home with a little under 15 overs to spare.

Byaduk v St Andrew’s Saints

THE Saints travelled to Christie Oval and batted first after losing the toss.

An opening 35-run stand was broken when John Hockey held out on 12 to give Cameron Christie the first wicket of the game.

That triggered a collapse with the visitors falling from 3-53 to 7-58, before Geoff Barker (40-not-out) and Matt Hill (20-not-out) ensured the Saints at least batted out their overs, finishing on 7-130.

Lachlan Holcombe finished with three wickets for the Ducks.

Drew Pickford (45-not-out) helped anchor the Ducks’ run chase at the top of the order, while Adam Mirtschin came in late to smash an unbeaten 46 off 33 balls to help the home side claim victory in the 30th over.