MACARTHUR and Tarrington played out a thrilling Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) BC grade contest, with the Tigers winning by one run on Saturday.

The Tigers won the toss at Macarthur Recreation Reserve and batted first, with Will Bester (26) anchoring the innings at the top of the order, while Marcus Lowerson (41) and Stephen Hadden (15) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

The visitors scraped their way to 9-120 after 40 overs, with Bingham Jarrett and Logan Mann the standout bowlers with three wickets each.

Macarthur set about chasing the runs down, but lost Ian Brilley for a duck, while other opener, Lachie Nield, could only manage 11.

Matt Timms kept the runs flowing, but when he was dismissed for 58, the Demons were in trouble at 3-78.

Jarrett added 17, and with four runs needed off the last over, it was reduced to two runs to win off the final ball, with Thomas Logan ran out off the last ball of the innings to see the Tigers claim a one-run victory.

Gil Smith was the only multiple wicket-taker for Tarrington.

Branxholme d St Andrew’s Saints

IT was a runfest at Branxholme Recreation Reserve, with the Bulls winning a game that had more than 430 runs scored across the two innings.

Branxholme won the toss and batted first, with Andrew McFarlane smashing another century before Nathan Flack dismissed the opener for 122.

Cody Griffiths added 36, while an unbeaten 53 from Adam Campbell helped push the home side’s total up to 3-248 after 40 overs.

Flack finished with two wickets, while Riley Malseed was the other Saint to claim a wicket.

The Saints’ top four all got starts, with John Hockey (42), Flack (23), Grady Bell (43) and Simon Vankalken (35) all looking positive, with Chad Logan (20-not-out) the only other batsman to reach double figures, with the visitors limping to 8-185 at stumps.

Campbell collected two wickets for Branxholme in the win.

Casterton District d Hamilton

CASTERTON District boosted its hopes of playing finals with a win against Hamilton at Kennedy Oval.

The Blues won the toss and batted first, with Rory Steff wasting little time at the crease, getting to 25 before he held out to Justin Carlin to give Will Kerr the important wicket, leaving the home side vulnerable at 2-35.

Isaac Shaw steadied the ship, combining with Robbie Cook (35) and Lachlan Walker (36) to keep the runs ticking over.

Codie Steff (18-not-out) and Shaw (64-not-out) guided Hamilton to 5-188 after 40 overs, with Mark Penny claiming two wickets for the Maroons.

Penny and Carlin then opened Casterton District’s innings and put on 107 before Penny fell to Bailey Borgmeyer for 48, while Carlin pushed on to 65 before he was trapped in front of the stumps by Terry Walker.

Jedd Rhook (17) and Alan Smeaton (23) also played important knocks, as the Maroons got to the total with 10 balls to spare and three wickets in hand.

Shaw and Walker each finished with two wickets for Hamilton.

Grampians d Byaduk

THE Pumas flexed their muscles with a bonus point win against Byaduk at Christie Oval.

The Ducks went into the game coming off their first win of the season and elected to bowl first on the turf wicket.

Levi and Craig Templeton opened up Grampians’ innings with the son-father combo adding 129 before Craig was dismissed for 78.

Levi got to 49 before he fell to Austin Donoghue, while Tony Dickson’s unbeaten 18 helped the Pumas to 8-193 after 40 overs.

Donoghue and John Christie grabbed two wickets each for the home side.

Byaduk’s run chase struggled from the outset, with only Sam Brody (32) able to score more than seven in the top six.

Levi McDonald chipped in with 22, with the Ducks eventually all out for 107 in the 33rd over.

Levi Templeton grabbed four wickets for the Pumas.

Tahara d Hamilton North

TAHARA continues to impress, this time accounting for Hamilton North at Monivae Turf.

The Hammers were the home side and elected to chase in the second innings, as Tahara’s top three combined for 20 runs.

Hamish Myers (15) and Liam Tonissen (19) tried to impact the scoreboard, but it wasn’t until Sam Brewer (47) and Luke Barnes (28) came to the crease that scoring accelerated, with the Bluecaps bowled out for 164 with five overs left in the innings.

Oscar Newell finished with 4-7 from his eight overs.

Newell then padded up and opened Hamilton North’s innings, scoring 38, while Darren Groves’ 26 runs was the only other score above 18.

The home side was eventually bowled out for 136 in the final over of the game.

Harry Goodman grabbed three wickets for the visitors.

College d St Andrew’s

THE final game of the round saw two B graded sides face-off at PP1, with the Eagles dominating to claim a bonus point win.

The Drews batted first and struggled to create any sort of positive momentum, with Aiden Sutherland (11) and Adam Nankivell (15) the only batsmen to reach double figures, aside from number 11, Sam Coates, who scored 12.

The home side was dismissed for 56 in the 35th over.

Will Bourke, Toby Hawthorne and Jude Alexander grabbed two wickets each.

College’s run chase went ahead without too much pressure, with the Eagles reaching the target in the 14th over.

Jonathan Jenkin smashed 30, before falling to Sean Picken, with the visitors finishing the day with just one wicket lost.