THE opening round of the 2024-25 Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade season got underway on Saturday with Portland Tigers, Tyrendarra, and Macarthur all claiming bonus point victories from their respective games.
Portland Tigers def Tahara
UPON its return to the top grade, Tahara failed to abide by the adage that ‘catches win matches’ as the Bluecaps put down at least six opportunities to dismiss the Portland Tigers batsmen who went on to post a bonus point victory at Monivae Turf.
Tigers won the toss and elected to bat first on what appeared to be a very good batting surface with Paul Procter and Ian Faure walking to the middle to face Jack Goodman and Nathan Slaughter.
Procter hit the fence on 27 occasions as he posted a mammoth 154 from 137 balls to get his summer away to the best possible start, but he was aided by the Bluecaps putting down chances to be rid of him.
With his score on 99 he chipped the ball to mid-on and was ready to walk, but the ball hit the turf from what was a simple chance and the next ball he raised his bat to accept the applause of the spectators as he brought up the magical three figures.
It’s rare for any player, no matter what level of the game he or she is playing, to hit a chanceless century, and once he passed 100, he raced to 150 and ensured the Tigers ended their 40 overs with 7-282 (cc) on the board.
Barnes was the best of the Tahara attack with 3-52, but no doubt the bowler’s figures would have been much better if the chances offered had been taken.
Tahara had a mountain to climb after the tea break as they started their innings needing more than seven runs per over to hunt down the target, but skipper Marcus Rhook was out to the first legal ball of the innings as he was bowled by Gerard Kissane for a golden duck.
Harry Armstrong (20), Brad Gaucci (42), Morris (26), and Kieran Barker (20) all scored quickly but upon their dismissals the rest of the order fell away with Joel Askew capturing 6-34 including four wickets in the final over as Tahara lost 7-10 in a bad collapse.
College def Casterton District
COLLEGE reversed the round one result of last summer by defeating Casterton District at College Turf on Saturday, as new Eagles skipper Lachie Watt won the toss and elected to send the visitors into bat.
Normally at this venue whichever skipper calls correctly at the coin toss bats first, so true is the surface, but after sending the Maroons into bat Watt may have been a little concerned as Ben Holmes (44) and Ricky Killey (17) added 52 at run-a-ball pace.
Killey was the first to fall as Lachie Brown (3-10) held the chance offered and the veteran all-rounder then grabbed three quick wickets to drag the home side back into the contest as he dismissed Oliver Foster and Kane Forbes for ducks and Holmes with Adrian Burn trapping Carey Megaw (six) LBW to reduce the score to 5-59.
The visitors recovered to post 7-162 from their 40 overs as skipper Kaden Humphries (39) and Jacob Edwards (30-not-out) rallied to lift the Maroons to a total the bowlers could defend.
Former College captain, Charles Murrie was in his normal ‘see-ball-hit-ball’ more as he plundered 52 from only 33 balls as he struck seven boundaries and three maximums to get the home side away to a flying start.
Megaw (3-21) sent Heath Schmidt (four), Harry Austin (20), and Murrie back to the pavilion, but Burn (52-not-out) and George Macdonald (31-not-out) took the home side through to the target in the 36th over.
Grampians def Gorae-Portland
GRAMPIANS has started its season with a strong victory against 2023-24 semi-finalist Gorae-Portland by eight wickets as the Pumas top order enjoyed its first time in the middle.
Donald Collins won the toss for the home side and sent the visitors into bat looking to give his bowlers first use of any assistance the surface may offer.
Miles Alderman grabbed the early wicket of James Cannon (two) as Collins held onto the catch to hand the Pumas the early advantage.
Carl Joyce then had Zac Duncan-Rethus (one) caught by Tom Polkinghorn with 23 on the board before Sam Roberts (40) and Nick Wills came together to add 50 for the third wicket before Roberts fell to the bowling of Louis Lazzari.
Wills scored 76 from 79 balls as the visitors finished with 169 all out in the 39th over with Joyce taking the bowling honours with 4-17.
The Pumas lost Ty Gilmore (11) early in their chase, but Collins (81-not-out) and Zach Burgess (59) came together to add 117 for the second wicket to ensure the home side grabbed the victory as Raju Thing Tamang was the best of the Go-Ports attack with 2-36 as Grampians hunted down the target for the loss of only two wickets.
Portland Colts def Pigeon Ponds
ONE of the closest games of the opening round was played out at Henty Park, where Portland Colts put together a strong performance to defeat Pigeon Ponds with 3.1 overs to spare.
The Colts bowlers were able to keep the brakes on early, illustrated by the fact that Ponds opener Noah Hildebrand scored a 31-ball duck before being the first man out.
