With hot, humid conditions and storm clouds gathering, Coachman Demons and Royals scored good victories in A grade games played last Saturday.
Several outstanding individual performances were recorded with Ben Hawken scoring 98 not out, Richard Foan scoring 97 and Lachlan Britt taking 5/7.
Coachman Demons 175 (Richard Foan 97, Andrew Britt 25, Andrew Yeo 2/22, Anthony Heraghty 2/44) def Cambridge 159 (Clinton Hawke 62, Pat Rosser 32, Kieren Deland 2/25, Jacob Townsend 2/27, Richard Foan 2/35). Coachman won by 16 runs.
Man-of-the-match Foan recorded a Herculean effort in scoring 97 before being run out just short of a well-deserved century.
He then backed up to bowl 12 very tight overs in taking 2/35 before he rushed off to work.
No doubt he would have slept well after such a mammoth day!
Coachman just failed to secure a batting bonus point as Andrew Britt (25) and Kieren Deland (21) gave valuable support to Foan.
Andrew Yeo (2/22) and Anthony Heraghty (2/44) toiled manfully for Cambridge.
In reply, Cambridge were soon in big trouble as Andrew Britt and Foan crashed through the top order to have them 3/10 off eight overs.
A determined knock of 62 from Clinton Hawke and big hitting from Pat Rosser (32) and Will Harry (30) helped revive the Cambridge innings.
Demons eventually secured a well-deserved and hard-fought victory as all the bowlers contributed well.
Royals 3/296 (Ben Hawken 98*, Phil Dunford 69*, Myles Smith 52, Nathan Munday 2/24) def Reedy Creek 120 (Paul Carty 69, Grant Dunn 10, Lachlan Britt 5/7, Phil Dunford 2/20). Royals won by 176 runs.
Royals demonstrated why they are clear-cut competition leaders by putting in a very convincing all-round effort to defeat Reedy Creek.
Batting first, Myles Smith (52), Allan Jewell and Lachlan Britt all did well to give Royals a decent start before a mammoth unbeaten 182-run partnership between Ben Hawken (98 not out) and Phil Dunford (69 not out).
Nathan Munday (2/24) stood out like a beacon as the top Reedy Creek bowler.
In reply, Paul Carty continued his rich vein of batting form to score a masterly 69 as he and Grant Dunn put on 56 for the first wicket.
However, the remainder of the Reedy Creek batting crumbled as Lachlan Britt took the stunning figures of 5/7 from just four overs.
Dunford backed up his fine batting performance with 2/20.
B grade results
Game played February 11:
Bowling Club 8/144 (Alec Bateson 40, Mitch Hutchings 22, Jeet Mand 4/35, Col Radley 2/10) def Northparkes 90 (Col Radley 41, Anisul Hague 20, Mat Swindle 4/11, Steve Bateson 3/21). Bowling Club won by 54 runs.
Game played last Saturday:
Northparkes 6/134 (Dylan Morgan 54, Col Radley 28, Ben Coultas 2/22) def Grand Hotel 64 (Corey Rowbotham 26, Col Radley 4/2, Tyson Spence 2/22). Northparkes won by 70 runs.
This game saw Northparkes demonstrate why they will be hard to defeat during the remaining games this season as they recorded a resounding victory over Grand.
Led by a splendid all-round effort from Col Radley (28 runs and 4/2 from 6 overs) and a blockbusting 54 from 40 balls by Dylan Morgan, Northparkes were just too good.
Youngster Tyson Spence also had a good all-round game in scoring 14 and taking 2/22.
For Grand, Corey Rowbotham played an aggressive innings of 26, Ben Coultas took 2/22 and Jonty Ralph showed improving form behind the stumps to secure two lightning stumpings.
Doug Keith, Brad Parker and Jayden Capple all took smart catches.
Unfortunately, Grand captain Brad Parker received a painful foot injury after being struck by a Col Radley yorker.
pointscore
A grade - Royals 62, Reedy Creek 38, Cambridge 30, Coachman 27.
B grade - Bowling Club 33, Grand 20, Northparkes 10.
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