Bogan Gate holds Grinsted Cup as Summer ends

The village club won the final challenge of the season, from founding club Forbes, on Saturday on a slightly damp Spicer Oval surface on Saturday.

The Rampant Rabbits batted first and set their challengers a total of 174 to chase, then cleaned up Forbes' wickets for 120 runs.

That makes 11 successful challenges since the club re-formed: this Summer they held strong against Forbes, Cowra, Grenfell, Trundle and Condobolin.

Bogan Gate's Andrew Britt paid tribute to Myles Smith for an incredible season with both bat and ball, with an 818 against Forbes on a scorching afternoon a bowling stint that had Bogan Gate talking.

"I haven't done all the stats but he's got a bucketload of wicket and a bucketload of runs," Britt said.

Britt, along with Myles and his twin brother Blake, were at the core of the group that reformed the Bogan Gate team to contest the historic Grinsted competition - and wrested the Cup from Cowra's grasp on 20 February 2022.

"It was always talked about amongst us," Britt said.

With the cricket skill in the rural community - both those who play in Saturday and rep competitions and those who step up for Grinsted Cup - it's been terrific.

"Everyone's still loving it, we're still getting good numbers of supporters there," Britt said. "Plenty of people are talking about it around the place."

It's all about community with family names well known in the farming district: Ryan Dunford playing alongside dad Phil and Paul Dunford on the weekend joined by son Jack Dunford in his Grinsted Cup debut.

On Saturday, Myles Smith (51) and Paul Dunford (27) got the hosts away to a solid but steady start, amassing 59 runs off nine overs before Forbes' Toby Hurford was rewarded for his efforts bowling Dunford in the 10^th.

Smith was Bogan Gate's top scorer as the side amassed 174 runs off 49 overs, with Phil Dunford 31 not out.

Hurford would take six for 91 in a marathon 24-over bowling effort in the cooler conditions that greeted the players and spectators.

From the other end, Nick Greenhalgh claimed 4/46 off his 19 overs; M Simmons kept the pressure on with a maiden over and 31 scored off his six.

Forbes too had a good start to their innings:

Jordy Brett (12) and Pete Webb (24) headed to the centre and chipped away before Israel Symington struck in the 13^th.

As the pressure mounted to increase the run rate both were caught out to have Forbes 2/37 in the 15^th.

Symington claimed 4/20 off his 11 overs, and Phil Dunford 3/41 off his eight to contain Forbes' innings, with Jack Cole (31) the top contributor toward the visitors' total of 120.

Nick Greenhalgh and Coopa Martin added 11 apiece, Jayme Sherritt 8 and Charlie Mitton 6.