Bowlers dominate return to cricket season but key batsmen innings prove decisive

Cricket season returned to Geraldton as Brady Collins single-handedly dragged Towns over the line against Bluff Point.

The defending champions were victorious by just nine runs defending 183 as Bluff Point finished 8-174.

Towns have high ambitions of achieving a threepeat for the first time in their history this season but Bluff Point were on top early after winning the toss and sending them into bat on a green looking pitch out a Muir Park.

Aaron McAullife removed Jai Russell who played on to his stumps then had Jay Comben caught and bowled with an excellent return catch.

Callum Marquis was then surprised by some sharp bounce off Matthew Russell lobbing a catch to slip to leave them struggling at 3-14.

This brought Brady Collins to the crease, who injected some impetus into the Towns batting happy to take on the short ball with runs on offer with a quick outfield.

Simon Evans, who was witness to the early carnage, hung around for 18 until Antonio Paradella had him out caught.

Captain Sam Crouch edged to slip off Callum Joss while Daniel Lennard tried one too many to be caught at mid-on to leave Towns teetering on 6-85.

Collins was still there ticking the runs over and he finally had someone to stick with him in Dan Brimson (28) as the pair added a crucial 76 for the seventh wicket as Collins brought up 50.

McAuliffe returned to remove Collins for 85 and when Josh DeLacy (17) was caught the tail quickly fell away for 183.

It marked an outstanding recovery from 6-85 but it looked as if Bluff Point had their measure as a 50 from captain Jay O’Brien had them well-placed at 3-91.

However, his 51 came at a strike rate of 50 exactly and after Jayden Pinto was removed for (33) the run rate pressure began to mount.

Collins (4-27) who already had three top-order wickets was once again the match-winner this time with the ball removing O’Brien as Bluff Point fell just short at 8-174

Out at GBSC Wanderers won out in a low scorer over Sportsman’s thanks to a 59 from Kade Gillingham.

Having been in trouble at 6-71 Gillingham stitched together a match-winning stand of 59 with Jim Hyde (15) to post a score of 141.

Jarrod Jupp had been excellent with the ball with 4-29 including the key wicket of Gillingham and Sportmans would’ve been confident in chasing down the score.

But they couldn’t get any top-order partnerships as they slumped to 5-69 before Clint Yeates (28) and new player, Andrew Korol (28), added 45 to rally Sportsmans to get themselves back in the hunt.

But after Korol fell to Justin Clarkson Sportsmans suffered a horrid collapse losing their last five wickets for 19 runs as they fell 10 runs short.

The South Midlands Cricket League action will start this weekend with Bindoon Bushrangers set to take on Lower Chittering Warriors while Moora Knights will play the Dandaragan Bears.

Watheroo will play Gingin Reds in what will be the club’s first match in eight years after the club was revived with players coming from Coorow Cricket Club and the recently folded Bindi-Miling team.