Dominant displays in Saturday cricket
By Mick Cattanach.
Two dominant displays featured in Saturday's senior cricket, with one team dominant with bat while the other was dominant with the ball.
In the first game, Riverina batted first against Titans and got off to a flying start, with Liam Whitbourne and Dean Aylett putting on a century opening stand.
Both departed at that point, but the Riv innings continued its momentum with quick fire 20s from Ben Phillips, Jason Aylett and Jesse Thomson.
The primary highlight for the Titans was a spectacular running catch by Titans legend Pragnesh Patel.
At the close of the Riv innings they had reached the imposing total of 204 runs. In reply, the Titans were in trouble against the Riv openers Liam Whitbourne and Bill Auldist, losing three wickets early.
The pressure continued with Dean and Jesse taking wickets, with only Ajay Patel providing any resistance as he hit 36 off only 28 balls. Blake Gray chimed in at the end to collect three wickets of his own as the Titans fell for 63, to see the Riv dominant winners on the day.
Riverina Hotel 5/204 (L Whitbourne 58, D Aylett 41, B Phillips 26, J Aylett 25 not out, J Thomson 21, R Aylett 13) defeated Hay Titans (A Patel 36, B Gray 3/7, J Thomson 2/6, D Aylett 2/16, B Auldist 2/19).
In the second game South Hay Colts batted first against South Hay Crusaders, getting off to a good start being 0 for 45 after 8 overs before Jensen Hargreaves was caught off the bowling of David Caldow for 38 off 35 balls.
This triggered a massive collapse where the Colts lost 9 for 19, as Charlie Wythes on his return to cricket picked up wickets with his canny mediums getting a five for 13 through the middle overs, as the Colts were bowled out for 64 in over 18.
In reply, Crusaders made batting look easy, with opening batsmen Simon Bunyan and Zac O'Neil gathering in the total in the thirteenth over with no loss, to see the Crusaders run out convincing winners in the South battle.
South Hay Colts 63 all out (J Hargreaves 38, C Wythes 5/13, D Caldow 2/15) were defeated by South Hay Crusaders 0/67 (S Bunyan 34 not out, Z O'Neil 26 not out).
Hay cricket is going gangbusters this year, with so many young cricket stars playing in high profile sporting competitions, and each round of Saturday cricket hotly contested. Image: The Riverine Grazier/Margie McClelland.
