Cricket: Mariners put the heat on

The Mariners First Grade pulled off a well-deserved victory against Bayswater in their Round 9 match of the WACA competition at Lark Hill on Saturday.

With the temperature rising, Rockingham Mandurah found themselves in the field, but it was the Bayswater batsmen who succumbed to the oppressive conditions.

At lunch the Mariner’s bowlers were well on top with Bayswater struggling to 6 for 56.

It didn’t get any better for Bayswater.

Despite dogged defence, they were bowled out for 102.

Craig Simmons (3 for 12), Aiden Andrews (2/19) and debutant Liam Mead (3/8) were the pick of the bowlers.

Wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman was involved in four dismissals and Brendon Diamanti took three slips catches to offer great support.

By close of play, Craig George (41) and Brayden Sutton (37) had knocked off 88 of the runs.

Victory was soon reached on day two and then it was a quest for quick runs to give the team a chance of an outright win.

Simmons (66) and Sam Whiteman (49) responded, but the run chase caused wickets to tumble and the Mariners were all out for 212.

Bayswater negotiated the second innings with relative ease.

Despite the loss of seven wickets, they batted to safety, finishing the day on 240.

Ryan Done, with 4 for 66, was the leading bowler. Second Grade were in all sorts of trouble in their fixture, bowled out for 76, with Ben Wright topping the scoring with 28.

Bayswater had no trouble in passing the total and eventually declared at 5 for 231.

Rod Shemald took 4 for 77 on his return to the club.

A much better performance in their second innings saw the Mariners get to 7 for 179, denting Bayswater’s chase for an outright victory.

John Murphy, in a welcome return to form, scored 60, and Craig Fulford scored 39 runs.

A one-day fixture saw Third Grade batting first and with the inclusion of some senior players they were hoping for a strong performance.

Josh Staines (33) was first out in the 10th over with the score on 70.

The Bayswater bowlers then faced a barrage from Phil Scott (112) and Al Kristenson (107), who took the score to 243 before Scott was out.

By the close of innings at 45 overs the score had reached 5 for 316.

For the first time in a long while the Mariners bowlers had a total to bowl at and the ever-reliable Lachlan Harris (4/37) and Joel Marion (3/16) produced the goods.

A well-earned victory was achieved when the last Bayswater batsman was dismissed with the score on 97.

A well-compiled 75 by Tom Lewis was the cornerstone of Fourth Grade’s innings.

Sid Menezes chipped in with 33, which included one of the biggest sixes seen at Hillcrest Reserve, enabling Fourth Grade to reach a competitive 179.

Jarrad Motu (3/34) and Ganish Chaudari (3/35) were then the main destroyers as Bayswater were all out for 155.