Mariners have their work cut out

Rockingham-Mandurah will need to step up after Melville took the honours in round 12 of the WA Premier Cricket season.

First grade will be chasing 311 at Lark Hill and all but the third-grade side will be coming from behind this Saturday.

Melville won the toss and elected to bat in the battle of the top six teams and grasped the early ascendancy with 1-108.

Lachlan Pratt removed Tom Scollay (64) and Matthew Wiley (5) and the Mariners could sense an opening with the visitors at 4-135.

The Storm found two more half-century partnerships to push the score beyond 200 and then 300 as Pratt took the bowling honours with 3-89.

Joel Marion stepped up as leading wicket-taker Brendon Diamanti returned to the line-up, but only as a batsman, with the left-armer working hard for 2-54 from 21 overs. Kyle Gardiner, back from Dubai with the Australian under-19s, nipped in for 2-66.

Second grade coughed up first innings points after being bundled out for 96. Chris Bradbury slapped 53 from 57 balls to give the only moment of light in the Mariners' batting effort.

Matt France and Aaron Burrage went to work and kept Melville in check as they declared at 9-181 after 55 overs. France opened with 3-50 while Burrage has taken eight wickets in the past three innings to finish with 3-22.

At stumps, Rockingham-Mandurah were a perilous 2-16 in their second innings, still trailing Melville by 69 runs.

Third grade bowled Melville out for 138 to take the whip hand at Lark Hill. All six bowlers used took a wicket as Tony Coulson, Adam France and Nathan Hutchison took two each.

Carey Green went to stumps on 51 not out as the Mariners cruised to 1-77 at stumps and put a stranglehold on the match.

Sean Guppy struck 65 and Matthew Lyons made 43 in fourth grade's total of 160 at Tompkins Park. Mitchell Steele (1-4) struck late as the visitors kept tight lines to hold Melville to 1-30.

The junior boys will need to have the better of the second day to bring a win home as Melville bustled into strong positions.

The under-17s will chase Melville's 9-231 at Lark Hill after Jaxon Standing was the pick of the bowlers with 3-50.

Ronan Hogarth stood firm in the Mariners under-15s score of 122 as his 60 gave the bowlers a target. Melville were 1-18 at stumps.

In Sunday's play, the lady Mariners fell by eight wickets to University as their score of 90 was not enough. The under-14 boys lost by 26 runs to Gosnells as Patric Ramsay and Jamie Palmer snared three wickets each.