Mariners spin twins subdue Swans

Rockingham-Mandurah knocked over Midland-Guildford for a second straight win to start the first-grade WA Premier Cricket season.

A win to third grade coupled with competitive performances has got tails up at Lark Hill.

At Lark Hill, the visitors sent the Mariners in on a batting-friendly surface.

Getting the motor running was new skipper Craig Simmons with 40 off just 36 deliveries.

Brayden Sutton (34) shared two 50-plus stands with Simmons and Brendon Diamanti and at 4-129, Rockingham-Mandurah were on their way to making the Swans regret their call at the toss.

Diamanti stroked his successive half century before going shortly after for 51.

Dane Ugle put the pedal on the gas to swell the total to 8-246, ultimately the highest score around the grounds.

Ugle's fireworks came with three fours and three sixes in a rapid 62 from just 57 balls.

Midland never really challenged and were shut down by a bowling battery all singing from the same hymn book.

The spinners reaped the rewards as the visitors petered out for 189. Kyle Gardiner, playing in his first senior State game this week for WA "A" in the Futures League, tuned up with 3-48. The 18-year-old leg-spinner was supported by Simmons with 3-38 to put an exclamation point on the 57-run win which sees the Mariners join Joondalup, Gosnells and Bayswater-Morley as the only undefeated teams.

Third-grade skipper Tony Coulson showed his wealth of experience to lead his team to a six-wicket victory.

Earlier, Matthew Edwards and Durradh Hagan snared three wickets apiece as Midland-Guildford constructed 8-166. Ordinarily a chase of 167 is an even-money game but Coulson demonstrated the poise gleaned from a decade of top-grade toil with an unbeaten half century as the Mariners got the job done at 4-170 with an over in hand.

Second-grade fell one wicket away from a positive result as they nearly turned 9-170 into gold at Lilac Hill.

Lachlan Pratt top scored with 36 and Mariners' momentum continued as openers Chris Loveridge (1-23) and Aidan Andrews (1-25) bowled frugal spells.

Liam Mead, up from third grade, nearly swung the game Rockingham-Mandurah's way with 4-42. However, by using up all the main bowlers to get the Mariners so close, the last wicket pair of Midland were able to get the last 20 runs and escape with the points.

Fourth grade faltered by 66 runs as Midland's mammoth 266 was always going to be too much. Joel Humble could hold his head high with 2-29 and a blazing 65 from 60 balls.

Damien Burrage has hit the ground running and backed up a first round half-century with a superb 110 in the under-17s' score of 7-217 against Joondalup at Iluka. Burrage's dig came at a fast clip, from 133 deliveries, with nine boundaries and a six as he and Barend Grove (42) combined for 104 runs in an impressive second-wicket stand.

The female B-grade team played out a thriller before going down by seven wickets against Subiaco-Floreat. Cailtin Crocetta (32) and Jenny Brown (39no) underpinned Rockingham-Mandurah's 4-134 but the Lions stayed above the 6.5-plus run rate to reach the target with six balls to go.

Pocket rocket Josh Smith is set to become the most capped Mariner in a massive weekend for the fourth-placed Mariners.

On Saturday, they will test themselves against reigning champs Joondalup, who are the early favourites to go back-to-back.

The next day, at Lark Hill, the Mariners, on the opener's record-breaking day, will match up with Fremantle, who may have Australian representatives Shaun and Mitch Marsh in their ranks.

Play starts at 10.30am on both days as the first group of one-dayers comes to its conclusion.