Simmons dominates for Mariners

Craig Simmons put on a strokeplay showcase to get Rockingham-Mandurah to 278 against Claremont-Nedlands at Cresswell Park on Saturday.

The reigning Olly Cooley medallist as the best player in the WA Cricket Assoication first-grade competition, Simmons smashed 160 to demonstrate why he is the most valuable player the Mariners have had in their 14 seasons at the top level of WA cricket.

Simmons now possesses six of the nine highest scores by a Mariner and is within reach of 5000 topgrade runs for the club.

Withstanding four seasons away from the club as he attempted to find a regular first-class spot for NSW and WA, the 30-year-old has peeled off at least 400 runs in all but one of his nine completed seasons in maroon.

Saturday’s performance was his 14th first-grade century, the next best being Josh Smith with four.

Smith (48) combined with the burly left-hander for a fifth wicket partnership of 99 to steer the visitors to a total which gave them an even money chance.

Claremont are 0-10 at stumps where Simmons and the recuperated Chris Loveridge will be important in the quest to take 10 wickets.

Jamie Ryan put in another solid effort to pull the Tigers back in the second grade fixture at Lark Hill.

Ryan’s 3-97 was the best of another tough day at the office for the two’s bowlers with assistance coming from Callum Austen (2-41) as Claremont-Nedlands made 9-319.

Late injury withdrawals didn’t hamper the efforts of the thirds who are rolling and should polish off 63 runs to register another win after Stefan Botha and Kyle Gardiner sliced through the Tigers batting for just 114.

Botha’s 5-19 is his first senior-grade milestone haul while Gardiner ended up taking 3-24.

Rockingham-Mandurah finished a strong day one showing at 3-52 with Alex Whiteman unconquered on 33.

Briget Rhodes topped the batting and bowling in a loss to Joondalup at Iluka on Sunday.

Rhodes’ double of 2-11 and 20 off 21 balls amounted to little as Joondalup made 6-97 in the T20 match before keeping Rockingham-Mandurah to 5-69.

The junior teams are engaged in tight battles with victory dependent on quality day two efforts.

Under-17s captain Jake Eardley-Wilmot top scored with 40 and with help from Levi Muller (26) and Aaron Burrage (24) were able to make a tally of 171.

The under-15s will need to score at a tick over three runs per over to overhaul Claremont’s gettable 8-186 at Lark Hill.

Griffin Polglaze, Zachary Moody and Patrick Italiano took two wickets each.

Willetton came out on top last Sunday in two close affairs at Burrendah Reserve.

The under-14s lost in the last over trying to make 150 stand up as Barend Grove (47) and Damien Burrage (4-30) nearly got the team home.