Twice the joy for Mariners

Rockingham-Mandurah stood up and delivered on Josh Smith's record-breaking weekend as the Mariners took two big scalps to move to 4-0 in the WACA Premier Cricket season.

On Saturday, the first grade defeated reigning premiers Joondalup at their fortress before a sweet win against coastal rivals Fremantle in Smith's 142nd top-grade match.

"The win against Joondalup was awesome, it's been a great weekend," Smith, 32, said on what he believed was the best start to the year the team had had.

The wins double in importance as part of the premiership and the 50-over competition, and with only three qualifying games to go, Rockingham-Mandurah are in the box seat to gain a semifinal berth on February 14.

At Iluka, the home team were invited to bat by Rockingham-Mandurah skipper Craig Simmons and kept a rate close to five runs per over throughout.

In a steady effort, spinners Dane Ugle (0-34 from nine overs) and Kyle Gardiner (0-44 off 10) kept the Centurions in check as the wily Simmons grabbed 4-55.

Setting out after Joondalup's 6-241, Smith went early before Tyler Robertson and Mitch Green got stuck in. Green made a bright 29 as left-handed Robertson went on to a maiden first-grade half-century.

When he departed for 59 at 3-142, former skipper Brayden Sutton stroked his second 50 of the season.

In possibly career-best form as equal leading run-scorer of the competition to date, the combative left-hander from Pinjarra calmly assembled 67 from 84 deliveries with four boundaries.

The last 50 runs were knocked off with panache as Simmons and Ugle put the finishing touches on a rare win at the northern out- post.

Simmons finished with 21 not out, but it was Ugle who hammered two fours and a six in the 48th over for 32 from 23 balls and a belief-building triumph.

Backing up the next day at Lark Hill against Fremantle, the bowlers were required in a low-scoring stoush.

The Mariners won the toss and took advantage of what appeared to be a good batting strip.

Milestone man Smith rolled along at close to a run a ball and showed the easy strokemaking that has characterised his 15 seasons at the top.

When he departed for a four-boundary 25, Green and Sutton took up the cudgels.

Green, in particular, looked compact while dispatching some beautiful square cuts in a 63-run third-wicket stand.

Trouble loomed unexpectedly when he was dismissed for 41, as three quick wickets made for a perilous 5-97. Sutton and Simmons righted the ship, but when the latter nicked Michael Hogan to the keeper on 37, another cluster of wickets cut the innings off at 166.

Sutton's 47 not out took his total to 240 runs, equal with Melville skipper Tom Scollay.

Stefan Botha stepped up to send three of Freo's top four back to the pavilion with 33 on the board.

Mainly playing a middle-of- innings role in the one-dayers, he was needed to deliver wickets and duly finished with 3-35 from his full allotment of 10 overs.

Joel Marion (2-32) and Kyle Gardiner (1-24) bowled economically to keep the pressure on the port boys, but it needed the guile of Simmons to bowl a pressure-packed final over to remove lusty-hitting Hogan, then Jamie Heath, caught at long off from the last ball to secure a memorable three-run win and second spot on the table.

The thirds and fourths won to make it three out of four against competition powerhouse Joondalup in yet more promising signs under first year coach and former Warrior Mark Atkinson.

Both wins came about through identical scorelines of the Mariners' 241 to 187 as the second grade recorded losses to both Joondalup and Fremantle.

The junior girls started their season with the closest of finishes as Rockingham-Mandurah missed out by runs against under-15s Leeming Spartans and the under-18s by an even tighter two-run margin against South City Storm.

This was rectified by the seniors on the Sunday, as the B-grade won by 16 runs against South Perth at Lark Hill, with Caitlin Crocetta (20) making more runs in the home team's 4-86 before Ashley Heazlewood's super four-over spell of 3-8 held Souths to 7-70.

The junior boys split their round 2 encounter against Joondalup with the under-17s prevailing by 25 runs, while the under-15s fell by 44 runs.

This weekend marks the return of two-day fixtures as the Mariners face Willetton as Lark Hill hosts grades 2, 4 and the under-15s.

On Sunday, the girls trek out to Lilac Hill against Midland-Guildford as the junior boys meet Melville at Lark Hill.