Kai Steele performed well with bat and ball on Saturday.
The T20 format in the SWSCL division two has begun within some teams loving the new format and some struggling.
Temora Renegades VS Temora Leprechauns at Nixon park was the battle of Temora between the Temora Ex-Services Renegades and the Temora Shamrock Hotel Leprechauns.
The Renegades won the toss and elected to bat, which was a costly decision as they fell 2-4 to start their innings.
A 3-1 off four overs from Leprechaun’s Daniel Flack and 3-16 off f our overs from Rhys Wood was enough to bowl the Renegades out for 65 off 18.3 overs.
The top scorer for the Renegades was captain Adam Swanston, who scored 16 off 22 and the next best was Ben Logue with 10 of 13. Ben Logue opened the bowling for the Renegades and started them off well with 2-16 off four overs. Whilst Ben started his team off well, a 15 off 15 from Josh Duffy, a 14 off 22 from Lachlan Leary and a 10 off 10 from Samuel Connely was enough for the Leprechauns to chase down the Renegades.
The Leprechauns won the game five wickets down, using 12.2 of their overs in their victory over the Renegades.
Temora Tigers VS Murringo Mavericks
The Temora Bowling Club Tigers won the toss at Nixon park and decided to bat against the Murringo Mavericks in the T20 match.
Some great bowling from Murringo Mavericks led by a 4-16 from captain Mark Jolliffe had the Tigers in trouble at 4-8. With the game slipping away Patrick Robinson stepped up for the Tigers and blasted balls all around the ground. Patrick smacked every bowler all over the park, scoring 102 off 52 balls not out with 11 fours and 5 sixes.
A great 100 run partnership from Patrick and Richard Potter, who had 37 off 30, was enough to get the Tigers to a tough to chase 7-161 off their 20 overs.
Murrigo went out to bat with a much needed aggressive mentality but quickly found themselves 2-9.
The middle order partnership of Shannon McKinney, who had 27 off 31 and Robert Flynn, who had 10 off 9, gave hope to the Mavericks.
However the Tigers were too good, Bowling Murringo out for 62 in 13.1 overs. Harden Hornets VS Young Gunners After two wins in their first two games of the season the Harden Hornets were keen to continue their hot streak and bat first against the Young Criterion Hotel Gunners.
The Hornets started poorly with both their openers going for one runs, but one of the most consistent batsmen in the competition, Drew Arabin, was there to help. Drew scored 34 and Tim Mcfarlane backed him up with a 22 of his own.
A great 31 not out from Hornet Kai Steele helped Harden climb to 8-132 off their 20 overs. Young looked dangerous in their chase with opener Liam Miller scoring 24 and the other opener Ryan Chatfield scoring 15.
piece of fine feilding from Paul Potts ran out Liam Miller and opened the wicket-takings account for Harden. Tristen Beaumont-Gillett scored 23 and captain Mark Birks scored 10 to climb Young to 4-77 at one point in the match.
Harden was in trouble but a bowling clinic from Kai Steele and Harden’s most talented player Drew Arabin brought the game down to the wire.
Young only needed 19 runs off two overs to win the game, but the wicket taking power from Harden was too much as they were bowled out.
Harden took the victory and now remain undefeated after their move from the Yass competition to the SWSCL division two.
Bribbaree Rams VS Boorowa
The Bribbaree Rams won the toss and elected to bat, which seemed like a bad decision as they were 2-19 in the early stages of the match.
A great 83 run partnership between Joshua Cameron and Jack Woods steadied the ship before Bribbaree’s Cameron Johnston took 3-15 for Boorowa.
Joshua finished 69 off 57 with 9 fours and two sixes and Jack finished 26 off 40 to get Bribbaree to 6-120 off their 20 overs.
Boorowa captain Brendan Shean started his team’s chase off well, scoring 59 off 48 with nine fours and two sixes.
Boorowas’s number three batsman Will Stanley finished the chase with a 52 off 45 not out, with five fours and two sixes. Boorowa finished 2-125 off 16.4 overs in their batting-dominant victory over Bribbaree.
Fixtures The ladder is very tight coming into the second week of T20 games, with the Temora Bowling Club Tigers sitting atop with 22 points.
The Harden Hornets are a close second with 20 points and the Bribbaree Rams, the Temora Shamrock Hotel Leprechauns and Temora Ex-Services renegades are equal third on 14 points.
Young Criterion Hotel Gunners are in sixth place and Boorowa and the Murring Mavericks are in equal last place.
This weekend the Harden Hornets play the Temora Ex-Services Renegades at Tim Doolan Oval. Boorowa will be taking on the Young Criterion Hotel Gunners at the Boorowa Sports ground.
The Temora Bowling Club Tigers are taking on the Bribbaree Rams at The Oval in Temora.
The Last game of the weekend is the Temora Shamrock Hotel Leprechauns facing off against the Murringo Mavericks at Nixon park 2.
This Saturday is set to be another action-packed day full of all the things we love to see in our region’s cricket.
Ed Dodds
