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Cricket: T20 round 3 action from around the grounds, with lots of tight contests

Matt ZisEastern Reporter

Wanneroo v Gosnells

Wanneroo has left the door open for a shot at sneaking into the finals, defeating Gosnells by 10 runs on Sunday at Kingsway Sports Ground, winning its first T20 match since last season’s Grand Final.

After being sent in to bat, the Roos struggled for consistency early, failing to find a noteworthy partnership as they battled to 4-60.

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However, run scoring machine Haydn Slodecki came to the crease in fine form, partnering with Kyle Millar to blow the match wide open after producing a brilliant 96-run fifth-wicket partnership.

The pair finished off the innings in style for Wanneroo, boosting the total to 4-156 after batting out the final overs.

Slodecki ended the day unbeaten with 60 runs from 35 deliveries, while Millar finished with 38 from 23.

With a solid target to chase down, Gosnells also found the going tough early, struggling to find a significant partnership and falling to 3-63.

As the need for runs became more urgent, Gosnells captain Matthew Leipold upped the ante, combining perfectly with Brodee Foster to construct a much-needed 74-run fourth-wicket stand.

The pair boosted the total to 137, before the loss of Leipold for 64 appeared to end the Roos’ fight.

Gosnells could only add a further nine runs to the total, falling just 10 runs short and handing Wanneroo its first victory.

Midland-Guildford v Scarborough

Scarborough has managed to finish the T20 home and away season with a perfect 3-0 record after defeating Midland-Guildford by five wickets on Sunday at Lilac Hill.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Black Swans openers wobbled their way to 2-29, before Keaton Critchell and Andrew McBrine settled the batting line-up with a 33-run partnership.

However, at 3-62, Scarborough’s bowlers began to get on top of the Black Swans’ batting line-up, working beautifully in tandem with one another.

The Black Swans could not find another meaningful partnership throughout the innings, falling to 8-131 at the end of the 20 overs, as Liam Morris, Ryan Knight and Cody Rose combined for six wickets.

Critchell was the main thorn in Scarborough’s side, scoring 34 runs from 27 balls.

With a small total to chase down, Scarborough started its innings in similar fashion to Midland-Guildford, losing openers Nicholas Maiolo and Lochie Hardy cheaply to be 2-22.

However, Jeremy Boyle and Edward Barnard found their rhythm at the crease, combining for 39 runs to push the total up to 3-61 following the loss of Boyle.

Andrew Tye then came to the crease with a point to prove, after failing to snag a wicket.

Tye went on a batting rampage after coming in at number 5, belting 45 runs from 26 deliveries, including two fours and three sixes in a superb performance.

Tye’s antics boosted the score to 5-117, putting victory just within arms-length of the Gulls.

Liam Knight and Samuel Moylan ended up securing the winning runs, reaching Midland-Guildford’s total with 13 balls to spare.

Claremont-Nedlands v Willetton

Claremont-Nedlands has defeated Willetton by seven wickets following a comprehensive performance on Sunday at Cresswell Park.

After being sent in to bat, Willetton found itself under immense pressure early, losing openers Cameron Bancroft and Stuart Biss to fall to 2-11.

However, a fighting 47-run partnership to Aaron Hardie and Will Rhodes put the Dragons back in the match.

Although Willetton looked to be settling into the match, the removal of Rhodes by Haydan Morton triggered a huge batting collapse, as Morton and Chris Simpson ran riot with the ball.

The Dragons lost seven wickets in the space of 49 runs, freefalling to 9-107. Simpson (3-9) and Morton (3-17) combined for six wickets, sending a warning to the competition after restricting the Dragons to 9-109 at the end of the 20 overs.

With a small total to chase down, the Tigers got off to a rocky start, falling to 3-33 after some impressive work from Rhodes with the ball.

However, that’s where Willetton’s defence ended, as Morton and Joel Paris combined to produce a match-winning 77-run fourth-wicket partnership to chase down Willetton’s total in the 15th over.

Morton finished the day with a quick-fire 51 runs from 36 balls, which included six fours and one six.

The Tigers finished first in the Group B division and will be looking to atone for last season’s Grand Final loss.

Mount Lawley v Perth

Mount Lawley has executed a sensational run chase to defeat Perth by 10 wickets on Sunday after chasing down 133 without losing a wicket at Breckler Park.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Perth ignored the loss of opener Tom Scollay at 1-8 to regroup through Joel Curtis and Christian Smith.

The pair added 43 runs to the total before disaster struck for the Demons.

Perth found itself in the midst of a batting collapse, losing four wickets in the space of 21 runs to be precariously placed at 5-72.

Sean Roberts and unlikely run source Josh Nicholas managed to add some respectability to the scoreboard, producing a 35-run sixth-wicket stand, before Mohamed Ijaz found his range with the ball to remove Roberts at 6-107.

Nicholas continued to turn over the strike, along with Jacob Van Galen and Jack Baker, boosting the total to a defendable 7-133 at the end of the innings.

With the target set, Mount Lawley could not have responded in better fashion.

James Newnham and Michael Klinger destroyed Perth’s bowling attack, hitting the rope and clearing it with ease.

The prolific pair produced a magnificent 134-run opening partnership to chase down Perth’s total within 17 overs.

Newnham ended the innings on 76 runs from 55 balls, which included seven fours and three sixes, while Klinger scored 52 from 47, in a typically measured performance.

The win secured the Hawks a finals berth, while Perth’s third straight loss of the T20 competition sees the Demons finish fourth in the Group C division and miss out on finals action.

Melville v Bayswater-Morley

Melville has recorded its third win in a row, defeating Bayswater-Morley by 14 runs in a low-scoring affair on Sunday at Tompkins Park.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Melville looked to be in trouble early at 1-5 after losing opener Luke Towers.

However, Blake Reed and Sean Terry righted the ship, punching out a quick-fire 44-run partnership.

The Bears fought back through Jonty Wilde, Ross Loiacono and Jarrad Daniells though, taking four wickets in the space of 26 runs to put the Storm back on their heels.

With the game on the line early at 5-75, Tom Smith and Andrew Needham elevated as required, producing a much-needed 41-run partnership to give Melville a defendable total.

Needham continued to nudge the score along after Smith’s dismissal, with Melville finishing with 6-127 after batting the full 20 overs.

Terry was instrumental for Melville, scoring 48 runs from 28 balls, crunching six fours and two sixes along the way.

In response, the Bears, began their innings eerily similar to Melville’s, losing opener Grant Thistle at 1-4, before regrouping with a 37-run partnership to Aaron and Mitchell Todd.

However, unlike the Storm, Bayswater-Morley lost their second wicket at 2-41 and could not recover, losing a further six wickets in the space of 58 runs to crumble to 8-99.

Daniells and Wilde did their best to salvage the innings and steal an unlikely victory, but the damage had already been done, as the pair ran out of time and fell 14 runs short of Melville’s total.

Usman Quadir and Brad Turner did the damage with the ball for the Storm, combining for four wickets in a restrictive performance.

Subiaco-Floreat v Country XI

Subiaco-Floreat has finished off the T20 season in style, defeating the Country XI by 33 runs on Sunday at Floreat Park.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Lions failed to capitalise on their early opportunities, falling to 3-26.

However, Cameron Green partnered with Aaron Lilly, putting the innings back on track with a superb 79-run partnership.

With the score boosted to 105, the Country XI bowlers fought their way back into the match, getting the breakthrough wicket of Lilly and snaring another two wickets, all in the space of six runs to put the match back up for grabs at 6-111.

Green anchored the back end of the innings for the Lions, boosting the score to 140 before being removed for 75.

The Lions could only muster seven more runs for the innings, ending on 9-147.

Green top-scored with a hard-hitting 75 runs from 56 balls, while Rodney Shemeld, Patrick Butler and Jay Collard combined for six wickets for the Country XI.

With a tricky target to chase down, the Country XI suffered a similar fate to the Lions early in the run chase, losing openers Bevan Bennell and Zane Marwick cheaply at 2-17.

Nathan Crosby and Christopher Marrow put the game back on an even keel, producing a quick-fire 56-run partnership.

However, the loss of Crosby for 40 at 3-73 saw the Country XI spiral downwards quickly, losing four wickets in the space of 28 runs, crumbling to 7-109. With the finish line fast approaching, the Country XI could only manage five more runs, falling 33 runs short of the Lions’ target at 7-114.

Tim Monteleone and Cameron Green were impressive with the ball for the Lions, taking two wickets each to help secure the victory.

University v Rockingham-Mandurah

University has chased down a small Rockingham-Mandurah total in style, claiming an eight-wicket win on Sunday at James Oval.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Mariners exploded through openers James Bracey and Adam France.

The damaging pair put on a terrific opening partnership worth 71 runs, before University fought back in a big way.

The loss of France sparked a horrendous batting collapse for the Mariners, with Chris Sabburg and Ashton Agar dominating with the ball.

Rockingham-Mandurah lost its final nine wickets in the space of 45 runs to be bowled out for a measly 127.

Sabburg was outstanding with the ball, taking 4-12 from his four overs, while Agar was equally as damaging, taking 3-31.

After such a promising start from the Mariners, the total of 127 was still defendable, but would have disappointed head coach Kris Kennedy.

With a small target to chase down, Will Bosisto and Ashton Agar blew the Mariners’ bowlers away with precision and power, opening the run chase with a 104-run partnership.

Bosisto was eventually removed after producing 66 scintillating runs from 50 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes.

Sabburg came and went moments later, run out for a diamond duck in bizarre circumstances, before Viv Paver came to the crease and hit the winning runs with Agar in the 16th over.

Agar finished the innings unbeaten with 52 runs from 39 balls, blasting four sixes in a dominant display.

Fremantle v Country XI

Fremantle has secured top spot on the Group D division ladder following an impressive five-wicket win over the Country XI on Sunday at Alderbury Reserve.

After being sent in to bat, Zane Marwick and Bevan Bennell opened the Country XI’s innings with a bang, producing a 70-run first-wicket stand.

Although the two openers got the visitors off to a flyer, Fremantle hit back through Jack Camarda and Ross Macauley, who took three wickets in the space of 50 runs.

At 3-120, Fremantle managed to slow the run scoring to a trickle, as the Country XI finished with 3-134 after a promising start.

Bennell was simply amazing throughout the innings for the Country XI, finishing the innings unbeaten with 75 runs from 61 deliveries, which included six fours and three sixes.

Fremantle then hit the crease with confidence and a smallish target to chase down. However, some of that confidence might have been lost after losing Sam Whiteman early at 1-21.

Thomas Abell then joined opener Ashton Turner at the crease, with the pair swinging the momentum back in Fremantle’s favour.

After boosting the total to 88 following a 67-run partnership, Country XI bowlers turned the match on its head, taking three quick wickets to have Fremantle under duress at 4-100.

With the match coming down to the wire, Ashton Turner pushed the total to 122 before being dismissed for a well-earnt half-century, edging Fremantle closer to victory.

Jarryd McPhee then joined Matthew Micale at the crease to hit the winning runs with 12 balls to spare, securing the five-wicket win to head into finals full of steam.