HALF-CENTURIES to skipper Luke Towers and Drew Porter and an all-round performance from Ryan Duffield helped deliver Melville a 33-run win over Midland-Guildford in Premier Cricket action at Lilac Hill on Saturday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Towers (61 from 98) and Blake Reed (37 from 67) shared in a patient opening stand of 102 which set the foundation for the Storm’s score of 9-239 from their 50 overs.
After pushing past 100, Towers and Reed were dismissed in quick succession.
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READ NOWTom Scollay and Matthew Wiley were dismissed cheaply but Duffield sparked life back into the innings when he crunched four boundaries, including three over the fence, in a quick-fire 42 from 27 deliveries.
His blast through the middle pushed the total to 239, before he got to work with the ball.
Duffield’s 3-20 from seven overs included the scalps of Midland-Guildford opener Hayden Cobley (25 from 44) and first drop Jordan Mast (13 from 10).
Danger-man Dominic Sibley (75 from 96) was undone by Reed to leave the hosts at 5 -146 but Jack Baker threatened to deliver his side the win with 53 from 72.
Porter and Reed combined to eventually dismiss Baker, with the final two wickets falling quickly to see Midland-Guildford all out for 206.
Melville is in sixth place after its seventh win of the campaign, while their opponents are in 14th place.
The Storm next plays Fremantle on Saturday.