Veteran Wine Country first grader Darren Sutton became the first association bowler this season to claim a hat-trick in the round 15 game against Supporters Club at Allandale last Saturday to set up a much-needed 42-run victory for his side.
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The 35-year-old left-arm opening swing bowler took the new ball and claimed the holy grail of bowling with the last ball of his fourth over and the first two deliveries of his fifth over.
He knocked over the in-form Justin Brown to complete his fourth over; he then started his fifth over by trapping Ryan Eagles in front LBW.
But it was the hat-trick ball that he saved his best delivery for – a beautiful in-swinger to Goannas skipper Nathan Stapleford that moved away off the seam to catch the outside edge, with Wood Ducks wicket-keeper Luke Jeans diving full stretch to his right to snare the catch in his right glove to complete a memorable afternoon.Sutton finished with figures of 3-23 off 10 very good overs.
Wine Country batted first and managed just a neat 100 after being bowled out in the 29th over of the scheduled 40-over contest.
Skipper Stephen Hedger led the way with 26, with Brent Mendyk (23) and Matt McCarthy (20) also making starts. Stapleford was Supporters’ best with the new ball, claiming a very economical 3-12 off six, with Brown (3-24 off six) and Paul Wright (2-23 off five) also bowling well.
The Goannas were on the back foot early in reply and never really recovered to be eventually all bowled out inside 25 overs for 58. Seth Knott (17no), Sam Weekes (11) and Tyrone Weekes (10) were the only batsmen to make double figures.
Wine Country opening bowler Rob Sidebottom may have been overshadowed by his opening partner’s hat-trick, but he was responsible for starting the rot and finishing it, knocking over the top order then cleaning up the tail to return the very impressive figures of 6-14 off nine.
The win elevated the Wood Ducks from the bottom of the ladder up into fourth spot.
Greta/Branxton also kicked the new year off in style and jumped into outright second place with their eight-wicket victory over an understrength Bellbird at Miller Park. With the Tigers missing five of their regular first-graders, the competition leaders batted first and managed just 108 after being bowled out in the 37th over.
Number nine batsman Nic Siers pressed claim for a promotion in future weeks with an unbeaten 40, with competition leading run-scorer Jason Orr the only other batsman to make any sort of impression with a patient 34.
Wickets were fairly evenly distributed amongst the Greta/Branxton seamers, with Andrew Bercini (3-25 off 8.3), Brent Watson (2-22 off 10) and Craig Brook (2-19 off nine) all proving difficult to get away.
The Blues cruised to victory in reply inside 24 overs, reaching the target after losing just the two wickets. Skipper Josh Dagg shrugged off a hectic couple of weeks off the field to lead the way with 40, opening partner Mark Bercini scratched around for 38, with Damien Frize putting the icing on the cake with an unbeaten 21.
Jason Orr (1-21 off six) and Craig Schumacher (1-15 off four) were the wicket-takers for Bellbird.
Mulbring enjoyed the week off with the bye.
SECOND GRADE
Wine Country 163 (N. Hurn 55no, S. Morley 39, P. Davis 25, M. Hedger 16, Luke Sweeney 4-33 off 10, Ross O’Connell 3-47 off 9.1, Phil Hicks 2-32 off 7) defeated Supporters 99 (Rosco O’Connell 51, Aaron Sweeney 11, N. Hurn 4-25 off 8.3, W. Harris 4-14 off 4).
Greta/Branxton 65 (Brock Charnock 27, Peter MacKenzie 15no, Jay Bobba 4-16 off 4.3, Dale Johnson 2-10 off 6, Reece Brown 2-12 off 3) defeated Peden’s Hotel 61 (Jay Bobba 26no, Brock Charnock 3-12 off 7, Andrew Partridge 3-19 off 8, Marco Turkalj 2-11 off 3, Mick Regan 2-20 off 3.4).
Paxton 137 (Jack Morris 43, Brandon Lee 37, C. Ross 3-16 off 5.1, M. Harwood 2-46 off 10, W. Watson 2-4 off 2) defeated Mulbring 84 (C. Halliwell 46, M. Harwood 12, Steve Russell 3-13 off 6.4, Ben Reed 2-11 off 6, Jeremy Hewitt 2-36 off 10).
Bellbird bye.
THIRD GRADE
Wine Country 8/143 (T. Apthorpe 40, S. Peachman 31, Jamie Spence 20, B. Miezis 16, Scott Minter 3-27 off 9, Greg Brodie 3-29 off 10) defeated Supporters 137 (Todd Ballenden 55no, Scott Minter 48, D. Read 4-43 off 8, A. Moyle 4-3 off 3).
Bellbird 6/179 (P. Lennard 47, S. Anderson 38, D. Stoker 24, M. Schreiber 23, M. Stevens 17, Murray Wilkinson 3-30 off 7) defeated Greta/Branxton 91 (Sean Wright 39, Craig Gillings 28, M. Stevens 5-8 off 7, D. Stoker 2-28 off 8, S. Anderson 2-8 off 6.3).
Peden’s Hotel 54 (Glen Thorley 19, Scott Turner 19, Ken Barnett 4-22 off 8, G. Kelso 3-5 off 4) drew with Laguna 3/23 (J. Bailey 8no, E. Smith 5no, Dylan Smith 2-6 off 6) match abandoned due to lightning and rain.
FOURTH GRADE
Mulbring 152 (Darren Young 50, Phil Cook 28, Michael Lions 18, Geoff Browning 17, S. Burgess 4-42 off 10, Craig Dodds 2-19 off 5, Shaun Capararo 2-39 off 8, Shaun Czemerys 2-17 off 4) defeated Peden’s Hotel 87 (Tom Lantry 31, Shaun Capararo 17no, Craig Dodds 16, Phil Cook 5-19 off 10, Adrian Kirkham 2-44 off 8.2, Gopita Lupula 2-8 off 3.2).
Denman Hotel 2/160 (S. Croucher 82no, A. Bartley 31, T. Fitzpatrick 15no, D. Cox 1-29 off 7, B. Briedenhann 1-21 off 5) defeated Wine Country 147 (B. Briedenhann 92, S. Larson 14, T. Fitzpatrick 2-16 off 5).
Paxton 7/63 (Mark Scott 21no, Micky Read 11 retired hurt, Aaron Stephenson 3-26 off 5, Dion Charnock 2-6 off 5) defeated Greta/Branxton Blue 60 (Neil Bird 27, Jacob Garrington 6-30 off 10, Brendan Hayes 2-8 off 5, Mark Scott 2-22 off 6).
Greta/Branxton White 0/76 (Ben Hogan 50no, Will Regan 26no) defeated Supporters 69 (M. Wiese 14, S. Mitchell 12no, Hayden Regan 2-11 off 5, Connor Thomson 2-1 off 3).