The Collie A-grade cricket team hosted Hay Park on Saturday in what proved to be a very competitive game.
Collie lost the toss and were sent into the field where tearaway young quick Aiden Parkin and veteran swing bowler Jason Borrett had first crack at the Hay Park batsmen. Parkin managed to take the wicket of Hay Park captain Jono Whitney early with Brayden Kent taking a sharp catch at mid-off. Borrett bowled well but without luck and Hay Park built a slow and steady total. With “spin” bowler Matt Tanner taking two wickets just before drinks to have Hay Park 3/80 at drinks the game was well balanced.
Hay Park rallied after drinks but never really got away from Collie with some economical bowling from Mark Williams, Brayden Kent and Tanner. With the last 10 overs looming, debutant Tyson “Door Mat” Hayes had the ball in hand and bowled perfectly for the situation.
With Hay Park batting aggressively Hayes managed to take three wickets while going at less than five runs an over. With Borrett taking a wicket at the death also, Collie managed to restrict Hay Park to 180 from their 50 overs.
Collie’s best bowlers: T. Hayes 3 for 24 from 5, M. Tanner 2 for 29 from 10, J. Borrett 1 for 30 from 9.
With a competitive total to chase, the start was the key and openers Blair Malatesta and Brayden Kent stepped up.
Both batsmen controlled the opening bowlers well and when Malatesta was run out for 40 Collie were well on their way. Mark Williams joined Brayden and got the total to 84 before he was out LBW. Brayden was joined by little brother Austin Kent and showed him how it is done, raising his bat for 50 runs for the first time in his A-grade career.
The partnership and game was going along nicely until Austin was bowled for seven with the score on 115. Captain Greg Tomasini joined Brayden and advanced the total to 133 before Brayden was caught on the boundary for a well made 66.
With Collie at 4 for 133 with 15 overs to go and the captain Tomasini to bat with Fraser Hislop, Tanner and the tail for the 50 runs needed the game was still very much in Collie’s to lose.
Unfortunately, a lower order collapse took place that saw Collie lose 6 for 32 with Tomasini managing 22 of that total with batting partners falling around him. Hayes and Borrett did put up a fight at the death but when Borret was bowled for three and Hayes left stranded on six, Collie was still 16 runs short.
A disappointing end to a game that Collie controlled for all but the last 15 overs.
Collie’s best batsmen: B. Kent 66, B. Malatesta 40, G. Tomasini 22.
Pine Hauliers A-grade man of the match: Brayden Kent, 76 points.
Next week sees an away bus trip to Dallyellup to take on the Beach Boys on Saturday. The return of experienced batsmen Seth White and Tom Plummer to the batting line-up will hopefully ensure that collapses are avoided. With Collie’s bowling line-up on song, managing a total of 200+ will be enough to win games on a regular basis.