NYAH DISTRICT v WOORINEN
NYAH District will finish on top of the SHDCA A grade ladder for a second straight season after defeating Woorinen by seven wickets in a top of the table clash at Nyah on Saturday.
The win and resultant six points gives the Demons a 24 point buffer on the ladder to the second placed Tigers, with just three rounds remaining.
The result also leaves Woorinen at risk of sliding out of the top four for the first time since round 3, with the Tigers now just six points ahead of fifth placed Barham-Koondrook ahead of the two clubs must-win clash at Koondrook this weekend.
Batting first, Woorinen set the Demons a target of 119 for victory thanks largely to a devastating knock from reigning SHDCA best and fairest Darren Rushton, smashing eight boundaries and two sixes on his way to 72 from 81 deliveries.
Rushton would prove to play a lone hand for the visitors however, with Jason Mangiameli (17) the only other Tiger to reach double figures after Max Thompson (5-18 off 10.4 overs) and Ben Shadbolt (4-14 off 11 overs) tore through the Woorinen batting line-up.
Charlie Boulton continued his strong form at the top of the Nyah District order, scoring an equally impressive 68 not out off 74 balls, with Nash Richman (16) and Joel Walsh (23) providing strong support.
RSL v ULTIMA-TUF
ULTIMA-TUF have returned to the top four after a crushing 115-run win over cross-town rivals RSL at Gurnett Oval on the weekend.
Batting first, the Roodogs were bowled out for 228 with just two balls remaining in their innings, with a 35-run opening partnership between Lachlan Edwards (20) and Jacob Hatcher (27) getting the visitors off to a solid start.
Kyle Symons (41) soon came to the crease after Edwards was trapped in front by Henry Cox (2-61), with Hatcher and Symons then combining for a 58-run second wicket partnership, before Symons departed at the hands of Pat Caldwell (2-27).
Josh Waldron (1) and Hatcher weren’t far behind and an RSL comeback appeared to be on the cards, until captain Kade Benfield (88) and Riley Hender (13) put together a 73-run fifth wicket stand, with the score reaching 169 when Hender departed.
While wickets continued to tumble from that moment on, the runs also continued, with Benfield feasting on the Blues bowling attack until he was dismissed by Clem Miller (4-62) in the second last over.
In reply, the Blues were unable to find the same influential partnerships as the Roodogs, with consistent wickets torpedoing any chance RSL had of keeping their finals chances alive.
Paul Munro (29) top scored for the home side, while Mitch Hinton (19), Jett Hinton (17), Ryan Hinton (15) and Miller (15) all reached double figures.
For Ultima-TUF, Edwards would prove to be the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-8 from seven overs, while Lleyton Purcell and Cassidy Sibley finished with two wickets each.
