WOORINEN have carried on their blistering form, led by an opener’s big-hitting performance and a lower-order onslaught to a 64-run win over a resilient RSL.
The Tigers piled on the runs after choosing to bat at Gurnett Oval, scoring 275 before being dismissed in their final over.
Connor Fletcher got off to the perfect start, making 80 runs off 62 balls, which included seven fours and six sixes.
The Blues fought back quickly, Lleyton Purcell knocking Jackson Hughes’ stumps over in the 15th over, before three more wickets fell in the next five overs.
Patrick Caldwell had Darren Rushton caught for just three and Oscar Hier dismissed Fletcher LBW.
When a Caldwell delivery crashed into the stumps of Mitchell Uhlhorn, RSL were up and about, but the fifth-wicket pairing of Jason Mangiameli and Wade October had different ideas.
October was the more adventurous of the partnership, finding the boundary 10 times in his 76-run performance, while Mangiameli scored 34.
Tigers skipper Dean Morpeth soon became the supporting act, scoring 24, while Gurmander Singh was the last man standing, finishing with an unbeaten 18 off 18 balls.
RSL’s Caldwell brothers combined for seven wickets, Patrick taking 4/59 and Brenton with 3/47, while Hier had 2/67.
With the bat, the Blues took up the patient plan.
Opening pair Ryan Hinton and Ben Hallam survived to the 24th over, when Hinton was dismissed for 49 by Stefan Mangiameli.
Hallam continued until his LBW, bringing in-form batsman Paul Munro to the crease in the 27th over.
Munro was at his shot-making best on his way to an unbeaten 73, but the Blues fell short in the chase, managing 6/211 off their 50 overs.
St Mary’s Tyntynder wasted no time to get back on the winner’s list, chasing down Murrabit’s total in just under four overs.
Charlie King and Jack Shannahan tore through the Blues, finishing their overs with 4/12 and 4/21 respectively, as Murrabit were dismissed for just 48 runs.
It was a “blink and you’ll miss it” innings when the Bulldogs took up the bat.
Jake Foster put his foot to the floor and annihilated the opposition, smashing an unbeaten 44 off just 15 balls, smoking the ball all over the park in an innings that included nine boundaries at a strike rate of 293.3.
The 53-run opening partnership between Foster and Jonty Chaproniere led the Bulldogs to an easy 10-wicket win.
Elsewhere, Nyah District claimed a big win over Swan Hill – and one batter almost had the perfect over.
Joel Walsh dominated the run chase for the Demons, scoring 67 not out off 28, which included five fours and seven sixes.
In one over, Walsh smacked Swans spinner Ian Schodde’s only over for 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6.
Walsh was the only Nyah bat to score more than nine, but they can’t be blamed for wanting to take in the show when their partner was scoring at a strike rate of almost 240.
It took the Demons just 13 overs and two wickets to chase down Swan Hill’s total of 83.
After electing to bat, Swan Hill openers Jacob Hatcher and Lachlan Edwards had started to lay down a strong base for the Swans.
But after Max Thompson dismissed Lachlan Edwards for 17, the onslaught would begin.
Spinner Cooper Andrews did the damage for the Demons, finishing his six overs with figures of 4/7, while Walsh also took 2/11.
