In Saturday’s second round of the BOIDC competition, St Pats Old Boys’ Ben Parsons decimated the Orange CYMS top order, taking 5/9 from his 8 overs in their match at Bathurst Sportsground. Parsons took 5 of the first 6 wickets to fall with CYMS slumping to 7/35 and then 8/57 as Connor Slattery chimed in with 2/11 off his 8 overs. Clint Moxon (32) and Ben Orme (15) helped to put some respectability in their team's score. Ben Sennett removed both to claim 2/4 and end the CYMS innings at 89.
St Pats Old Boys lost a couple of early wickets in the chase, before Bailey Brien (42 no) and Connor Slattery (34 no) combined for a 67-run partnership to see their team home in the 22nd over, snaring a bonus point in the process.
Over the road at Morse Park, Centrals secured their first win of the season and their first in the top grade since March 2022 with a 47-run victory over Bathurst City, and in the process leapfrogging into 3rd place. Batting first, Centrals posted 170 with Freddie Wilkinson top scoring with 56 and Satveer Gill making 46 off 43 balls at number 7. Blake Kreuzberger took 3/21 for Redbacks to be the best of the bowlers, with Jamie Cruickshank (2/31) and Jed Cruickshank (2/37) bagging doubles. After a quick start from openers Matt Holmes (20) and Liam Cain (26), the loss of regular wickets curtailed the Bathurst City chase, as they eventually folded for 123 to give Centrals the bonus point. Spinner Josh Dawson (3/17 off 8) was the pick of the Centrals bowlers, with Rowan Dray (2/26) and Aijdan Mannering (2/27) the other multiple wicket takers.
At Bloomfield Oval, Cavaliers opener Bailey Ferguson dispatched the Rugby Union bowlers as he top scored with 73 from 59 deliveries. Rory Kalnins also made a run a ball 65 as Cavaliers finished on 202. After his 5 wicket haul in round 1, Sam MacPherson was again in the wickets taking 3/48, but it was Tanvir Singh who had the more impressive figures, taking 3/12.
Rugby Union were unable to chase down the Cavaliers total as they finished their allotted overs at 8/181. Tanvir Singh was best with the bat, making 59, with Jarrod Edwards (34) and Flynn Taylor (24) also making useful contributions. Dan O’Reily picked up 3/22 to be the best of the Cavaliers bowlers, with Josh Ward taking 2/19 from his 7 overs.
Orange City also got off the mark with a win over City Colts at Wade Park. After losing the toss and being sent in, Orange City lost opener Brett Causer early before Harry Grindle and Fletcher Byrne combined to take the total to 39 before Byrne fell victim to Dave Rogerson. When Grindle fell a short while later to Dave Henderson, the Warriors were 3/47. Shaun Grenfell (70 no) was joined at the crease by skipper, Ed Morrish and the pair added a neat 50 to get the City innings rolling again before Morrish was stumped off the bowling of Lochlan Shoemark. Ryan Smith combined with Grenfell to add another 42 to the score before Smith fell to Dan Casey and then shortly after Lochlan Shoemark claimed his 2nd victim for the day, removing Tom Markey. City added a few more runs in the remaining overs to finish their 40 overs at 6/165. Dave Henderson (2/17) and Lochlan Shoemark (2/28) were the best of the Colts bowlers.
Lochlan Shoemark then top scored with 43 as the City Colts chase fell 9 runs short of victory. Dan Casey (33) and Russell Gardner (28) also made runs before Ed Morrish (3/17) changed the momentum of the match with his late wicket taking spell. Morrish was ably supported by Brett Causer (2/24) and Hayden Griffith (2/30).