There has been no change in ladder positions, although the spread has been somewhat reduced after round 9 matches were completed on Saturday, with 1 win separating 1st and 4th.
Orange City (3rd) and St Pats Old Boys (4th) have kept the top 2 within reach, with their victories over their higher placed opposition, Orange CYMS (2nd) and Cavaliers (1st) respectively, meaning the race for the minor premiership is still wide open.
At Riawena Oval, after posting 222 on day 1 and then leaking 103 runs from 12 overs before stumps, Orange City have put in a much-improved bowling performance on the second day to dismiss Orange CYMS for 220 and take first innings points.
For City, skipper Ed Morrish stood tall with the bat, scoring 76 while Jarryd Seib was the chief destroyer of the CYMS innings, taking 4/15, while Morrish also picked up 3 wickets. Joey Coughlan top scored for CYMS with 77, while Ben Orme (3/52) and Matt Burgess (3/34) were the pick of their bowlers on day 1.
At the Bathurst Sportsground, after dismissing Cavaliers for 87 on day 1, and taking an 80-run lead at stumps, St Pats Old Boys took their score to 234 before they were dismissed, sending Cavaliers back in for a tilt at the outright result, but stumps were drawn with Cavaliers at 3-111.
Saints’ Brendan Cutmore earned player of the week honours on day 1 with his 5/22, while Hugh Parsons picked up 3/22. For St Pats it was an all-round team effort with the bat, Bailey Brien top scoring with 47. Cavaliers’ Tom Blowes bagged 5/82 off his 26 overs taking his maiden 5 wicket haul in the top grade.
Across the road at Morse Park 1, Rugby Union kept in touch with the top 4, by defeating Bathurst City on first innings. Rugby Union posted 194 all out on day 1, after Flynn Taylor made 81 to help his side out of trouble at 8/116. Haydn Edwards returned the best bowling figures for Redbacks, picking up 3/27 from his 11 overs.
In reply, Bathurst City were bowled out for 148, with Jacob Ryan (4/37 off 19) and Flynn Taylor (4/9 off 8.5) doing the majority of the damage. Josh Knox top scored with 38, also trying to revive his team's innings after they had fallen to 6/67.
City Colts picked up 8 points from the bye, with the points table now as follows:
Cavaliers 45, Orange CYMS 43, Orange City 40, St Pats Old Boys 37, City Colts 35, Rugby Union 28, Bathurst City 19.
In Round 10 action starting next Saturday, Rugby Union meets St Pats Old Boys at Bathurst Sportsground, Cavaliers host Bathurst City at Wade Park and Orange CYMS travel to Loco Oval to take on City Colts. Orange City have the bye.