The Temora Bowling Club Tigers A Grade side tasted defeat for the first time this season in the third round of the South West Slopes Cricket League competition. The Tigers (10/109) fell a handful of runs short in their loss against the Grenfell Blues (10/113) in their away game at Lawson Oval, Young, last Saturday. The Blues won the toss and elected to bat first, racking up 113 runs during the innings, which lasted just one ball short of the full overs. In trouble early at 2/7, the Blues recovered with Matt Gault finishing as the highest run scorer with 28 runs. The Tigers’ wicket takers included Corey Robinson (4/26), Billy Winkley (2/11), Joshua McGregor (2/29) and Charlie Watson (1/10). In the run chase, the Tigers were all out after 27.1 overs. Their highest run scorer was Billy Winkley with 35 runs, in his innings, which included four 4s and one 6. Meanwhile, the B Grade Tigers (6/197) had better fortune, defeating the Shamrock Leprechauns (10/113) at Nixon Park. The Tigers won the toss and chose to bat first. They had 149 runs on the scoreboard before the first wicket fell. A stellar partnership between the opening pair, Peter Stimson (94 runs) and Richard Potter (55 runs), set up the victory. The pick of the Leprechauns’ bowlers were the wicket takers, Muhammad Haris (2/23), Ben Fuller (1/16), Shubham Bhardwaj (2/28) and Jackson Reid (1/43). In the run chase, the Leprechauns lost a few early wickets to be at 2/9 and fell well short of the required runs after being all out with 33 overs completed. Adam Fouracre was their highest run scorer with 30 runs. Tigers’ player Lincoln Macauley said there were many pleasing aspects for the Tigers’ cricketers. “The opening pair got us off to a great start with the bat,” he said. “Peter was hitting the ball as clean as he did many moons ago with some big shots on the large Nixon Park outfield. “The Shammy boys bowled well, but the experience of Stimson and Potter was on show as they hit the ball to all corners of the park. “All our bowlers bowled well, with captain Harry Cockfield picking up two wickets - he nearly had three but couldn’t hold on to a fast return catch. “Our new recruit Monesh Mathews was also outstanding with the ball, bowling a wonderful spell of swing bowling.” The Tigers’ wicket takers included Matthew Young (2/14), Harry Cockfield (2/17), Angus Oliver (1/5), Benson Connolly (1/12), Michael Macauley (1/16) and Hamish Macauley (1/24). In the other game featuring a Temora team, the Exies Renegades’ cricketers (8/60) lost their second game of the season, losing against the Criterion Bin Chickens (4/61). The Renegades lost the toss and were put in to bat first. Only two Renegades’ batsmen reached double figures during a poor day at the crease with bat in hand, with Adam Swanston being the highest run scorer with 19 runs and Ben Logue with 12 runs. In the run chase, it took the Bin Chickens just 19.1 overs to record the required runs for the win. The Renegades’ wicket takers were Adam Swanston (3/10) and Harry Swanston (1/9). In Saturday’s round 4 games, starting at 1.30pm, the A grade Tigers will host the Criterion Bin Chickens at The Oval, the B grade Tigers will face the Grenfell Blues at the Soccer Ground and the Renegades will be at home against the Cootamundra Bulls at Nixon Park. The Leprechauns will have a bye.
