After the long wait to start the 2021-22 season, the West Wimmera Warriors’ players had to wait another hour when a damp pitch delayed the start of their opening round match against Rupanyup-Minyip.
When the game did get underway, Ruanyup-Minyip took the opportunity to bat first, and opening bowler Austin Smith struck early to have them one wicket down for seven runs.
A 71 run second wicket partnership set the foundation for a competitive score, but once that pairing was broken with the score at 78, the Warriors’ bowlers began to carve through the Panthers’ middle order, with the next best partnership being 17 runs for the eighth wicket.
The last wicket fell with the score on 138 in the 38th over of the innings, to Smith in the form of a runout, and Nathan and Bradley Alexander shared the remaining wickets, with four each.
Nathan Alexander and Mitch Dahlenburg started the run chase confidently. They had scored 31 between them when Alexander was the first to fall, for 23 off 29 balls, but the innings only made it into the fifteenth over before a shower of rain forced the players from the field. At this point, the team score was two down for 52, with Dahlenburg on 19 not out.
Although the Warriors’ were on track to reach their target, unfortunately, the conditions did not allow the game to resume, and it was declared abandoned, with the teams to share the points.
This week, the C grade Warriors had the bye after their intended opponents, Noradjuha-Toolondo Bullants, withdrew from the competition.
Next Saturday, the A grade team will travel to the Horsham City Oval to take on Jung Tigers, who started their season with a solid victory over Homers at this venue.
The B grade will also have to travel to Horsham to play Colts on the turf pitch at Dudley Cornell Park. Colts opened their season with a seven run victory over Horsham Saints Red.
Horsham Cricket Association - A Grade - Round 1- One Day Game
Match Abandoned (due to rain)
Rupanyup-Minyip
| J Leith | | b. B Alexander | 42
| | J Byrne | | b. A Smith | 0
| | B Young | | B Alexander | 34
| | M Mbofana | ct. A Smith | b. B Alexander | 13
| | C Weidermann | ct T Polkinghorne | B Alexander | 1
| | D Schaper | not out | | 27
| | L Weidermann | | b. N Alexander | 23
| | D Eats | lbw | b. N Alexander | 0
| | B Foofde-Engelsman | | N Alexander | 0
| | J Boschen | | b. N Alexander | 1
| | C Leith | run out (A Smith) | | 0
| | Sundries | | | 18
| | TOTAL | (37.4 Overs) | 138
|
West Wimmera Warriors Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | N Alexander | 7 | 1 | 21 | 4
| | A Smith | 6.4 | 0 | 26 | 1
| | T Braendler | 6 | 0 | 17 | 0
| | A Merrett | 6 | 1 | 23 | 0
| | B Alexander | 8 | 2 | 20 | 4
| | J Dawes | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0
| | X Bone | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0
|
West Wimmera Warriors
| N Alexander | ct. B Foorde-Engelsman | b. C Leith | 23
| | M Dahlenburg | not out | | 19
| | A Smith | | b. B Young | 4
| | B Alexander | not out | | 3
| | Sundries | | | 3
| | TOTAL | (14.3 overs) | 2 for 52
|
Rupanyup-Minyip Bowling
| | O | M | R | W
| | M Mbofana | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1
| | C Leith | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0
| | B Young | 4.3 | 1 | 9 | 1
| | L Weidermann | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0
|
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