WAUCHOPE RSL are in a strong position after day one of their two-day clash with Port Pirates at Andrews Park.
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RSL stand-in captain Matt Miller won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch which looked perfect for batting.
Robbie Parker (23), Nathan Lyon (22), Miller (22) and Andrew Murrell (29) all contributed as last year’s premiers were bowled out for 129.
Miller said his side were in a “bit of strife with the bat” before Murrell’s late-order heroics.
Adam Carrall was the standout for Pirates with the ball and bowled 14 overs, finishing with 5-19.
Kenny Bennett (2-34 off 14), Mick Foster (1-34 off 10), Rod Morton (1-24 off three) and Ben Woodward (1-13 off six) all contributed.
In reply, it was Groundhog Day for Pirates captain Shane Williams and his side with yet another late-afternoon batting collapse.
At one stage Pirates were 1-38 with Ryan McMahon (21) and Shuvra Bose (16) looking comfortable before they ended the day 6-45.
“We knew once we got Ryan we were in with a shot of getting quick wickets because one usually brings two,” Miller said.
Miller finished the day with 5-24 off 14 overs while Bailey Smith claimed the other and the captain knew his side needed to bowl well.
“I thought 129 was a little bit under par because it was a good wicket,” he said.
Meanwhile, Macquarie Hotel are in a commanding position after the first day of their clash with Port City Leagues Magpies.
Leagues were rolled for 74 in their first innings with Macquarie captain Josh Hyde doing all the damage with the ball.
He claimed 6-14 off 12 overs as Leagues struggled to 7-35 at one stage before Dylan Lewis and Zac Jones dug their heels in and scored some valuable runs.
“I just bowled stump to stump and didn’t give much away,” Hyde said.
Sam Ward and Brendan Badenoch also chipped in with wickets, but the captain was most impressed by Jones’ innings.
“Zac and Dylan both did a pearler of a job to get them to some sort of a total,” he said.
“But the way Zac batted impressed me because even though he scored two runs, he was out there for a long time and didn’t give his wicket away.”
Hyde was most pleased with the way his side bowled and fielded.
They didn’t put down a catch.
“That’s what I put a focus on at the start of the season because that’s what will win you the competition,” Hyde said.
In reply, Macquarie claimed first innings points and raced to 8-181 off their 40 overs at the end of play.
“It was good to get first innings points because you never know what’s going to happen the next week.”