1ST GRADE
1st grade suffered their first loss of the season, going down to Scarborough by 4 runs at Abbett Park.
Kallen Bond won the toss and sent the hosts in, who got off to a flying start, racing to 115 without the loss of a wicket inside 20 overs.
The skipper made the first breakthrough and put the breaks on in a partnership with Luke Holt, with the leg spinners grabbing 5 wickets between them through the middle overs.
Their good work was followed up by Waheguru Dhillon and Matt Hanna, who worked over the tail as the Seagulls were bowled out for a chasable score of 202 from 48.3 overs.
Holt (3/39 from 10 overs) and Bond (2/29 from 10 overs) were the pick of the bowlers, with Hanna (3/28 from 9 overs) and Dhillon (2/46 from 8.3 overs) also continuing some good form.
In reply, Bond started well with the bat, getting to 21 from 23 deliveries before flicking aerially to midwicket.
Iszak Milentis (43 from 79 balls) and Shayne Wornes (25 from 62 balls) made starts but couldn’t capitalise in between a breezy innings from Brock Larance (19 from 10 balls), with the game in the balance as the Dragons sat at 4 for 112 in the 30th over.
Young batters John Sanders (36 from 57 balls) and Blair Walsh (34 from 44 balls) played with great maturity in a 5th wicket partnership of 61, before both departed as they sought to keep in touch with a climbing required run rate.
The winning equation was set at 13 runs from the final over, with Oliver Arkinstall giving the some hope by belting the first ball over the fence.
After a quick single and a bye, he unfortunately chipped to mid on looking to repeat the dose, with Waheguru Dhillon following suit in the same fashion from the next ball to leave 5 runs needed from the last.
Number 11 Zach Ferris couldn’t perform a miracle, condemning the Dragons to a result they would rue after being in the driver’s seat for a majority of the game.
2ND GRADE
2nd grade continued their unbeaten start to the year, beating Scarborough by 7 wickets at Burrendah Park.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bat, before Cameron Becker claimed six wickets in an unbelievable opening spell to quickly reduce them to 6 for 25.
Declan Crowder (2/11 from 9 overs) and Stewart Hepburn (1/21 from 10 overs) broke up some dogged lower order resistance as the Seagulls could only manage a score of 72 from 39.2 overs, with Becker claiming the last wicket for good measure, finishing with phenomenal figures of 7 for 21 from his 9.2 overs.
In reply, the Dragons also found the going tough with the bat, losing Hepburn, Ethan Smith, and Amrit Singh with just 25 runs on the board.
A mature partnership of 40 for the 4th wicket between David Cameron (22* from 32 balls) and Sean Boers (20* from 28 balls) secured the win after 19.2 overs.
3RD GRADE
3rd grade were let down by a disappointing batting performance, losing to Scarborough by 4 wickets.
Ben Witschge won the toss and chose to bat, but an experienced batting lineup failed to fire, being bowled out for 109 with more than 11 overs to spare, with Harry Grigson (24 from 22 balls) the only contributor of note.
An early wicket to James Andrews (1/26 from 9 overs) gave the Dragons some hope, but a 71 run second wicket partnership got the Seagulls just about home, before Grigson (1/14 from 4 overs), Brayden Lee (1/19 from 7 overs), and James Scott (1/26 from 9 overs) picked up some late consolation wickets.
4TH GRADE
4th grade ensured a dominant Dragons two-for-two at home, beating Scarborough by 8 wickets.
Aaron McCall won the toss and chose to bowl, with the Seagulls' 27 run opening stand followed up by a collapse of 10 wickets for 43 runs as they folded for 70 after 29.5 overs.
Brad Kent was the star with the ball, claiming 5 for 19 from 7.5 overs, with good support coming from Jagan Singh (2/4 from 4 overs), Dulina Gamage (1/15 from 6 overs), and McCall (1/13 from 5 overs).
The Dragons lost young batters Singh and Blake Stephen early, but an unbroken 52 run third wicket stand between Lachie Searle (27* from 32 balls) and Luke Gorman (25* from 57 balls) saw them home.
UNDER 17’S
Under 17’s posted a total of 176 on the first day of their fixture against Scarborough at Abbett Park.
Jagan Singh was the star of the batting innings, making 57 from 70 deliveries, with Blake Stephen (32 from 49 balls) and Kyall Roach (31 from 77 balls) also in the runs.
UNDER 15’S
Under 15’s didn’t have their best day with the bat, being bowled out for 54 against Scarborough at Burrendah Park.
Isaac Wittkuhn (15 from 36 balls) was the only batter to reach double figures as the Dragons struggled on a sticky wicket.
UNDER 14’S
A rainy Sunday meant Under 14’s couldn’t get a full game in against Melville.
The Dragons had a bowl for 17 overs before the showers set in, with Puru Aren (⅕ from 3 overs) picking up a wicket as the Storm sat at 1 for 31.
UNDER 13’S
Under 13’s clash against Melville at Tompkins Park was abandoned due to inclement weather without a ball being bowled.