Grampians cricketers back in full swing this weekend

The Grampians Cricket Association season resumed on Saturday with two B Grade games.

Halls Gap defeated Halls Gap 2 by seven wickets and Swifts-Great Western prevailed over Rhymney-Moyston by 10 wickets.

At Halls Gap, Gappers 2 batted first, scoring 9-114. Les Pyke led the scoring with 57.

The Gappers ran down this total in the 24th over, thanks to Justin Leith, 50 not-out, and Caleb Breterton, 37 not-out, to finish on 3-116.

Swifts-Great Western cruised to an easy victory against Rhymston. Batting first, Rhymston was dismissed for 44 with Jacob Dunn proving the best bowler with 3-5.

The Combine knocked the runs off in 11 overs without losing a wicket.

The B Grade ladder stands at SwiftsGreat Western 36 points, Halls Gap 33, Halls Gap 2 12, and RhymneyMoyston 12.

The association returns to full swing this week.

In the A Grade draw, Chalambar hosts Rhymney-Moyston at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval and Swifts-Great

Western hosts St Andrews at Stawell’s Central Park, while Pomonal has a bye.

In B Grade, Rhymney-Moyston 2 versus Halls Gap 2 at Moyston and Halls Gap plays Swifts-Great Western at Halls Gap.

The main interest will centre on the first-placed Combine versus the thirdplaced Saints.

In a previous match, the Combine prevailed by 100 runs, so the Saints need to play to their best to challenge the ladder leader.

The other significant match is in B

Grade between the Combine and the Gappers, which will determine the grade’s top team.

Other games which could go either way are Chally versus RhymneyMoyston — with both teams on equal points and the winner likely to play finals, while the loser will have some ground to make up to feature in finals.

The remaining game, between Rhymston and Gappers 2, is for ladder position because neither team can miss finals.

Twenty20

Swifts-Great Western lost to Irre- warra in the Sungold Twenty20 Cup on Sunday, run by Warrnambool and District Cricket Association.

Batting first, Irrewarra scored 7-152 with Leon Molony the best of the bowlers with 3-18 from three overs.

The Combine could not match the score, finishing on 3-99.

Best of the Combine’s batsmen were Jack Cann, 44 not-out, and Aiden Graverson, 32 not-out.

Irrewarra plays in the Colac and District Cricket Association.

– One Short