BDCA 2023: Colts waste no time during Saturday’s eight-wicket win over Eaton at Bunbury Recreation Ground

For those keen to watch a few midafternoon hours of BDCA rivals Colts and Eaton on Saturday at the Bunbury Recreation Ground, they were fresh out of luck. By 3.30pm, Colts players had already returned to their dressing room, to celebrate a ruthless eight-wicket victory over the Bobtails. On a forgettable afternoon the Bobtails were rolled for 52 inside 26.3 overs, with only Jamie Martin and James Hillery reaching double figures. In reply, Colts raced to 2-54 off 15 overs. Despite having a challenging start to their 2023-24 campaign, the visitors were expected to compete heartily against Colts, given their classic rivalry over the past decade. Unfortunately for the Bobtails, the home side read a vastly different script and put them out of business inside the opening half-hour of play. Bryn Bursill, operating from the pavilion end, and skipper Josh Topliss put excellent pressure on Eaton’s top order early, with two quick strikes in as many balls from the Colts captain leaving the Bobtails reeling at 2-5. This pressure proved to be cumulative for both teams, with Colts finishing with five individual wicket takers, such was the even contribution across the board. In reply, the home side was never seriously threatened given the small target to chase down, although Bobtails youngster Jack Vitali (1-5 off four overs) battled hard during his short spell with the ball.