BDCA 2023: Marist and Dalyellup victorious across busy Saturday of action

Although he has enjoyed plenty of success with the ball so far this season, Marist all-rounder Corey Fitt was keen to replicate this form with the bat. On Saturday afternoon at Hay Park, Fitt got his wish, crafting a determined 60 off 105 balls as the Blues comfortably defeated the Redbacks by eight wickets. It was a bittersweet afternoon for the home side who, despite going down convincingly on the scoreboard, had bowled well throughout the Blues’ run chase. Joe Williams (0-8 off eight overs, three maidens) and left-arm seamer Thomas Sletten (0-15 off 4.1 overs) applied plenty of pressure on Fitt and opener Corey Fagan (44 off 86 balls) at times, but ultimately didn’t have enough runs in the bank to play with. Earlier in the day, the winless Redbacks won the toss and elected to bat, reaching 0-54 off 22 overs. However, the home side’s unwanted trend of batting collapses continued following the departure of openers Nic Rep and Steven Florance, with the Blues rolling Hay Park for 121 in the 48th over. In reply, Marist reached 2-124 with 15.5 overs to spare. For those keen to watch a few mid-afternoon hours of BDCA rivals Colts and Eaton 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. At Roche Park, Dalyellup remained unbeaten, defeating Collie by 34 runs.