Mixed results for Warren Blackwood E-grade country week side

Warren Blackwood’s E-grade finished off the last three fixtures of country week 2022 with a mixed bag of results including one win and tow losses.

Warren Blackwood took on Northam/Wyalkatchem in round three of country week on Thursday, winning by four wickets and Josh Miller scoring an impressive 54 runs.

Northam/Wyalkatchem won the toss and opted to bat first against the lower South West team where it got off to a shaky start after the opening batsman, Brett Inglis, was dismissed for a duck.

However, Brandon Ward then took to the crease and smashed a brilliant 59 to give Warren Blackwood a match.

It soon became a disaster for Northam/Wyalkatchem when five batsmen were dismissed with only 10 runs between them as the Warren Blackwood squad put themselves in the driver’s seat.

A late flurry of 29 runs from Beau Vellios buffed the score for his side but it would not be enough to make any real difference as Northam/Wyalkatchem were all bowled out for 150 after 50 overs.

Warren Blackwood were able to make up the runs needed in 10 less overs after a good batting session from Miller, Dean McGregor (39) and Brian McGregor (14) saw them finish with 6/153.

The next round for Warren Blackwood play with only nine against one of the Great Southern squads where try as they might, lost by two wickets.

Warren Blackwood opened the batting for the match and got off to a disastrous start, finding themselves 5/20 with a lot of overs still to face.

Solid batting from Peter Bamess (22) and Angelo Femia (38) stopped the game from being a complete wipeout but the innings still ended with a respectable score of all out for 138.

The Great Southern team came out swinging when they took to the crease as Daniel Nazzari (40) and Connor Hawkins (50) made very short work of Warren Blackwood’s bowlers and all but assured the tie.

Sebastian Ballard scored another 25 runs to make sure the Great Southerners were walking away victorious as they surpassed Warren Blackwood’s tally with their score of 3/141.

Warren Blackwood gave them a game despite playing with one less player.

The final match of country week for Warren Blackwood E-grade was against Kalgoorlie Boulder on Saturday at the Jubilee Reserve.

Warren Blackwood won the toss and elected to bat first, sending in Femia and Bamess to give themselves the best chance at putting up big scores straight away.

Femia (42) nearly made a half century before being caught. However, Bamess (7) and Anthony Femia (5) were both dismissed quite quickly.

Matt Johnston (24) and David Jeffery (21) were the only other Warren Blackwood players to make over 20 runs in the inning as the team finished all up with 7/156.

Almost immediately into Kalgoorlie Boulder’s innings Warren Blackwood knew it would be a close game as Zac Stewart scored an outstanding 74 runs for the Goldfields team.

Anthony Femia collected another three wickets to add to his massive haul from country week and again while playing with less Warren Blackwood gave it their all and only lost by four runs.