THE Peel Cricket Association Twenty20 representative side caused two upsets on the weekend to progress to the WACA State-wide T20 semi-finals.
The Peel side, made up of players from the 10 local clubs, came up against the Melville District Cricket Club and a representative team from the Western Australian Suburban Turf Association (WASTCA) in their pool games.
Entering the game as underdogs the Peel team looked in trouble against Melville after only reaching 6/84 from their 20 overs.
The score could have been less had it not been for Josh Petersen (39 not out) after coming in with the side at 4/13.
The Peel side knew they had to strike early and that’s exactly what they did with Matthew Gordon bowling former Western Australian shield player Luke Towers with the first ball of the innings.
Wickets fell at regular intervals with Melville only able to manage 9/82 as the Peel boys held on for victory.
Mitchell Smith was the pick of the local bowlers with 3/11 from three overs.
In their second game against WASTCA, the promotion of Waroona’s Jayden Derosa to opening batsmen proved a masterstroke with the talented batter making 60 from 53 deliveries.
Petersen again showed class down the order with 42 as his side went on to post 6/139.
In another tight finish Peel were able to hold WASTCA to 9/130 to claim victory and a spot in the semi-final.
Gordon was the best of the bowlers with 4/12 from four overs.
Peel will play in the semi-finals on January 24 with their opponent yet to be decided.
