Fresh off the back of a two-week break over Christmas and New Year’s, action returned to the turfs of the Peel Cricket Association on Saturday.
A few upsets were caused as teams began their assault on the second half of the season.
Halls Head defeat Singleton
There was no New Year’s hangover for Halls Head as they looked like a completely new team, dispatching of top-two side Singleton with a first-class run chase.
Led by a brilliant Craig Ford hundred, Halls Head claimed their fourth win on the year in what could turn out to be a statement victory.
Singleton picked up the bat first and looked to be in total control starting out with a 159-run stand between openers Danny Woollard (96) and Jamie Glascoe (67).
Even after Glascoe’s dismissal, third in the order Bryce Evans took up the cause with 26.
Sitting at 2/177 things looked peachy for the Irwinians, but no remaining batsmen would score above nine runs as they finished their 50 overs 9/227.
Halls Head’s innings was no more consistent than their opponents, but the team rallied behind 103 runs from Ford and scored 7/249 from their 50.
Shoalwater Bay defeat Hillman
Shoalwater Bay won six games before the two weeks off, and it seems the break has not slowed any of the side’s momentum.
Without taking anything away from Hillman, who blasted their way to a 200-plus total with some crafty batting, Shoalwater Bay showed why they are the top side by chasing down the total and posting a seventh straight victory.
Despite winning just two games Hillman’s batting has been solid for most of the year, a feat it repeated on Saturday.
Scoring first, Hillman rode half centuries from Aiden McCartan (52) and Craig Timbrell (59) to finish on 6/216.
But Shoalwater’s Grant Coles was not to be outdone, piling on 99 runs before he was caught out one shy of a century.
The side resisted some opportunistic bowling from Hillman and won the game with 9/227.
Pinjarra defeat Warnbro Swans
Warnbro’s winless season continued as they suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Pinjarra in round 12.
Losing the toss and being sent into bat first, Warnbro was buoyed by strong totals to Kane Standing (61), Mathew Sulzberger (36) and Jaxon Standing (34).
The side played out its 50 overs finishing with 7/194, a respectable total.
But the Swans fell just short of defending their score, as Pinjarra chased down the total with six deliveries left in the innings.
Hugh Sando top-scored for the victors with 37 runs, but it was a complete team effort with both bat and ball that led Pinjarra to their fifth win of the season.
South Mandurah defeat White Knights Baldivis
A prodigious century to Michael Holmes teamed with some stringent bowling led South Mandurah to an upset win over White Knights Baldivis on Saturday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, South Mandurah was in dire need of a big total and they got it from Holmes.
He carved out 107, over half of his side’s runs, as the team was all out for 207 in 49.2 overs. Holmes was assisted by Joe McConnell who pitched in with 44.
Jai Sinclair was the best scorer for Baldivis with just 19 runs as the absence of star batsman Cameron Reyne was evident.
The White Knights were dismissed for just 98 runs.
Waroona defeat Mandurah
Daniel Dodds was one of three centurions to lead his team to victory in round 12, as his blistering knock paved the way for a Waroona win.
Mandurah batted first and looked quite comfortable in their return from the holiday season, piling on a score of 9/201 thanks to strong performances from Anuj Dal (54) and Matthew Jenkinson (41).
Ben Wright was electric with the ball, finishing with 4/21 from nine overs.
Waroona answered the challenge with Dodds posting a huge 118 runs, teaming with Wright (47) and Matt Thomas (41).
Their side surpassed the target and finished on 7/240.