Michael Holmes and Clinton Hutchinson turned in a pair of outstanding performances to lead the South Mandurah Falcons to a win over Shoalwater Bay on Saturday.
Holmes scored a prodigious century to put the Falcons on the right track from the start.
Hutchinson followed with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul and dismantling the Seals’ order to secure South Mandurah’s first win in three weeks.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, South Mandurah hit a 1/19 slump when opener Brad Holmes was dismissed on two runs.
But Joe McConnell (45) and Matt Hill (40) dragged the Falcons straight back into contention before Michael Holmes buoyed them to a powerful position.
Holmes’ knock of 115 runs was prolific, and was good enough to cover up a small collapse in the tail before he became one of Josh Senior’s four wickets on the day.
His century led the way as Souths finished up 8/247, a total they would comfortably defend thanks mainly to Hutchinson’s outstanding bowling.
Shoalwater’s Grant Coles, who top scored for the side with 28, became his first victim when he was caught and bowled.
He would go on to claim a further four to finish the day with 5/19, as the Falcons dismissed the Seals on 116 in the 34th over.
The victory goes in the books as South Mandurah’s third on the season, and brings them even with Shoalwater who have suffered three losses and one draw across the last four rounds.
The Falcons will need to carry their momentum over to next week if they are to top the 7-1 Singleton Irwinians.
Singleton defeat Pinjarra
Pinjarra’s six-game win streak came to an end at the hands of a rampant Singleton Irwinians outfit on Saturday.
Unlike former weeks, Pinjarra was unable to muster much with the bat being all out on 99 after 40 overs of play.
The Irwinians’ efficient and damaging bowling translated to their form with the bat, with Tim Hutchison’s century powering them to a win.
Hutchison posted a perfect 100 from 115 balls, flanked by 76 from Bryce Evans and 51 from fellow opener Danny Woollard.
The win moves Singleton into second on the ladder, one win ahead of Pinjarra.
Waroona defeat Mandurah
Daniel Abel’s four wicket bag and Matt Thomas’ knock of 95 led Waroona to their seventh win on the season when they took down Mandurah.
Abel made light work of the Mandurah batting order taking 4/20 from 9.5 overs, as they were all out on 127.
Waroona’s chase of the small total was on the rocks when the loss of Adam Clancy left them in a 4/23 hole, but Nic Rep stepped up with an unbeaten 70 to support a big-hitting Matt Thomas, who blasted out seven 6s on his way to 95 runs.
Waroona finished with a massive 9/277 to remain without a loss on the year.
Halls Head defeat Hillman Hornets
An insanely quick century from Mitchell Hind was not enough to secure Hillman a win when his side fell victim to a stunning spell of bowling from Halls Head’s Lewis Starbuck.
Hind found the boundary 21 times (13 for four, eight for six) on his way to a powerhouse 137 runs from 99 deliveries, but Starbuck ensured he had little support claiming 4/15 from 9.1 overs.
Hillman finished up all out on 190, and Levi Muller gave Halls Head the perfect platform to chase the total with an unbeaten 108 runs.
Supported by Same Pendlebury’s 59, Muller was able to lead Halls Head to their third victory of the season.
White Knights Baldivis defeat Warnbro Swans
Baldivis picked up their third straight win and moved within striking distance of the top four with a victory over Warnbro.
Stefan Botha’s 60 was the key instigator for Baldivis, hauling them to a total of 192 before being dismissed late in the innings.
The Swans received solid contributions from Ben Doudle (30), Charl Nieuwenhuis (37) and Jake Corbett (32), but the three were the only Warnbro batsmen to breach double figures as the side fell all out on 129.
Botha’s form with the bat mirrored his bowling, as he finished with 3/26 from 10 overs.