A dogged Rockingham-Mandurah bowling performance took the first grade to a vital first innings win in their Western Australian Premier Cricket match against Joondalup.
The 27-run victory at Iluka Sports Complex has guaranteed the Mariners a top two spot and was the team’s 11th win of the season from 14 starts.
Defending 184, the visitors needed early wickets but Joondalup put on an additional 30 runs without loss from their overnight score of 6/111.
Craig Simmons (2/37) trapped Blair Oakley in front for 16 and Adam France smashed thought the last three Centurions batsmen for 12 runs to dismiss them for 157.
Opening bowler France took his season-best figures at a most critical juncture with 4/36 from 11.4 overs.
Leon Coombs assisted with 2/50 from 17 bustling overs as the two boom pacemen loom large in the Mariners’ March finals assault.
This Saturday’s final round clash with third-placed Willetton at Lark Hill is critical for a number of reasons, but particularly to secure top spot as Claremont-Nedlands continue to win their matches in the hunt for the minor premiership.
The 50 over contest starts at 11am before the club hosts its annual Martin Baird Medal night for the best male senior player of 2018/19 on a super Saturday at Lark Hill.
Second grade flayed Joondalup all around Lark Hill to rack up an all important first innings win.
Hunting down the visitors’ 9/208, Rockingham-Mandurah smashed 4/291 from 58 overs with the top six all among the runs.
Openers Brandon Burt (83 from just 76 deliveries) and Vinnie Poller (79 off 142) set the tone in a 12-run opening partnership.
Craig George (53* off 53) and Sam Day (30 off 23) got busy in order to chase an improbable outright, but the Centurions were able to stave this off by absorbing 21 overs scoring 0/35.
In a virtual elimination final the sixth-placed Mariners will travel to Willetton and try and guard their finals spot against the seventh-placed Dragons this Saturday.