COOMEALLA Wentworth kicked off a weekend of upsets in First Division of Sunraysia cricket, defeating ladder leaders Workers Gol Gol under lights at Alcheringa Oval on Friday night.
In what looked like a total mismatch, the Blues dug deep to claim their biggest win of the season and in doing so lifted themselves off the bottom of the ladder.
It was a mighty effort and again shows the evenness of the competition and how unpredictable the shorter format of the game can be.
Mildura West announced themselves with the second big upset of the round, defeating Nichols Point at the newly named John Hall Oval at Ole Aerodrome Sporting Complex on Saturday.
The win has moved West within one game of the top four and put every other side in the competition on notice that, at their best, they can match it with any side.
West had been predicted to be one of the big improvers, adding experience and depth to their list in the off-season, but this promise had not transferred to the scoreboard as they struggled to get wins in the opening rounds.
But with captain Chris Williams back to his brilliant best, the Toads got their season up and running and
are now have four wins from seven matches.
Saturday’s win over Nichols Point was followed by another against Coomealla Wentworth, who were unable to recapture Friday night’s form.
Mildura Settlers split the ledger with a win and loss in their two Twenty20 matches.
Missing five of their star players from their regular line-up, the reigning premiers would feel reasonably satisfied with their effort.
Round 6, the earlier of their two Saturday matches, started with a win over Mildura East, John Pratt starring with the bat with an unbeaten 34 as the visitors chased down Mildura East’s modest total of 69 without loss.
Irymple’s power was on display at Henshilwood Oval, accounting for Setts in the later game and making light work of Merbein South in their 12.30pm match.
With seven rounds now complete in First Divison, the Sunraysia Cricket Association returns to its traditional two-day format this weekend.
The SCA’s experiment with its new fixturing to include more Twenty20 games has added a lot more interest to competition and certainly evened things up.
As sides prepare for round 8, Irymple top the table with six wins from seven outings, one game clear of Workers Gol Gol and Mildura Settlers.
Nichols Point round out the top four, while Mildura West are pressing in fifth spot.
Merbein South sit at the bottom of the table with just one win.
