NICHOLS Point and Coomealla Wentworth have opened their respective accounts for the 2021-22 Sunraysia Cricket Association season.
The Pointers caused the biggest upset by knocking off reigning premiers Mildura Settlers by 34 runs, while the Blues reversed the round 6 result against Mildura West, winning by 44 runs.
In other games, Irymple’s eight-wicket win over Mildura East kept them on top of the ladder, while Gol Gol survived some nervy moment to grab a four-wicket win over Merbein South.
Batting first on their home deck, Nichols Point were off to a solid start through skipper Brad Thomas (45), although they eventually found themselves 6/79.
Dale Chappell (31) held the middle order together and helped the home side to 124 all out.
Setts youngster Cooper Aldridge impressed with 4/12 from his eight overs.
Not many would have seen what would come next as Pointers opening bowler Daniel Chapman ran riot through the Setts top order.
The reigning champs were stuck at 6/18, with Chapman having taken five wickets and Rakii Woetai one.
Established names such as Richie Wyld, Mark Cleary and Luke Stanbrook were among the scalps.
Much was left to No.8 Liam Goss to resurrect the innings but, despite his 41, Setts reached only 90 before being dismissed.
Chapman’s 5/16 was a man-of-the-match performance, while debutant Mitchell Lindsey also impressed with 2/23.
Coomealla Wentworth coach Liam Freeman led from the front with an 86-ball innings of 85, the highest score around the grounds on the day and Freeman’s second half-century of the season. The Blues reached 8/178.
Luke Cullinan (21) and Justin Freeman (20) also contributed handy knocks as Aaron McClelland led the West bowling figures with 4/29.
West, minus star man Chris Williams, were on the back foot early and struggled to recover from being 5/52. Justin Freeman did most of the damage early and finished with 5/14 from his eight overs.
A solid middle-order knock from Greg Lewis (26) and a final-wicket partnership by Locke Thornton (26 not out) and Lachlan McCarty (16) helped push the final score to 134.
Jay Turlan (3/13) was also impressive for the Blues.
Batting first against Gol Gol, Merbein South recovered from being 4/37 to finish on 124, with recruit Josh Stanley impressing in his first game for the club with 39.
Stand-in skipper Luke Hickey took 4/32 while Nick Jensen and Sheldon Calarco claimed two wickets each.
Wade Hancock led the chase for Workers with 33, Shacaya Thomas (25) and Calarco (23 not out) also chipping in the reach the target with six wickets down.
Veteran Tony Trinick finished with 4/34 for the Saints.
Mildura East vice-captain Blake Meyers put together his best innings of the season, 34, against Irymple, but his side were able to reach only 112 all out. Dean Fairlie was the best of the Swallows bowlers with 3/12.
An unbeaten 43 from Jordan Payne and 26 each from Bryson Lush and Nick Giofre helped Irymple reach the target for the loss of just two wickets.
