LAST year’s SCA grand finalists were upstaged in the opening round of the Sunraysia Cricket Association season, as Irymple and Mildura East went down to Mildura Settlers and Mildura West respectively.
Nichols Point and Gol Gol also wrapped up wins on the opening day of the campaign.
Chasing 165, Irymple lost their final eight wickets for 51 runs to be all out for 101, handing Setts a 63-run victory at Mildura Senior College.
Veteran Richie Wyld took an impressive 3/2 from four overs, club debutant Tom Stokes had a strong first-up effort with 3/20, while youngsters Sam Farmer and Cooper Aldridge took two wickets each.
Swallows coach Bryson Lush performed best with the bat making 35 from 31 deliveries.
Earlier, Setts captain Luke Stanbrook made 35 at a run a ball, and Beau Kiel 24, as they were were all out for 164, Bailey Anderson taking 4/38 for Irymple, Bryson Lush 3/42 and Caleb Garraway 2/14.
Former Mildura West captain Greg Lewis started the new season with a bang, his 68 from 57 deliveries helping his side to a 34-run win over East at John Hall Oval.
He had plenty of support with the bat coming from Brandon Dixon (48), Ash Durie (38), English import Joe Smallman (32) and coach Chris Williams (26) as they finished on 6/239 from 40 overs.
East import and Scottish international Liam Naylor led the bowling with 2/46.
East gave a good account of the run chase but came up short at 6/205, despite solid innings from skipper Brad Thomas (52), Naylor (46) and Andrew Ross (26 not out).
West’s other English recruit, Jasper Presswell took 2/50, while Locke Thornton nabbed 2/18.
Nichols Point young gun Riley Jobson had the highest individual score of the first round, scoring an unbeaten 79 from 70 deliveries as his side locked in a 49-run win over Coomealla Wentworth at McLeod Oval.
The 19-year-old shared an unbroken 122-run partnership with all-rounder Shannon Bowen (42 not out) as the Pointers finished at 3/199.
Earlier, co-captain Nick Blacker and Berri recruit Brad Rosenzweig both scored 32, while Mitch Kemp led the Coomy bowling with 2/38.
Rosenzweig also struck early with the ball, taking the opening three scalps for the Blues as they found themselves at 3/14, eventually recovering to be all out for 150.
Lower order bat Matt Ford scored 44 for the Blues and Justin Freeman 26.
Rosenzweig finished with 3/31 and recruited spinner Jarrod Forrest 3/28, while Shaun Mathews had an economic 2/16 from eight overs.
Gol Gol were the only side to bat second and earn victory in round 1, comfortably defeating Merbein by eight wickets at Kenny Park.
Reigning Innes Medal winner Shacaya Thomas made another great start to the season, taking 3/2 in just 2.5 overs as the Magpies were dismissed for 70.
Kain Berryman also impressed with the ball taking 3/9, while spinner Than Rajapakse claimed 2/15.
Magpies veteran Mark White top scored with 23.
Gol Gol chased down the runs in the 20th over, captain-coach Adam Thomson scoring 22 and Thomas not out on 20.
