The third round of the Horsham Cricket Association senior season was played in ideal conditions on Saturday, and the local teams enjoyed some success.

The West Wimmera Warriors’ A grade team bounced back from a poor start to their season with a defeat of Colts in a match that lasted just thirty-three overs on the turf wicket at Dudley W Cornell Park in Horsham.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Colts were reduced to four wickets down for just five runs with opening bowlers Josh Lees (3/6) and Nathan Alexander (1/1) making early breakthroughs.

Xavier Bone continued the pressure with three wickets in the middle of the innings, and Jeremey Weeks and Bradley Alexander chipped in with a wicket each to close the innings after just twenty-two overs and at a total of 32 runs.

The Warriors’ opening batsmen Bradley Alexander (14 not out) and Jobe Dickinson (18 not out) only took until the eleventh over to pass the target without losing a wicket.

The C grade Warriors took on the Tigers on the neighbouring synthetic pitch and set a target of 199, with Tim Braendler making 75, and Shane Kessler not out on 63 when the last wicket fell.

Wallace Wheaton (23) and Glen Treverton (12) also made significant contributions to the total.

Opening bowler Tim Braendler started the defence of this total in the best possible way with a wicket with the first ball of the innings, and he finished with three wickets. Riley Gebert was the next most effective bowler with two wickets.

Wickets fell regularly until the Tigers had lost eight wickets and were still 120, but partnerships of 58 for the eighth wicket and 29 for the last wicket kept the Tigers in the game, but the last wicket fell thirty short of the target.

All eleven players had the opportunity to bowl, and seven of them shared the wickets.

This result has the Warriors in third place on the C grade ladder.

Next week, the A grade Warriors will travel to Murtoa to take on the Mudlarks, and the C grade team will host Laharum at Davis Park.

The Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills A grade team is on top of the ladder after a comfortable win over Lubeck-Murtoa, who they dismissed for 65, and they passed the target for the loss of one wicket.

Next week the Eagles A grade will take on the Tigers on the Horsham City Oval, and their B grade team that had a bye on Saturday will resume their season against Quantong at Brim.

** The draw for the next round was correct as per the Horsham Cricket Association’s PlayHQ website at the time of publishing this article. **