ADCA 2024-25: Mt Barker’s and Royals’ well-calculated run chases help them to third consecutive A-grade wins

Just one point separates ladder leaders Mt Barker and Royals at the completion of round four of the Albany and Districts Cricket Association A-grade competition after two well-calculated run chases on Sunday. Lions skipper Mitch Green scored his second half-century in three games and spearheaded his side to a three-wicket victory that came in the second-last over of the match at Turf North. Green smacked seven boundaries, including three sixes, in his superb knock of 81 which came from just 75 balls as his side reeled in Manypeaks’ total of 212 with relative ease. Peaks sparked a mini fightback when they snared Green and debutant Shane Manser within four balls before lower-order batter Jack Hastie (23 not out) helped the Lions register their third consecutive win. The Lions’ top order all got starts as Lincoln Joy (38) returned for his first match of the season after knee surgery sidelined him for the opening month. Openers Ryley Valli (25) and Angus Thompson (19) were productive early before Oliver Douglas castled Angus Thompson during the power play. Spinner Liam Davies was superb with the ball for Peaks, claiming 2-43 from nine overs while part-timer Kane Pinney bowled a crucial wicket-maiden late in the day. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Peaks got their best start of the season, with captain Regan Poett and Seb Stanton putting on a 91-run opening stand. Joy found the much-needed breakthrough after dismissing Poett cheaply on 28, but danger man Stanton remained at the crease. He scored a brilliant 87 from seven boundaries before he was trapped in front sweeping to Green. The rest of Peaks’ batting order failed to partner Stanton through the innings, with Cameron Walsh, Pinney and Bryce Durack all failing to make it past 10. Douglas scored a busy 22 with the tail, who were restricted by Lions medium-pacer Hayden Davies (3-21). Left-arm wrist spinner Joy was dialled in through the middle overs and claimed a vitally economical 4-33 in a match-defining nine-over spell. The Bulls handed Railways their first defeat of the season after veteran wicketkeeper-batter Neil Ferreira notched his second half-century in his side’s three-wicket win at Turf East. Ferreira has been a thorn in nearly every bowling attack’s side this year, accumulating 193 runs and being dismissed just once. The crafty left-hander scored an unbeaten 65 from 107 balls as the Bulls chased down the target of 156 in the 41st over. He and Jeremy Wood (28 runs) combined for a crucial 64-run fourth-wicket partnership before Joe Stanley (1-31) snared Bulls’ captain. That wicket started a run of 4-37 for the Tigers as Lochlan Otway and Coen Marwick combined for three wickets in quick succession. However, with Ferreira still occupying the crease, the Bulls eased their way to their third successive win. Earlier, the Tigers won the toss and batted, with openers Billy O’Meara and new recruit Devon Jefferis celebrating a half-century stand before a stunning batting collapse — in which they lost 7-41 — marred their crumbled batting innings. O’Meara contributed 22, while Jefferis scored a patient 49 before Jarrad Gardner and Jonte Eastough ripped through the Tigers’ middle order. Gardner took 5-25 in a devastating nine-over spell, and Eastough chipped in with 2-12 from six overs. Otway provided some resilience late with an unbeaten 23 to help the Tigers crawl to 9-155 at the end of their 45 overs.