Albany’s Country Cup campaign in trouble as Bunbury twin tons guide them to emphatic victory in round two

Albany and Districts Cricket Association’s Country Cup title hopes appear all but over after a heavy defeat by Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association in round two at Turf North on Sunday. After their opening match was washed out, Albany must now win their final-round match against Peel in dominant fashion to force their way into the top two. Classy centuries from Michael Tassone and Bradman May, in a superb 214-run partnership, helped Bunbury win comfortably by 78-runs in trying conditions. Albany and Districts captain Mitch Green said it was a disappointing performance. “We got off to a bad start in the run chase and we were three for not many chasing 270, so that doesn’t help,” he said. “We had three batsmen score 20 and 30 but didn’t go on with it, whereas they had two blokes go on and make centuries, and that was the difference. “Those two blokes cashed in and set them up the run chase, and 270 is always going to be hard to chase down. “Nath (Crudeli) batted exceptional, got us to 200 and flattered our score a little bit.” Bunbury fell to 3-46 when the dangerous Jono Whitney was caught behind for 37 off Jeremy Wood but Tassone and May firstly rescued the visitors and then went about posting a match-winning total. Tassone was the first man to reach 50 as the scoring began to grow and the then survived a dropped catch, Albany fast bowler Nathan Crudeli unable to hold onto a difficult skied ball. May and Tassone hit the ball to all parts and the latter reached his century first before he was caught at cover point by Ted Batchelor off the bowling of Ben Grey for a wonderful 105 off 108 balls in the second last over of the innings. Tassone’s innings contained four boundaries and four maximums. May reached triple figures in the last over and his unbeaten 101 from 123 balls helped Bunbury post a mammoth score of 4-275 from their 50 overs. Crudeli removed Brian Hughes with the fourth ball of the game while Grey (1-51) and Coen Marwick (1-51) were the other wicket takers but the Albany attack struggled to contain the Bunbury pair. In the run chase Albany got off to a terrible start with Marwick run out on a free hit, in the first legitimate ball of the innings, and they quickly fell to 4-80 when Green was removed for 29. Nathan Dovey and Crudeli tried to steady the ship putting together 37 before Dovey was dismissed for 33 to have Albany in further trouble. Crudeli tried valiantly to get Albany back into the contest but wickets fell around him and the star all-rounder was the last man out, caught in the deep for 75 as his team were all out for 197. Jacob Wintle claimed 3-40 from nine overs while Jordan Stynes chipped in with 2-37 for Bunbury.