Dovey does it again with the bat

Another man-of-the-match performance from opening batsman Nathan Dovey has propelled Collingwood Park firmly into the top-four race after belting North County by nine wickets at Turf East on Saturday afternoon.

Dovey’s remarkable form with the blade in Albany Cricket Association A-grade competition continued as he passed 50 for the sixth time in eight innings in the one-day format.

After a disciplined bowling performance against the undermanned Bulldogs outfit, Park lost only one wicket in their demolition of the small target, with Dovey smashing 75 not out to lead his side to a crucial double bonus-point win.

Dovey hit three fours and three sixes in his unbeaten knock, with consecutive maximums off Fabian Bolton bringing up a half-century.

After James Plowman bowled Ben Grey for three early on, Dovey and Jesse Spaanderman shared in a 98-run partnership that secured victory as they finished 1-125 in the 21st over.

Spaanderman was not out on 26 but it was yet another dazzling display from the red-hot Dovey in the one-day format, lifting Park from the foot of the table.

Incredibly, Dovey has scored 672 runs at an average of 112 in the one-day competition, but his side sat last of the seven teams coming into round 10 of the season.

Earlier, a four-wicket haul to seamer Ray Padfield helped Park skittle the Bulldogs for just 124 batting first, with only two batsmen reaching double figures.

Again without captain Neil Ferreira and his two sons Michael and Matthew, the Bulldogs’ fragile middle order collapsed.

Craig Tonkin made 31 at the top of the order before he became the first of Padfield’s scalps, caught behind with the score at 3-48.

However, a late-order cameo from the returning Gary McGlade and a stack of sundries, including 25 wides, ensured the Bulldogs did surpass 100.

McGlade top-scored with 42, while there was 32 sundries in the Bulldogs’ total as Padfield snared 4-32 off nine overs to go with strong support from Ben Grey (2-10) and Spaanderman (2-10).

The result, Park’s third win of the one-day format, lifts them to sixth place on the standings with five matches remaining.