Grey, Natale deliver solid performances for Park, Tigers

More wickets from Collingwood Park speedster Ben Grey and a fine century from returning Railways batsman Mark Natale have ensured their respective sides were on the winners’ list in round 3 of the Albany Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday.

Grey claimed a hat-trick in his outstanding spell of 5-20 with the older ball last week and it should have been a second hat-trick in as many weeks after he took the game away from Royals at Turf West.

Strong contributions from Leroy van den Dool (45), Steve Van Nierop (37) and Nic Barrow (15) helped Park to 7-171 from their 45 overs after winning the toss and batting.

The Lions chase got off to a very shaky start and they slumped to 3-33 when Matt Wolfe was removed for a duck, a third scalp for nagging swing bowler Ben Carter.

Mitch Green and Tom Wolfe set about rescuing the innings for the Lions and they added 34 runs for the fifth wicket, getting to drinks and leaving their side needing exactly 100 to win from 22 overs.

Grey was the sixth bowler used for Park but their tactics again paid off handsomely as he crashed through Tom Wolfe (9) and then Dylan Holt (0) in consecutive balls.

On another hat-trick, Jack Steel edged the Grey delivery to Nathan Dovey at first slip but he could not hold on to the catch.

Grey, however, was not done with and when forced an edge from the set Green on 31 it was trouble for the Lions at 7-82.

They were bowled out for 112 in exactly 40 overs. Grey finished with superb figures of 4-12 from five overs as Park secured a bonus point victory.

Meanwhile at McLean Park, Natale scored a ton at the top of the order to help the Tigers set a mammoth 7-283 batting first.

Natale made 101 from 100 balls and he combined with Coen Marwick to add 96 runs after the early loss of Sam Want to take the game away from the home side.

Coen Marwick (43) and Hayden Davies (46 not out) were also important contributors for the defending premiers with the bat.

The Magpies lost Dan Robson (7), Cary Green (9) and Matt Burton (15) inside 20 overs and despite some fight from Peter Ross (30) and Matt Ellul (25) they were bowled out for 144.

Hayden Davies (3-23) and Coen Marwick (2-30) capped strong games by also doing damage with the ball, as the Tigers also won with a bonus point.