Royals defend modest total to secure bonus point

A North County batting collapse has handed Royals their second win of the season, after they successfully defended 127 in round 7 of the Albany Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs would have been impressed with their efforts with the ball, given the absence of regular seamer Graeme Weinert, but they had a day to forget with the bat.

Chasing 128 to win, the Bulldogs recovered after the early loss of Aaron Williams (0) and Craig Tonkin (1) who fell in consecutive overs from Lions import Sam Hughes.

Hughes’ double breakthrough was just what the Lions needed with a small total on the board but No.3 Tyler Crommelin appeared in a hurry from the moment he walked out.

Crommelin crunched five boundaries as he tried to reel in the runs quickly while at the other end Bulldogs import Riecko Parker-Cole went about making a start after getting dropped early in his innings at mid-wicket.

The pair shared in a 45-run third-wicket stand that got the Bulldogs past 50 before Marcus Mellon delivered two balls that brought about their demise.

Mellon in his third over, after the first went for 11 runs, had Crommelin edging to keeper Jack Steel on 35 from as many deliveries and then he clean-bowled Parker-Cole (13) to leave them precariously placed at 4-55.

Captain Neil Ferreira won his side the game with a defiant knock, when the two sides last played back in round 15 last season and he again loomed as the hope of getting them over the line.

However, the wickets tumbled around him as the Bulldogs lost 8-17 to be all out for 71 inside 20 overs.

There were four ducks, two of which were run-outs as things began to fall apart for the Bulldogs lower order.

Returning left-armer Dylan Holt snared the last scalps to hand his side a much-needed bonus point.

Ferreira finished on 13 not-out but the Lions fired with the ball courtesy of Hughes (2-26), Mellon (3-20) and Holt (2-15).

Holt enjoyed a terrific day after also contributing 23 with the willow to help his side surpass 100.

Digby Nuthall (15) and Mitch Green (27) got the Lions off to a great start batting first on Turf North as they put on 40 runs but in the end middle order runs from Holt and Ted Batchelor (15) proved crucial in the result.

Paul Osborne bowled very well to claim 3-12 off his 7.4 overs and Parker-Cole showed greater control with the ball to finish with 2-33.