Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan and former Perth Scorcher Jaron Morgan star on opening day of Smash

This year’s marquee player in Albany’s Southern Smash, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and his Inswing Ignition team are in the box seat to play in Friday’s grand final after going through undefeated on day one. Dilshan’s Ignition and the Arc Infrastructure Aces, spearheaded by former Perth Scorcher Jaron Morgan, are both undefeated after a thrilling day of action on Thursday. Regional WA’s premier T20 competition had a brilliant start to its fourth edition as Dilshan and Morgan both starred, Romanian cult figure Pavel Florin was a fan favourite and multiple games went down to the wire, including one that was decided in a super over. The Aces sit handsomely on top of the ladder after two rounds, easily beating the Elders Avengers and then thrashing the Albany Finance Fury. Morgan, who played in the Big Bash League for the Scorchers and was a member of the WA Second XI, was a dominant figure on day one. He fell six runs short of a century in the opening game, smashing 94 from just 56 balls to lead his side to a comprehensive 53-run win. Morgan’s innings included five sixes and eight fours and then in game two he partnered with WA Second XI batsman Iszak Milentis in an unbeaten opening stand. The Aces needed only 92 to win against the Fury and they didn’t lose a wicket as Morgan crunched 14 boundaries in his 65 form 35 balls while Milentis chipped in with 24no. Dilshan played an important role in the Ignition also winning both their games on day one. The Sri Lankan great batted with control in his 23 from 20 deliveries opening the batting with Willetton star Kallen Bond and their 60-run stand along with an unbeaten 43 from John Sanders helped them reached 3-134. Dilshan opening the bowling with his off breaks and returned 0-11 from two overs but Bond (2-9) and Marist spinner Brayden Clarke (2-20) guided the defending champions to a 53-run win. The highlight of round one was a super over between the Retravision Warriors and the Camtrans Bulldogs. Teen sensation Corey Wasley whacked 63 to help the Bulldogs set their rivals 140 to win. WA Second XI player Joel Curtis had the Warriors cruising to victory with a blistering 82 from 50 balls before he fell to Ben Payne. However the Warriors couldn’t get a run from the final couple of deliveries and Julian Crudeli was run out on the last ball as they finished 6-139 in reply. Curtis and Nathan Crudeli were dismissed in a dismal super over for the Warriors who made only four runs and Wasley and Michael Tassone needed just three balls to hand their side a memorable victory. The Ignition then knocked the Warriors out of final contention with a tense two-wicket win later in the day. Mt Lawley’s Tyrone Virgo top scored with 32 as the Warriors made 8-113 batting first despite a run out from Dilshan and a tidy spell of four overs that returned 1-26. Albany and Districts star Nathan Crudeli dismissed the international star for a second ball duck and the Ignition’s middle order faltered. It came down to the final over with the Ignition needing seven runs to win and James Bottomley (7no) and Tyler King (6no) securing a famous win as King drove a ball back past Nathan Crudeli for a boundary to pass the total with one ball remaining. The Avengers kept their slim final hopes alive with a five-wicket win over the Bulldogs in the other round two fixture, led by 48 from Claremont-Nedlands first grade captain Jacob Whiteaker. Whiteaker was out LBW two runs short of a half century but his side made 5-102 and then bowled out the Bulldogs for 100 in the final over in another tight finish. Melville quick Mitch Jackson (2-10), Scottish player Jasper Davidson (2-22) and country all-rounder Rod Shemeld (2-20) doing the damage with the ball. Florin spent time in the field with the Warriors on the opening day and although he didn’t bat or bowl, he was a much sought after figure. Kids in the crown spent time chatting with the Transylvanian icon, who also posed for photos and warmed up his bowling arm with them. He took part in various media interviews and was injected into the Smash under-21 exhibition game under lights on Thursday night - batting and bowling for both teams. The third and final round of regular games will be played at 11am on Friday before the final is held at 3pm.