Country week juniors off to a rocky start

It was a mixed start for Geraldton’s youngsters as they kicked off junior country week, winning just one of the four games played on Monday.

The under-14s 1st XI enjoyed a convincing victory over Wellington in A-section. Winning the toss and batting first, Geraldton lost two early wickets.

Jack Annison came in at number four, with his team 2/5, and belted a match best 43 from 52 balls to get his team to a total of 81.

Annison then took the new ball, claiming the valuable scalp of Wellington opener Montana Dallywater for 20 before bowling the opposition skipper Toby King for a golden duck, putting himself on a hat-trick.

Jackson Burns played a pivotal role as first change bowler, taking 2/12 from his four overs, while opener Austyn Moulds had an economical spell of 1/16, with two maidens.

The under-16s had a much tougher start to their campaign. Put in to bat, their top order was taken apart by a strong Bunbury attack, before the wagging tail of Austin Breen, Matthew Greenlees and Angus Johnson lifted the total to 7/84 from the 20 overs.

Bunbury’s openers got to work, piling on 110 in 11 overs, before Kodi Giltrow trapped Nico Le roux LBW for 48, while number two batter Bryn Bursill retired not out on 50.

Their second game for the day, against Albany and Districts, got off to a better start.

Sent out to field, Digby Gallop knocked over Albany’s openers cheaply to finish the innings 2/24 from his four overs. Number 3 batter Jed Schwarzbach put up a defiant 39, but three catches from Greenlees saw Albany end their 20 overs 6/113.

Despite strong starts with the bat from Giltrow, Gallop, and Ben Ingle, the boys fell 18 runs short in their chase, ending their day with two losses.

The under-14s 2nd XI went down in a nail-biter against Peel.

James Camac put on a clinic with the ball, taking 1/3 from his three overs, which included a maiden. Digby Williams and Hayden Kelly were the other wicket takers, keeping the home side to 4/113 from their 30 overs.

Williams and Blair Michael put on a strong opening stand before giving way to a middle order collapse. Oliver Macpherson was forced to retire not out on 10, leaving the 10th wicket partnership of Griffin Patience and Kian Smit with 27 runs needed to win.

They fought to a total of 101, but couldn’t hold on for the win.