Kats, Warriors, Taverners in close cricket finals race

A dominant century stand from Mark Saunders and Bradley Goes kept the Dampier Taverners in touch with the top of the table in the 40-over cricket competition at the weekend.

The Taverners came away with a four-wicket win on Saturday after making the arduous journey to Karratha to take on the Pegs Creek Crabs at the Leisureplex.

Having been sent in to bat, all the Crabs’ batsmen made starts but none could go on to a big score.

The competition’s leading run scorer, Lachlan Seabrook, looked to get on top of the Taverners’ bowlers, racing to 21 from 12 balls before mistiming a shot straight back down Jake Leahy’s (3-50) throat.

Pegs Creek pushed on to 213 courtesy of a valuable 35 from Dylan Lanyon down the order.

The Taverners’ run chase got off to a poor start after losing opener Adrian D’Zero for a duck but their fortunes changed when Goes (74) joined Saunders (66) at the crease.

Seabrook (2-28) beat the outside edge of Saunders’ bat early but could not find the edge in the opening overs.

The duo were safe as houses once in, dispatching the Crabs’ bowlers square of the wicket with ease as they got into their stride.

Saunders fell with his side 90 runs in arrears but the Crabs had no trouble chasing down the target with four overs to go.

In Wickham, the Warriors defended 8-199 against the Rec Club to remain joint leaders with three games to go.

Wickham’s top three batsmen got the home side off to a good start, cruising to 75 before losing a few quick wickets.

Craig Nunn (27) and Brett Ball (31) added valuable runs at the end of the innings to push the score close to 200.

Luke Breman (3-39) and Jackson Gordon (2-31) were the pick of the Rec Club’s bowlers.

The Rec Club openers looked steady at the start of the run chase but after both were dismissed with the score on 43, the visitors could not recover, finishing all out for 120 in the 37th over.

Damaging spells from Lachlan Smith (3-10) and Bradley Atkinson (3-18) proved the difference for the Warriors.

Ladder leaders the Karratha Kats notched a percentage-boosting win over the Baynton Lions to hold their position.

The Kats posted 6-210 before bowling the Lions out for 125.

Michael James (56) and Mitchell Inglis (51) top-scored for the Kats, while Tennant Riley (4-26) did the damage with the ball in his first match for the Kats.