Skipper’s fast and furious play sets up Crabs win

In round three of the West Pilbara Cricket Association 40-over competition at the weekend, Dampier Taverners hosted the Peg’s Creek Crabs.

The Crabs won the toss and in-form captain Lachlan Seabrook wasted no time asserting himself.

Seabrook reached 50 in the eighth over and went on to make a rapid 85 off 50 balls, eventually falling to a stunning one-handed catch from Jake Leahy.

From there the Taverners fought their way back into the game, with James O’Brien taking a miserly 3-16 off eight overs and Leahy cleaning up the tail with 3-13. Despite the early onslaught, opening bowler Reuben McCawley finished with a tidy 2-23 off his eight.

Some late runs from Craig Ryan (23) and Colin Baker (14) got the Crabs to a final score of 174.

The chase started poorly for the Taverners with opener Adrian D’Zero out in the first over.

The rest of the top order failed to fire and the Taverners found themselves staring down the barrel at 5-45.

From there, a fighting 59 from Leahy gave the Taverners a chance and capped off a brilliant all-round game from him.

Dampier were eventually dismissed for 142 with Ryan taking 4-26 for the visitors and Seabrook backing up his big-hitting with 2-22.

The win consolidates Pegs Creek’s spot in the top four while Dampier are still looking to build some momentum for their season.

At the Karratha Leisureplex, the Baynton Lions came up just short in their chase against the Karratha Kats.

The Kats posted 4-199 on the back of skipper Bruce Lee’s 55.

Sanjay Yadav was the best of the Baynton bowlers with 2-20.

The Lions got agonisingly close, finishing their 40 overs on 9-191, as veteran Amol Virkar top scored with an unbeaten 40. Lee led from the front in the Kats’ bowling as well, taking 3-33, and teammate Brendan Blizzard also took 3-31.

In the final game of the round the Rec Club put in a strong bowling effort to restrict undefeated ladder leaders Wickham to 6-187 off their 40 overs at Bulgarra Oval.

Opener Muhammad Uzair took 3-21 for the hosts.

Unfortunately, with no major contributors the Rec Club’s run chase never got going.

Top scores of 24 to Brody Leo and 22 to captain Richard Anderson were not enough for the Rec Club to chase down the total as they finished all out for 142.