Wanderers, Port winners

Play resumed in the Norwest Crane Hire Port Hedland Cricket Association, after the scheduled resumption was washed out at the end of January, with wins to Wanderers CC and Port Hedland CC.

Wanderers were too good for Miners CC on Friday night in the Ray Stoddart Shield Twenty20 fixture, chasing down the 121-run target in the 16th over with 29 balls to spare.

For the Miners, opener Wayne Stokes contributed a rapid 35 runs, but when he played over the top of a Zoe Britcliffe delivery that took out his middle stump, Miners were 2-47 and 3-55 when captain Taurean Williams was dismissed for his lowest score in the T20 competition (5).

Marty Tabak and Robert Bigmore steadied the innings with a 44-run partnership.

Wanderers skipper Lee Irwin strode to the crease averaging 100 in the Ray Stoddart competition this season, including a 46-ball century in round 8.

Billy Cousins joined Irwin at the beginning of the run chase.

Irwin departed for 29, in a stand of 33, prompting Cousins to increase the scoring rate.

Cousins (44), Cam Sekula (29) and Greg Havers (22) helped the defending champions take the points.

In the 40-over game on Saturday night, Port Hedland CC restricted ladder leaders South Hedland CC to 158 runs, dismissing Souths in the 38th over.

Abu Rafferty (35), Izzy Kalzee (35) and Marty Ross (23) led the way with the bat for the Southerners, although Port’s bowlers gave up 27 wide deliveries to the total.

Port captain Sam Mason made a welcome return to form with the bat, opening up the chase with a composed 46 runs, which included three massive sixes.

Mason lost his wicket when the Port score was 61, prompting a mini collapse of 5/14 that boosted the Southerners’ hopes of defending their modest total.

Jarrad O’Dea and George Purcell steadied the innings with a 44-run stand before O’Dea and Chris Ams saw the Porters across the line in the penultimate over.

The T20 competition will go into recess for the next two weekends as the 40-over semifinal and final are played on consecutive Saturday evenings.