By ‘One Short’

Round four of Grampians Cricket Association action featured a run-fest at Great Western, which saw St Andrews prevail and Swifts-Great Western 1, Pomonal and Rhymston 1 continue their winning run at the expense of Halls Gap 1, Rhymston 2 and Chalambar. 

At Great Western, the Saints overcame a spirited challenge from Combine 2. 

Batting first, Combine 2 recorded its season-best score of 2-193 thanks to an unbeaten century of 136 not out from Travis Nicholson. 

Nicholson was returning from injury and his knock included 14 fours and five sixes. 

The Saints responded with 3-201 in 31 overs. Main scorers for the Saints were Adam Haslett, 75 not out, and Jacob Bates, 59. 

Pomonal took just 21 overs to run down Rhymston 2’s score of 111. 

Top-scorer for Rhymston was evergreen Trevor Quick with 25, while the Tigers were best served by Tyler Cronin, 60 not out. 

In a rather low-scoring match at Buangor, Rhymston 1 defeated Chalambar by six wickets.

Batting first, Chalambar reached 9-107 with Glen Cosgriff taking 4-15. 

In reply, Rhymston 1 reached the target in 20 overs, with opener Daniel Taylor top-scoring with 50 not out. 

Combine 1 took 27.2 overs to dismiss Gappers 1 for 162. 

Recruit Angus Barham was the best of the bowlers with 4-43 with his spinners.

Gappers batter Adam McCormack top scored with 66 runs.

Combine 1 chased the runs down with just two wickets lost. 

Opener Jayden McCarthy top scored with 74 and Craig Marrow chipped in with 46.

Round five will see the unbeaten Rhymston 1 face its biggest challenge yet, from fourth- placed Saints. The Saints’ team contains some handy cricketers in Jacob Bates, Adam Haslett, Ned Bohner, and Sam Summers, so Daniel Taylor, Daniel Walker, and Glen Cosgriff will have to be right on their game to get a win. 

The Combine teams, if they can repeat last Saturday’s form, should start favourites against the Gappers.

An interesting game will take place at Moyston, with the locals at home to Chalambar. Both teams will be seeking their first win, so it should provide an interesting contest.

Round four results: Swifts-Great Western 1, 2-174 d Halls Gap 1, 10-162; St Andrews, 3-201 d Swifts-Great Western 2, 2-193; Pomonal, 2-129 d Rhymney-Moyston 2, 10-111; Rhymney-Moyston 1, 5-111 d Chalambar, 9-107.

Ladder: Swifts-Great Western 1, 24 points; Pomonal, 24; Rhymney-Moyston 1, 24, St Andrews, 18; Halls Gap 1, 18; Chalambar, 6; Halls Gap 2, 6; Swifts-Great Western 2, 0; Rhymney-Moyston 2, 0.

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