ADCA 2023-24: Manypeaks do double, Royals firm top spot in Albany and Districts Cricket Association’s return

A revived Manypeaks kept their hopes of a finals berth alive with a huge upset win over Railways, while Royals made light work of Collingwood Park to solidify their spot at the top of the ladder. Bottom-placed Peaks secured a victory double over third-placed Tigers in Albany and Districts Cricket Association’s return to fixtures post country week. They stormed to a crushing 110-run victory over a lacklustre Tigers outfit in a one-day match on Saturday, following a convincing 78-run T20 win on Thursday. Peaks completed their double at Turf East on Saturday after belting 235 runs in their opening innings, led by Harry Broomhall (74). His swashbuckling innings came from just 48 balls, including four fours and five sixes, in a 95-run fourth-wicket partnership with Oliver Douglas (48). At 3-77 and a retired Paul Donaldson (calf), Peaks were on the ropes before Broomhall and Douglas combined for the much-needed stand. Later, Ryan Kinnear joined Douglas at the crease and contributed a run-a-ball 19 in a 47-run partnership. Joe Stanley bowled 10 tidy overs for the Tigers on his way to 3-22, while Caleb Haua also claimed three scalps. In their defence, Peaks’ opening bowlers Ben Southern and Cameron Walsh provided a scintillating opening spell combining for five wickets from 12 overs as the Tigers fell to 6-69. They each bowled six overs at the top with Walsh taking 3-21 and Southern claiming 2-30, while Jeremy Stewart got a run-out. Tigers’ Mitchell T’Hart provided some respite with 25 runs from 34 balls before his side was skittled for 125 in the 29th over. Peaks cruised to a 78-run victory in their round nine T20 fixture against the Tigers on Thursday. After being sent into bat, Peaks finished their innings with a defendable 141. Douglas smashed an unbeaten 29 runs from 15 balls, including two fours and six, to close out the innings. Donaldson top scored with 39 while Kieran Howie contributed 29. Tigers’ spinner Stanley claimed 2-19 from his four overs. In their defence, Peaks’ bowling attack ripped through the Tigers batting line-up spearheaded by Donaldson who took 3-7 from his four overs. Tigers captain Coen Marwick smashed 19 off 11, while his teammates struggled as nine batters were dismissed with scores less than 10. A dominant bowling performance by the Lions solidified their spot on top of the ADCA ladder after smashing Park by four wickets at Turf North on Saturday. Park were rolled for just 115 runs in the 36th over before the Lions chased it down with 18 overs to spare. Lions’ Matthew Thompson stood out in their bowling innings, securing a magnificent five-wicket haul that featured four dismissals within 13 balls, tearing through Parks’ tail. Thompson claimed 5-10 from his 6.1 overs while Hayden Davies took 3-34 from seven overs. Parks’ Sam Keeling-Wright provided late-innings fireworks with 38 from 30 balls including three sixes. In reply, Lions’ Ted Bachelor scored 40 at the top of the order while Matthew France contributed an unbeaten 42 before they reeled in the total in the 33rd over. Former Melville Cricket Club paceman Mitchell Jackson completed his rumoured return to Albany as captain for Park and finished with 0-13 from his 7.1 overs and scored 21.