Albany and Districts country cup campaign off to horror start as former local player puts them to the sword

Albany and Districts Cricket Association’s Country Cup campaign began in disappointing fashion with a heavy defeat by the WA Invitational XI in round one in Narrogin on Sunday. Their title hopes took a significant hit in the three-game, 50-over competition as they fell 137 runs short to a classy WA Invitational XI at Clayton Road Oval. The ADCA will likely have to win their last two games and have results go in their favour to secure a grand final berth because of their net run rate. The ADCA went into the game with a host of first-choice players missing but the WA Invitational XI were also missing some quality players. WA Invitational XI captain Ben Payne won the toss and elected to bat, and it proved a big toss to win, as his side went on to post a staggering 3-301 from 50 overs. Jack Dawson sank his former association with a terrific unbeaten century, sharing in a 173-run partnership with Rodney Ford. Dawson whacked 101 not out from 97 balls which included 11 fours and three massive sixes. Openers Perrin Quartermaine and Luke Gorman got their side off to a flying start scoring 43 runs in the first 10 overs. The pair added 71 runs to set their side up before Jeremy Wood got through the defence of Gorman for 34. Quartermaine continued to score freely and bought up his half-century with a boundary as he and Jay O’Brien added a further 42 before the latter was caught at cover. That brought Dawson to the crease, who started with a flurry with three fours from his first four scoring shots. Quartermaine was caught behind for 68 from 64 balls, an innings which included seven fours and two sixes to get his side off to great start. Sitting at 3-128 at the halfway point of the innings, the platform was set and Dawson and Ford went to another level scoring at just under seven an over for the remainder off the innings. Both batsmen ticked the strike over and with ADCA bowlers frequently bowling in bad areas the ball was finding the boundary regularly. ADCA thought they had broken the partnership when Angus Thompson took a good catch under a high ball but it was a no ball and Ford was safe. In the last 10 overs the pair piled on 80 runs with Dawson in control and Ford playing a strong support role. Dawson brought up his century with a single and after Ford past his half-century he started freeing the arms as they set a match-winning total. Ford hit five fours and one six in his innings of 71 not out from 69 balls. Wood was the pick of the ADCA bowlers with 1-40 off nine overs but his team weren’t able to execute well enough. It was a daunting task for an inexperienced ADCA side chasing 300 and it got off to a shaky start with youngster Ryley Valli bowled in the second over for a duck by Zak Italiano. Two overs later they had fellow opener Alex Fergie caught as they fell to 2-21. Nathan Crudeli came out and hit three fours from his first five scoring shots, making a quick-fire 22 before skying a ball to mid-off. Wood joined Ted Batchelor and they added 40 before Wood was caught for 23. Seb Stanton was removed two overs later as ADCA crumbled to 5-96. Batchelor started finding the boundary freely despite wickets falling around him and he and Jack Stephens added 51 together. However Batchelor chopped on for 59 before his side lost their final four wickets for seven runs to be bowled out for 164 from 38 overs. Batchelor was a positive for the ADCA with his 59 from 68 balls featuring five fours and a six. Italiano, Ford, Bailey Parsons and Payne did the damage with the ball for the WA Invitational XI side taking two wickets each. ADCA captain Wood said it was a disappointing performance “It wasn’t an ideal start to our campaign,” he said. “I thought we didn’t execute with the ball very well. “Looking at the pitch I thought it was a 250-run wicket but we just bowled too many boundary bowls and they batted superbly. “Someone in the top five had to get a big 100 if we were a chance of chasing that total down “It’s a daunting task looking chasing 300 down with an inexperienced side.” Wood said it was always going to be difficult to win. “The game was essentially over at the 20 over mark, we needed to be one or two wickets down at the 30 over mark to have a red hot crack,” he said. “Ted batted really well, we just needed someone to hang around with him. “We got beaten pretty comprehensively.”