Cricket: Parry's back!

Nick Parry returned to some ominous form ahead of the semifinals in the Albany Cricket Association A-grade competition after blasting back-to-back half centuries on the weekend.

North County made it a double for the weekend as they comprehensively defeated an under-strength Collingwood Park on Sunday in round 15, the last home-and-away game of the season.

Set 163 for victory, the Bulldogs chased it down in the 28th over to show they are looking good for consecutive premierships.

County made several breakthroughs early in the innings before Matt Heberle (67) and Oakley Dew (22) combined for a 55-run stand.

That was the only real resistance as Gary McGlade (3-18) and Chris Pumphrey (2-28) were the main destroyers with the ball.

A 75-run opening partnership from Craig Tonkin (34) and Parry (77) set the victory up as County cruised to be all out for 268.

Lower-order contributions from McGlade (40), Jordan Pietrala (35) and Lee Sounness (20) when the game was over pushed the score past 250.

Tim Pyle got the prize wicket of Parry to finish with 4-34 from his spell.

County captain Graeme Weinert said it was a great all-round performance.

“I’m very happy to win both games, it was a real team effort today,” he said.

“With Nick in very good form and given our battling depth we were always confident of chasing that down.”

Park stand-in captain Hayden Burling said his side had to work on restricting their opponents when in the field if they wanted to have an impact in the finals.

“We didn’t make enough runs to start with and we only had limited bowling stocks,” he said.

“We just couldn’t get on top and after their good start, we just didn’t recover.” Meanwhile, several contributions from Manypeaks batsmen helped them to a 55-run victory over Royals.

Warrick Durack (35) and Don Monley (34) top scored for Peaks while Lions’ Ian Boxall finished with figures of 4-44. In reply to 162, the Lions could only manage 107 with Angus Andrew (29 not out) proving the only batsmen to really get going.

Railways finished on top spot after their 125-run win over Denmark in round 15.

Zane Marwick was in glorious touch making 85, with the top six batsmen all getting starts for the Tigers and helping them to 9-265.

Spinner Lachy Pember proved too much for the Magpies taking 5-27 as he helped to bowl the home side out for 140.