Bulls Captain Josh Purtell won the toss for Coota.
Centuries were on the menu as both Cootamundra Bulls outfits dished up some big scores in Round Five of the South West Slopes Cricket League (SWSCL). The unbeaten Bulls (1) solidified top spot in Pool A with a crushing 169-run win over the Young Gunners at Gus Smith Oval. Josh Purtell won the toss and sent the Bulls into bat, and Joseph Pall’s hot and cold season continued after he was dismissed for a three-ball duck when caught by Liam Birks off James Payne’s bowling.
From there, Nicholas Louttit and Oscar Roberts put on 143 runs for the second wicket before Louttit was dismissed on 60 runs from 64 balls when caught by Payne off Lachlan Dabin’s bowling. Ryan Connell would join Roberts in the middle, and the pair then added 103 runs for the third wicket, with Roberts reaching a 116-ball knock of 112 before he became Payne’s second victim.
Connell scored a quickfire and unbeaten 70 (from 52 balls), while Koby Godbier joined him in the middle, adding an unbeaten 20 (from 11). After 40 overs, Cootamundra scored 3/282. The Bulls then rolled through Young, bowling the Gunners out for 113 in 30.3 overs.
Ethan Birks (34 from 61) added some resistance at the top of the order while James Payne scored an unbeaten 20 and James Rogers added 16, but the Bulls were just too good. Joel Pearson again led his side with the ball in hand, taking 3/14 from 5.3 overs.
In a good all-round effort, Tony Reece (1/25), Koby Godbier (1/22), Tristen Beaumont (1/9), Darren Connell (2/27), and Josh Purtell (2/16) all took wickets. Unfortunately, the Bulls (2) lost their Pool B game to the Grenfell Blues by five wickets at Lawson Oval. The Bulls won the toss, with Scott Meale sending his side into bat. The Bulls piled on 6/209 in 40 overs, and Phil Gay scored a 78-ball century.
It was an entertaining knock that included 12 boundaries and two more that cleared the rope before his was out on 100 when holing out to Steve Walker of Josh Knight’s bowling. Young Riley Meale added 33, Paul Bean finished not out on 32, James Dunk added 19, and Cootamundra looked well-placed to defend their total of 6/209 (40 overs). It went down to the wire, but Grenfell reached 5/212 in 39.4 overs. With the bat in hand, Bailey Edwards kept up his excellent form, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs from 105 balls.
Edwards combined with Brenton Hotham for 110 runs for the third wicket before Hotham was out on 76 runs from 61 balls. Josh Edwards came in and did the job, though, and he scored an unbeaten 29 runs as the Blues landed a much-needed win in the match’s final moments.
James Dunk was Cootamundra’s best bowler, taking 3/22, while Paul Bean (1/10) and Riley Meale (1/52) took a wicket each. Meale’s Bulls (2) are at home in Round Six when playing the high flying Boorowa Crocs at Albert Park.
Josh Purtell and his Bulls (1) have a bye in Round Six but return to the paddock in Round Seven when taking on the Murringo Mavericks at Albert Park. For a summary of all SWSCL results, readers can turn to today’s Twin Town Times.