11/03/2026
Our Man Zoz! 💪💙
TWO EXCEPTIONAL individual performances at A-Grade level dominated the last qualifying round of home-and-away fixtures in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association on Saturday.
At Bovell Park, Grant Garstone smashed 156 runs off 132 balls for Margaret River Hawks against Vasse, setting a record for the highest score this century, since Danny Hatton struck 167 not out for Abba River-Newtown 26 seasons ago.
The game was a scoring spree of epic proportions with no less than 578 runs scored in 100 overs including a record 26 sixes (17 by Hawks and 9 by Vasse), as Hawks amassed 7-324 in 50 overs and then contained Vasse to an impressive 7-254 in 50 overs in reply.
Garstone and Rumesh Silva added 158 runs before the first wicket of the match fell, while Vasse's response included an innings of 110 off 81 balls from wicketkeeper-batsman Ajith Rajapaksha.
Meanwhile at the Dunsborough Playing Fields, St Mary's wrested control over the home side on a pitch which strongly favoured the visitors, who batted first.
Saints tallied 193 all out, including a solo performance of 102 runs by skipper Zoraiz Saeed.
The visitors then dismissed Dunsborough for 152 on a wicket which deteriorated badly as the game progressed.
Dunsborough were also handicapped by the inability of key batsman Taylor Ingham-Hill to take to the crease after he suffered a nasty injury while fielding, which necessitated a trip to hospital.
The highlight of the Dunsborough innings was Saeed's analysis of 5-15 from 6.2 overs of offspin.
This made Zoraiz Saeed one of only a handful of cricketers in the BMRCA's 114-year history to have scored a century and taken five wickets in an innings in the same game.
Saturday's remaining A-Grade game saw minor premiers Cowaramup return to form with a strong win over Yallingup-Oddbods at Cowaramup.
Batting first in good conditions, the Bulls posted 6-273 from 50 overs (Fraser Oates hitting 64, Nathan Coulter-Nile 57 and Chris McLean 46) and then dismissed YOBS for 160 (Haig Colombera scoring 48).
This Saturday, Cowaramup will host St Marys in the A-Grade second semi-final while Dunsborough will host Margaret River Hawks in the first semi-final.
In last Saturday's B-grade fixtures, an upset win by Vasse over Margaret River Hawks at the Vasse Playing Fields has cost Hawks the minor premiership.
Hawks batted first and totalled 168 all out, with Shane Joyce hitting 59 and Dennis Amour and Adrian Handreck taking three wickets each for Vasse.
In reply, Vasse got up with four wickets in hand and 14 balls to spare, Bodhi Wallace striking a match-winning 61 not out.
Dunsborough defeated St Marys by five wickets to ensure they finished as top B-Grade qualifier with Ashton McCarthy scoring 84 runs for the victors, while Yallingup-Oddbods enjoyed a huge 206-run win over Cowaramup in the remaining fixture, with James Trewren grabbing 5-24 for YOBS.
This Saturday's B-Grade semi-finals will see Dunsborough host Margaret River Hawks in the major semi while Yallingup-Oddbods host Vasse in the minor semi.
The closest C-Grade qualifying games last Saturday saw St Marys sneak home by two wickets over Vasse at Churchill Park, while Dunsborough White defeated Dunsborough Blue in the battle of the top two sides to sn**ch the minor premiership.
YOBS Academy climbed off the bottom of the ladder with a win over Nannup to end their season, while Yallingup-Oddbods defeated Margaret River Hawks in the other fixture.
This Saturday's C-Grade semi-finals will see Dunsborough White and Dunsborough Blue face each other in a rematch while Yallingup-Oddbods will be at home to Nannup.
