Poor fielding left the Cowaramup Bulls’ A Grade side ruing a missed opportunity in their first clash against Dunsborough for the season.
Despite having been one of the team’s strengths in recent times, good bowling and batting performances were ultimately undone by sub par fielding.
The customary early wickets followed, with Kaween De Silva (4/32) and Buddhika Sanjeewa (2/40) again finding early breakthroughs to have their visitors on the ropes at 4/42.
That’s when things turned as Dunsborough’s great Chris Dudley combined with Phillip Watts in a match winning partnership found multiple reprieves from the Cowaramup fielders. Dudley amassed a quality undefeated 90, while Watts was eventually run out on 55, the Bulls only had themselves to blame for not taking gettable chances.
In response to the 7/205 target set, Cowaramup opener James Stanistreet continued until he fell for 32, while Sam Berridge regained some form of his own with 43.
The Dunsborough bowlers managed to break partnerships as they began to form, but a 46 run union between Mike Hibberd and De Silva put the game on a knifes edge.
Once De Silva was removed on 35, all hope was lost and the side’s tail needed to pull off a miracle to win. Eventually, the Bulls fell short, tallying 9/186 off their 50 overs in second straight narrow loss.