A double header weekend of cricket for the Cowaramup Bulls’ A grade side proved fruitful for the club, as the side made light work of southern rivals Margaret River on Saturday, before backing up for another big win at home against 2nd placed Dunsborough on Sunday.
Saturday saw the Bulls bowl first and the whole bowling unit proved economical, however it was Buddhika Sanjeewa coming on as the 2nd change bowler that broke their opponent’s batting open.
Sanjeewa claimed 8/23, 7 bowled, in the process breaking Phil Wray’s long standing A grade club record of 7/21 and skittling the Hawks for 111.
In reply the hosts got off to a flyer, Shane Herbst blasted 59 off 40 before falling just shy of the target as the Bulls romped to a 9 wicket win.
James Stanistreet (33), Ben Shepherd (18), Fraser Oates (36) and Kaween De Silva (31) took us to 6/200 declared off 32 overs.
An outright victory seemed on the cards as Cowaramup pounced to have the Hawks at 5/12 in the second innings.
Despite this, a strong stone wall effort from the Hawks saw the Bulls denied the extra points, Sanjeewa finishing with a man of the match 11/37.
Dunsborough posed a tough challenge the next day, however a monster 153 by De Silva proved the catalyst for a 118 run win.
The hosts were in trouble at 3/23 before De Silva and Oates took us to 3/85 prior to the latter’s dismissal.
De Silva had the rub of the green and cashed in, recording his maiden Australian ton and also breaking Mike Hibberd’s A grade, and overall club record, of 131, along the way belting 10 sixes.
242 had Cowaramup in good stead, and the bowling unit again collectively fired as Woodward (1/17 off 6), Sanjeewa (3/12 off 5.5), Shepherd (2/45 off 10) and Oates (1/18 off 7) all bowled ideally under the circumstances.
To cap his day off, De Silva also bagged 3/13 in a brilliant effort, the home side rolling Dunsborough for 124.