The Margaret River Big Bash Cricket 2018/19 competition is now well into it’s twelfth season and after three rounds of fixtures the competition runners up of the last four season in a row, The Bushchoox are on top of the Kitchen Formations Big Bash ladder, remaining undefeated so far this season.
With a blend of new youth inducted into their line up over the last two seasons the boys from Foul-House corner look formidable.
Eight teams compete on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights on the Western Oval in the Gloucester Park Precinct.
The family friendly environment provides a great place to spend the summer evenings amongst other locals from the community, keen to cheer on their friends and workmates in the exciting annual competition.
Bushchoox rule the roost
GAME 9
Monday night’s action was a replay of last season’s Grand Final playoff. The 2018 premiers Willow Warriors took on the Bushchoox.
Batting first the Choox went about their business by racking up 47 runs from the 5-over power play without losing a wicket. Long Tall Sam playing his first game for the team, retired in just 14 balls with 26 not out. Three wickets fell in the second quarter but they also added 54 runs to go into half time with 3/101 in Rumesh's scorebook.
Jackson also playing his first game of the season retired with 25 runs from 20 balls. At the ¾ time change of ends the score was 4/136 and a big total was looking ominous. The final quarter belonged to the Warriors as they finally got their act together will the ball restricted the scoring to 24 runs and took 4 more wickets in the final 5 overs.
The Foul-Boys ended with 8/160 at 8.00 rpo after being over 10 rpo at half time. Garsty's 3 wickets for just 4 runs from his 2 overs was a standout, while Cam Beam was also tidy picking up 1/12
Hep and Garsty opened the innings and both men went about turning over the strike and piling on the runs. Garstone belted his third 6 of the inning to retire on 30 from 14 balls whilst Mitch lent support retiring on 27 from 24 balls.
At 0/47 at 1/4 time the scores were all tided up. Muzza, Morgs and Jake all slowed the run rate with tight line bowling to give their side and advantage at half time and again at ¾ time by 16 runs. Needing 40 runs from the final 30 balls the lower order batting fell apart and Garsty returned for another 3 balls to end up on 36 not out from 17 balls at strike rate of 211.
The Choox reversed the grand final result and won by 23 runs with the Warriors on 9/137. The Big Chook Morgs won the man of the match with 2/7 from his two overs late in the game. Muzza's 1/7 and Reece-O conceeding just 4 runs from 2 overs all match winners.
GAME 10
Tuesday saw Finbats and the Sons of Pitches take to the immaculate Western Oval to do battle. SOP went into bat first and were in trouble immediately with 3 wickets falling in the power play with only 32 runs being added.
The second quarter was very similar with 33 runs added but without the loss of a wicket and SOP were 3/65, looking good for a 130-140 target. But the third quarter truly belonged to the Finbats as they bowled dot ball after dot ball to dry up the runs in the second half and the SOPs only put on 40 runs from the final 60 balls.
Without Brenno’s 20 from 27 balls, Tomas the Tank (Jordy) 20 from 19 balls, the 7 wickets down for 105 at the end could have been a complete disaster. Ronny and Byron 1/4 each, Blacky 1/5, Nobsy 0/5 and Papsmears 2/13 all did a job for their team.
Needing 5.26 runs per over the Finbats were steady in the first 5 over power play to be 1/37 and just 5 runs ahead of SOPs power play total.
They steadily added another 44 in the second quarter without the loss of any wickets and at half time were 1/81 and needing 24 from the final 60 balls.
Blackie retired on 14 balls with 25 runs, Ronny 26 and Nobbsy 29 also retired at about a run a ball. Matty Graddo up the pace with 30 runs retired at a 173 strike rate and at the very end Blackie returned to belt 3 boundaries including 2 sixes off Pops to finish on 44 not out from 24 balls. The Finbats recorded a 63 run victory with a final total of 5/168 which is just about the league average, to move them to second on the ladder.
GAME 11
Wednesday night’s games saw the big-hitting Big Show up against the ever improving Bashers line-up.
Big Show batted first and young-star Darcey Bailey opened the batting and held the inning together with a well compiled 23 from 25 balls.
With the total at 1/25 after the power play it looked like all the might of the Big Hitting Big Show was missing.
Teen-high scores at around a run a ball from Stewie, Pizey and Bakes the score limped along from 3/67 at half time to be 6/105 at 3/4 time. BS put on another 38 in the final quarter to finish with 8/143 at the completion of their 20 overs..
In an amazingly even bowling performance by all the Bashers players, there was only one player going for more than 7.5 runs per over.
Sheithy took 3 wickets, Clarky 2 and Blake Ando' behind the stumps is one of the best wicketkeeper batsmen in the league with three brilliant catches.
Needing 7.16 runs per over for a first up season victory the Bashers put on 0/40 in the powerplay with Big Danny belting the BS bowlers to all parts of the Western Oval and retired on 27 from 16 balls.
With 3 for 78 on the board at half time the game was evenly poised for a great 2nd half. Sheithy had a great game double backing up his bowling with 21 runs at a run a ball.
At 3/4 time the run rate was hovering at 7.66 just above the required rate and they still had 5 wickets in the pavilion.
Ando' came in and gave his team every opportunity to win with a 6 and three 4s to retire on 25 runs from 15 balls. Needing 17 from 18 balls and 7 wickets down it was tight. A run out in the 18th over made this even more exciting as the big hitting Danny came back in from retirement and smashed 15 runs from the next 5 balls he face to seal the deal for the Bashers.
They finished on 8/152 in a great display of T-20 cricket...
GAME 12
Friday night’s blockbuster was just that, the game of the season so far. Madness up against the Master-Batters who are all now pulling together.
The Master Batters batted first and Joycey did what he has done all season and retired on 26 at about a 140 strike rate.
With 1/46 after the power play and a 9.20 run rate they were comfortable. With Kirbs and Nicko both posting run a ball mid-teen scores at about 100 strike rates and MB's half time total was 2/77.
The third term saw 38 runs added but 4 wickets fell and in the final 5 overs just 22 more runs were put on by the lower order and the Master Batters were all out on the final ball of the innings for 137 runs.
Madness put on the slowest power play in over three seasons when they had 1/17 on the board at 1/4 time.
They added 41 runs in the second quarter to be 3/58 at half time thanks to a steady run a ball 25 retired by Big Man Morrow.
The 3/4 term was Madness's best quarter adding 46 runs without loss as Bezza, Foxy and Menni all retired on 25 runs each at around 130 strike rates.
The scenario with just the final quarter to play was Madness need 34 runs from 30 balls with 7 wickets in hand. With just one over of 6 balls left and 4 runs needed for victory Jarvo took the ball and conceded just 2 runs from the first 4 balls.
So now it was just 2 balls left and 2 runs needed when Jarvo had Big Ben brilliantly caught by Kirbs. And then on the final ball Jarvo took another wicket to win the game for his team by just one run.
What a week!
