Cricket return throws up clash of the titans

Broome cricket is back for 2013, with the opening fixtures of the Divers Tavern Twenty20 competition played last Sunday at St Mary’s Oval.

The second of two exciting games saw reigning champions Roebuck Bay Cricket Club take on the premiers of the main competition, Wanderers Cricket Club.

Winning the toss and batting first, Wanderers put on 115 off their 20 overs. Ben Rahman top scored with 32, while Ronin Maher added 26.

Justin Thompson, in his first game as Roebuck Bay captain, rallied his bowlers. Lynton Phillipson managed to take three wickets for a miserly seven runs.

Roebuck Bay got off to the worst possible start at the crease, losing Joel Unicomb in the first ball of the innings.

Thompson and Phillipson dug in and got the score to 39, before a couple of quick wickets fell.

Despite this, Roebuck Bay steadied with Pat De Souza coming in to bat, and the Twenty20 premiers reeled in their opponents’ with four overs to spare.

Mangrove Cricket Club kicked off their campaign with a strong victory against Derby.

Derby captain Shane Kenworthy’s decision to insert Mangrove appeared to have paid dividends, with a rusty innings of 76 runs for eight wickets.

Derby’s steady attack applied good pressure and Mangrove found it difficult to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Ian Rowe top scored with a patient 24 runs.

Kenworthy beat the bat consistently to be the best of Derby’s bowlers with a luckless one for 12, while Ray Sampi finished with two for 11.

Mangrove roared back into the contest by taking four Derby wickets for only two runs.

David Marion bowled with good pace and movement to finish with three wickets for four runs, Adam Pusep took two wickets for seven runs.

Derby battled hard but failed to regain any momentum and were dismissed for 32. Sampi was most effective with the bat for the defeated side, but was dismissed for 18 by Rowe.

This Sunday sees Mangrove take on Roebuck Bay, with Wanderers going head-to-head with Dirty Dozen. Derby have a bye this weekend.