Dugongs go six from six

The Broome Dugongs exceeded expectations in this year’s Country Week cricket carnival, held in Perth last week.

The representative team of the best 18 cricketers from Broome clubs could do no wrong in C-division, winning all six of their games.

A first win against Esperance ensured the Dugongs got off to a great start.

Bowling first, the Dugongs ripped through the opposition, getting Esperance all out for 172 in 42 overs of the allocated 50.

Broome were led by a rampant Farley Murton (5-11), with Dan Nicholas and James Carpenter collecting two wickets each.

In reply, Joel Unicomb began a fruitful week with a pugnacious 76, setting the BCA up for the winning total of 204.

Lynton Phillipson made 37 and Murton 53 in a man-of-the-match performance.

In the second game against Eastern Goldfields, the BCA posted a competitive 3-292, with Dean Holder (45) and Unicomb (50) putting the pressure on early.

After a cameo from Joe Wevers (23), Ben Rahman (64 not out) and Chris Chuck (92 not out) pleased the crowd with a 164-run partnership.

Eastern Goldfields were bundled out for 82 with Mitch Smith the Dugong’s best bowler with 3-22.

In a bid for a precious outright victory they put Eastern Goldfields in again. They were 4-51 at the end of the day’s play with Glen Gale getting 1-2 and Phil Thompson 2-18.

The third game against Bunbury and Districts saw the Dugongs bat first, with Unicomb (46) getting another score and Murton (57) again contributing.

Captain Scott Hanna (37) also made runs.

Spin twins Anthony Collopy (3-33) and Carpenter (3-62) were the Dugong’s best bowlers.

The fourth game against Port Hedland continued a rivalry which has been brewing in recent seasons.

Port Hedland batted first, scoring 171, with Murton (3-22) and Chuck (2-34) doing the damage with the ball.

At bat Holder made 136, Dan Nicholas 35 and Steven Travis Thompson 73.

The last qualifier against Wyalkatchem was a rain-affected match reduced to 35 overs.

Rahman played a beautiful innings of 44 and Phillipson scored 34 in the total of 156.

Wyalkatchem made 9-92 with an incredible spell of hostile fast bowling by Smith, whose six overs bought him 4-6.

The final against Geraldton was played on turf at the superb Stan Twight fields in Rockingham.

Unicomb came out and bashed a magnificent 113, including 14 fours and two sixes, most of them deep in the covers or straight down the ground.

Rahman scored another half century (52) in a beautifully constructed innings.

Smith came in and smashed an emphatic 72 full of fours, sixes and aggressive intent.

Geraldton stumbled early in their run chase to be at 5-65 and from there the game was Broome’s for the taking.

Chuck bowled superbly for 2-29, Nicholas claimed 3-34 while Collopy, playing his last game for Broome, cleaned up the tail with 3-19.

Six wins from six games was a tremendous result.