Dugongs win nail biter

CRICKET: In a historic week, the Broome Cricket Association won the Senior Country Week Cricket B-division flag in Perth on Australia Day.

After a week of non-stop cricket in which the Dugongs lost just one game (by one run), the final against the valiant Indigenous XI was a hard fought game that went to the wire.

Chasing 252 to win, the Dugongs reached the total with two wickets in hand and just four balls to spare. Joe Wevers capped off a fantastic week by hitting the winning runs.

The Broome Dugongs had already exceeded expectations in winning the C-division trophy last year and to win again this year in the level above was a magnificent achievement.

Playing against other teams from much larger population centres, with far more distance to travel and playing on unfamiliar turf pitches, the Broome boys again had all the answers.

The first two games hinted that we were not going to be over-awed in Bdivision, with the strong bowling attack dismissing Eastern Districts for 129 and the BCA scoring 241. Captain Dean Holder scored 63.

The next day, Kalgoorlie Boulder were also dismissed for 129, thanks to two wickets from Scott Gardiner and the others were spread around.

The BCA overtook the Kalgoorlie Boulder score easily and piled on the bonus runs.

In the next game versus Central Great Southern, we lost by the narrowest of margins — one run.

The fourth game versus North Midlands was again relatively easy with a strong seas breeze assisting Dom Tracey to smash through their batting line-up with four wickets and the BCA scored 211.

The last game of the qualifying round saw us take on Fortescue and a strong first innings score of 272 ensured that it was unlikely they would get it which proved correct.

In the final at the superb Murdoch University oval, the Indigenous XI scored a competitive 251, but with such a flat pitch and immaculate outfield we felt this was achievable.

Keeping them to this score was in a large way due to Carpenter’s introduction which resulted in immediate wickets and then a fantastic 17-over marathon bowling effort by Dean Holder followed up by his fighting 80 with the bat which saw us nearly over the line.

Joel Unicomb also bullied the attack with a typically aggressive 60 and all the other batsmen contributed in ensuring we made enough. Great celebrations ensued.

The BCA is now in A-division and next year will fight it out with the best country cricket teams in the State.

James Carpenter is the Broome Cricket Association president.