By Casey O'Connor
The 2021/22 Stanthorpe Cricket season got underway last weekend with two 20 over games played at Sheehan Oval.
In the opening game Souths played Valleys.
Souths won the toss and elected to bat. They got away to a good start with an opening stand of 51.
Opener Lachlan Pill (32) was caught by Chris Perry off the bowling of Damian Anderson.
His opening partner Singh (36) followed just two balls later.
Souths lost a couple of wickets cheaply before Ben Staley (14) and Liam Lanza (25 off 23 balls) added much needed runs.
Souths finished the innings on 122.
Needing a little more than six an over Valleys reached the required target in the 17th over.
Opener Chris Perry top scored, unbeaten on 44.
Captain Damian Anderson smacked 32 from 16 deliveries and remained not out.
RSL won the toss in the next game and sent their opponents Wanderers in.
It looked to be a good decision when Ryan Hines bowled opener Mitch Drayton with his first delivery.
RSL’s young bowling attack struck again in the second over with John Halford caught and bowled by Noah Mackenzie.
Jamie Carnell steadied the ship smacking 45 from 49 deliveries in an exhibition of power hitting before Mackenzie and Rohan Brady combined to dismiss him.
Carnell’s innings included five boundaries and two sixes.
Tim Harslett (20)was the only other batsman to make it to double figures.
Wanderers 9/107 at the end of the innings.
RSL also made a poor start to their innings.
Tim Harslett and wicket keeper John Halford combined to dismiss Tom Garland for a duck after facing three deliveries.
The RSL scorecard did not make for great reading early in the innings.
Captain Luke Brady scored a much needed 35 off 45 deliveries in the middle order but RSL fell 11 runs short despite a helping hand from 18 extras.
Tim Harslett finished with the excellent bowling figures of 4/11, including two maidens from a four over spell.
Barry Bulow and Brendan Barker took two wickets a piece.
Valleys and Wanderers taking the points in the opening round.
This week there are no fixtures scheduled due to the clash with the Stanthorpe Race meeting.
