WITH the rain again playing a part in matches through the week and across the weekend, the men’s 50 and 40-over format rosters and women’s roster got under way.

Some teams had good wins while others were left licking their wounds, while in the junior cricket matches we saw a century and two half centuries. Let’s see who won and who lost.

FIRST GRADE
New Norfolk I got off to the best possible start in their defence of last season’s premiership when they easily defeated the Knights by seven wickets.
Playing at Tynwald Park, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat and that’s pretty much where it ended for them as the Redcap bowlers went on a wicket-spree dismantling the Knights batting line-up for just 82 from 37 overs.
Jye Lester lead the way taking four of the top five batsman and finishing with the excellent figures of 4-22 from his 10 overs.
Seb Wishart sent down eight overs to end with the tidy figures of 3-17 while captain Jason Rigby chipped in with 3-13 (4) in a handy spell.
In reply it took the home team just 13.5 overs to get the small target finishing at 3/74, the total being reduced due to rain interruptions.
Opener Matthew Bowden made a run-a-ball 24 hitting four nice fours.
Thomas Briscoe made 17 (23), two fours, and Cody Neads made a quick-fire 24 not out from 17 balls hitting two fours and a nice six.

SECOND GRADE
In a rain-affected match Molesworth I made a good start to their 50-over campaign with a close seven-run win over Gretna I at Boyer Oval on Saturday.
Winning the toss, Gretna sent the home team in who made 8/174 from 45 overs.
The home side didn’t get off to a great start finding themselves 2/0, but then a excellent 105-run third wicket stand from Josh Ransley and opener Brayden Hodge got things back on track.
Ransley scored 69 in a great effort which included six fours and five sixes while partner-in crime Hodge was just as good making 64 with four fours and three sixes.
Sam Triffitt made 21 (one four, one six) and Larry Menzie 16 (two fours).
The main wicket takers for Gretna were Trent Grant with tight figures of 2-0 from two overs and Aaron Maddox 2-42 (7).
In reply and chasing a reduced target of 165 from 39 overs, Gretna I gave it a good shake, but fell at the final hurdle being bowled out for 158 from 36.3 overs.
The visitors didn’t get off to the best start being 3/11 and then 6/73.
Then a 53-run partnership from Peter Jelkic 28 (22), three sixes, and Ross Langford also 28 (31), two fours, got things back on track.
With the ball for the winners, Kye Tomkinson put his hand up in a great cameo claiming the last four wickets to finish with 4-24 from just 5.3 overs.
Captain Daniel Coppleman picked up the top three batsman taking 3-39 from his 10 overs.
To go with his runs with the bat, Brayden Hodge took 2-40 (7) and Brad Coppleman 1-25 (7).
At Pontville, New Norfolk II went down to Derwent by 89 runs. Winning the toss and batting first, Derwent made 10/211 from 48.1 overs.
Redcaps opener Mitchell Crosswell showed why he still deserves the new ball sending down 9.1 overs taking 4-42 in a good show of pace bowling.
David Mitchelmore was also very good snaring three of the top four batsman, finishing with 3-32 from his 10 overs.
In reply, New Norfolk finished 9/122 from 37.1 overs.
At number five and after doing it with the ball, all-rounder Mitch Crosswell played a loan hand with the bat remaining 46 not out from 70 deliveries with three fours.

FOURTH GRADE
Bothwell I got off to a great start to the 50-over format with a great seven-wicket win over Derwent on Saturday.
Playing at Bothwell, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat, but from here not much then went right as Bucks’ speedster Brock Nichols ripped through their line-up in what was a excellent spell of bowling.
Nichols, who came on after the two openers, sent down eight overs taking 5-15 including five of the top six batsman.
The visitors were all out for just 68 from 30 overs.
In the run chase for Bothwell, after being 3/16 Josh Eyles steadied the ship making a solid 38 not out from 32 balls which included two fours and three sixes.

FIFTH GRADE
At Gretna, the home side had a good six wicket win over Sandford on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting on the slow ground due to ongoing rain, the visitors were soon in trouble at 1/0 and then 5/23 and the wickets continued to fall and they were bowled out for 80 off 33.1 overs.
Of the Gretna II bowlers, opener Jake Campbell was very tidy taking 3-22 (8) with two maidens.
Fellow opener Adam Browning bowled with good pace taking 2-15 from eight overs in a great spell.
Josh Whitford sent down just 2.2 overs taking 2-1 in a handy cameo while captain Todd “Fletch” Jarvis mixed it up with tidy figures of 1-7 (5) with three maidens.
Jamie Duggan was also handy with 1-12 (4).
There was one run out.
In reply, the Gretna batsman reached the target finishing 4/81 from 25.4 overs.
Josh Whitford remained 15 not out (21), one four, as did Jamie Duggan 15 not out (40).
Congratulations to Harry Stevenson who played his first game for Gretna during this match.
Stevenson is the 323rd player since the 1977/78 season.
In the other match, New Norfolk III missed a good opportunity to take the points when they went down to St Aidans by just 18 runs.
The Redcaps won the toss and sent the visitors in who made 10/114 from 41.2 overs.
In the run chase New Norfolk lost early wickets but steadied to be 6/84. Needing 31 for victory, they lost 4/12 to be bowled out for 96 from 32.3 overs.
Josh Farrow, who had a good all-round game, top-scored with 31 (55), three fours.
Jake King made 20 (21) one four, two sixes.
Adam Pearce made 19 (36).
Earlier with the ball and, as mentioned, opener Josh Farrow had a good game sending down 10 overs to finish with the great figures of 4-19 with two maidens.
Troy Smith with his 10 overs also had very tight figures of 2-11 including six maidens, great work Wizard.
Torne Tangata had 2-29 (5.2).

SIXTH GRADE
At Sorell on Sunday, Molesworth II went down to the home team by six wickets.
Sorell won the toss and put the visitors in to bat.
Having just the nine players, Molesworth made 8/85 from 26.2 overs.
At first drop Harry O’Keefe topped scored with 33 from 60 balls hitting two fours and two good sixes.
In reply, Sorell finished 4/86 from 24.3 overs. Wicket-takers for Molesworth were Tye Benson with 2-23 (6) and Nathan Wakefield 2-24 (6).

SEVENTH GRADE
AT Bothwell on Sunday, the home team had a big nine-wicket win over Old Beach.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Bushrangers were bowled out for the low total of 103 from 31.5 overs.
In reply Bothwell II made it look easy losing just one wicket finishing 1/104 from just 16.2 overs.
After losing his fellow opener Simon Eyles with the score on eight, captain Joey Eyles lead the way with a near run-a-ball 51 from 54 balls.
Eyles was well supported by Ashley Browning who made 46 not out from just 42 deliveries.
Earlier with the ball, five of the Bothwell bowlers took wickets.

WOMENS
The women’s roster got under way on Sunday with the Bothwell ladies showing early form with an eight-wicket win over Derwent. Playing at Geilston Bay, Derwent won the toss and electing to bat made 5/101 from its 20 overs.
Of the Bucks bowlers, openers Stella Foster 1-11 (4) and Brooke Fenton 1-20 (4) did well while Traci Millhouse also bowled well taking 1-5 from her two overs.
In reply, Bothwell chased down the target finishing 2/102 from just 9.2 overs.
After being 2/15 the ladies recovered well with Jodi Hansch showing some great early form remaining 35 not out from just 24 deliveries.
Amity Booth made a very good 24 retired not out from 36 balls hitting four fours in a great display.
In the other match, New Norfolk also made a great start to the season with an eight-wicket win over Montagu Bay.
In a match reduced to 18 overs and being played at Geilston Bay, the home team won the toss and electing to bat and made 3/108. In reply, New Norfolk got the job done in a great batting display finishing 2/112 from 15 overs with Leisa Pearce making 35 retired not out.

JUNIORS
Congratulations to three New Norfolk Under-15 boys in Zayne Field, Liam Lowe and Logan Hunt who all got among the runs on Sunday against Lindisfarne.
Zayne made his first century in what was a terrific innings.
Zayne retired not out on 103 from just 86 balls in the team’s total of 1/233 declared from 34 overs.
The opening batsman showed great shot selection hitting 16 fours and two sixes and during the Lindisfarne innings took one catch as wicket keeper and effected a run out.
Next up was Liam Low who made his first half century of 57 not out from just 77 deliveries.
Liam has improved out of sight and his innings was a great reward for his hard work.
The third player is Logan Hunt also did a fantastic job in making his first half century with 56 retired not out from just 33 balls. Logan has got close before and this is also a great reward for his consistent batting.
Awesome work by all three boys and also the whole team on defeating the home team by a whopping 196 runs.