Ben McMillan stars with bat and ball to help Towns secure second win of Uppers season

A brilliant innings from Towns captain Ben McMillan guided his side to their second win of the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association season at Clayton Road Oval on Saturday. McMillan finished unbeaten on 96 and played his part with the ball to help secure a four-wicket win over Wandering with five balls remaining in the round-five clash. Wandering set Towns 182 for victory and the home side were in early trouble at 3-16 ,with Wandering’s Byran Hardie snaring the first three scalps. McMillan rescued the innings, however, as wickets fell around him. Towns lost two more batsmen as they crumbled to 5-75 before McMillan and Tom Munns combined for a match-winning 103-run partnership. The pair took control of the run chase and Munns played a strong support role to McMillan, who ramped up the hitting. Munns was dismissed for 31 with his side needing four to win and McMillan sealed the deal, finishing four runs shy of his century. Towns passed the total with five balls to spare, as McMillan’s 96 powered them to 6-182 despite the best efforts of Hardie (3-26 off nine overs) for Wandering. Wandering posted 7-181 after Hardie and fellow opener Jacob Schorer put on 103 runs at the top of the order. Hardie was the first man removed for 67 and Schorer soon followed for 41 as Wandering lost their first five wickets for just 28 before Bailey Parsons provided some late power hitting with 35. Jordan Draper-Gibbs took 3-43 off nine overs while McMillan and Mitchell Ackland had two wickets. A sensational century from Joe Dowling helped Cuballing record their third win of the season, against Pingelly-Noonebin. Cuballing batted first and posted 3-210 on the back of an unbeaten 106 from Dowling, who was involved in a 173-run partnership. They fell to 3-37 before Dowling and Bevan George put on a remarkable fourth-wicket stand. George finished 70 not out and helped Dowling set the big total. Jordan Hughes claimed 2-14 off seven overs for Pingelly-Noonebin. Pingelly-Noonebin made their way to 4-168 when Tyson Kirk was removed for 54. However, they lost 6-15 from there to be bowled out for 190 in the final over as Brock Francis and John Eckersley cleaned up the middle and lower order. Brett Blechynden added 47 and Jack Blechynden made 32 for Pingelly-Noonebin. Francis ended up with an impressive 3-8 off nine overs, including five maidens, while Eckersley took 4-28. In the other round-five fixture, Williams defeated Lake Grace by forfeit.