UGSCA 2023-24: Cuballing score first win of the season as Francis duo leave Lake Grace seeing double

Cuballing claimed their first scalp of the 2023-24 Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade season with a hard-fought win over Lake Grace at Cuballing on Saturday. Lake Grace were rolled for just 75 on the back of a five-wicket haul from Grady Francis and the home side needed only 12.2 overs to chase down the small target. Cuballing sent Lake Grace in to bat after winning the toss and Brayden Reynolds (7) was the first to fall for Lake Grace after being caught by Cuballing’s Andrew Harris. Paceman Caleb Dewing added some heat bowling Jack Carruthers (15) and then Mitch Smith followed soon after on a duck as the visitors slumped to 4-43. Grady Francis removed the dangerous Kalan Joyce on 15 and then dismissed Wade Humphrey for a duck. Shaye Bowron’s patient innings came to an end on 13, another Grady Francis victim, and he was hard to keep out of the action after catching Craig Shaw on six off a delivery from Wouter Jacobus Moolman. Grady Francis teamed up with Brock Francis to take the final two Lake Grace wickets, as the visitors were bowled out in 30 overs. It was a sensational spell from Grady Francis, snaring 5-8 from seven overs while Dewing (3-19) was also terrific. When play resumed Lake Grace set to work dismantling Cuballing’s top order, with Smith bowling Harris (5) before delivering Blair Forrest (0) into the waiting hands of Bowron. Cuballing all-rounder Dowling was the next to step into bat, managing his side’s highest tally with 23 runs before being caught by Jack Carruthers off the bowling of Reynolds. Michael Moore and Brock Francis made just seven as Lake Grace’s grit got them back into the match. Roger Ballard fell on six with Cuballing 6-53 but Grady Francis and Moolman saved the day. They added 20 runs before Moolman was caught behind on 10 but Grady Francis (13 not out) partnered with Xavier Ballard (two not out) as Cuballing won by three wickets in the 26th over. Smith snared 3-38 while Reynolds and Joyce also picked up two wickets each. In the other A-grade fixture, Wandering were comfortable seven wicket winners against Towns at Wandering. Towns won the toss and batted first but only Perrin Quartermaine made a significant contribution. His 55 from 119 balls was the mainstay of the Towns innings as they reached 9-124. Lewis Parson (2-13) did the early damage for Wandering while George Wessels (2-13) and Ben Sherry (2-7) also chipped in. In the chase Wandering lost Blake Egerton-Warburton (4) and Bailey Parsons (7) cheaply but Jacob Schorer and Sherry got them home. Schorer hit six boundaries in his 43 while Sherry finished unbeaten on 59 as their side won inside 30 overs for the loss of just three wickets.