Upper Great Southern cricket veterans claim WA Country Masters Carnival cup after cracking performance

Upper Great Southern Cricket Association have taken out their pool at the WA Country Masters Carnival after an unbeaten T20 campaign in Bunbury. The Arthur Marshall Cup was presented to UGS skipper Lewis Hardie after the team romped through four matches with a combined loss of just 11 wickets in pool B. Round one kicked off on March 22 with UGS facing Bunbury Red. After winning the toss, UGS sent Bunbury Red in to bat and Tyron Miller drew first blood as he ran out Mathew Nieuwenhuyze for three. Callan Davis fared little better, bowled for a duck by Doug Ellis 4.5 overs in. Geoff Poultney dismissed Travis Johnson (8) soon after and when Roger Ballard bowled Mick Sewell for three in the ninth, Bunbury Red’s chances were dealt a severe blow. Tight bowling kept the game golden for UGS and Rodney Ford dismissed Nathan King (21) with a catch to leave Bunbury Red on 5-73 with 2.5 overs left. Despite an unbeaten 29 from Rodney Lever, things looked grim for Bunbury Red as they finished with 5-88. Garth Nottle was dismissed for four early on and Brett Blechenynden (40) retired not out in the 11th over but despite losing Hardie for a duck soon after UGS were still on a healthy 2-73. Miller (28 no) and Ford (6 no) got their side across the line in 14 overs. UGS kept the momentum going into the next match against Warren-Blackwood. Warren-Blackwood elected to bat but despite Luke Murphy making 25 before being caught by Jason Quartermaine and Ben Lagana retiring after 41 runs, the southerners struggled as UGS’ Brian Evans and Ballard each took 2-2. Warren-Blackwood faced 20 overs and set a chase of 125 but after a wobble in the second over when Blechynden (6) was trapped LBW, UGS made short work of things. Nottle and Ford both retired on 43 and Hardie posted 22 not out as UGS got over the line in 15.4 overs. A confident UGS took on Donnybrook-Capel at Egan Park on Saturday. Uppers were in the field as Nathan King took four wickets from three overs and catches rained down on Ellis, King, Poultney, Ballard and Blechynden. Donnybroook-Capel made 7-112 from 20 overs and UGS showed no mercy as Nottle (41 ret no), Hardie (27), Ford (20no) and Poultney (18no) brought it home inside 17 overs having lost just two wickets. The final match pitted UGS against Peel Maroon and after winning the toss, UGS sent the opposition in to bat. Apart from Steve Erceg who retired not out on 41, Peel Maroon struggled to make runs but held on for 20 overs to post 8-76. Peel Maroon captain Travis Martin took 2-26 off four overs and Kris Davis went 2-14 off 2.2 but the pair found no support in the field. It took UGS 13.2 overs and four wickets to claim victory mainly thanks to 21 runs from Dwight Kellow to end a stellar campaign.