WA Invitational finish Belt Up Country Cup campaign without a win after tough final round loss to Peel

Upper Great Southern duo Joe Dowling and Bailey Parsons were left to lament a disappointing round-three loss in the Belt Up Country Cup clash between WA Invitational XI and Peel on Sunday. Dowling and Parsons played as part of the WA Invitational XI side that went down to Peel by 78 runs in Perth as they crashed out of the competition without a win, missing out on a grand final spot in the process Peel posted 8-210 batting first with WA Invitational falling well short of the mark at 132 all out despite spirited knocks from Darcy Ingle and Tully Biglin. Jake Wyllie was the top scorer for Peel, hitting 66 runs off 82 balls with three fours and two sixes. Kodi Giltrow (3-40) shined with the ball for the WA Invitational XI and received great support from Biglin, who snared 2-25. WA Invitational XI were in a reasonable spot at 4-108 in the 29th over but their final six wickets fell at the cost of a paltry 24 runs as their lower order crumbled. Ingle finished with 44 off 61 balls including seven fours while Biglin hit 31 off 61. Peel’s Wyllie backed up his superb batting display with the best bowling figures of the contest, taking 3-18 in a clinical performance. Albany and Districts’ pursuit of back-to-back Belt Up Country Cup titles were also thwarted on Sunday, falling to Bunbury and Districts in a heavy 97-run loss in round three at Turf North in Albany. The Whalers finished their campaign on one win and two losses while Bunbury secured their grand final spot against Peel after a third win from as many games. With Bunbury and Districts winning the toss and electing to bat first, they posted a strong total of 8-197 with the Whalers managing only 100 in reply in a flat run chase. Bunbury and Districts’ Brayden Clarke smashed 48 runs off 64 balls in the first innings and he was helped by Liam Renton (21), while Albany and Districts’ Ollie Davidson was effective, taking 2-32 from his 10 overs and Nathan Crudeli toiled hard to return 1-31 from his 10. Zane Verhaaf was electric with the ball for the visitors, snaring 4-20 in a classy display while Clarke (2-20) and Riley Mammone (2-22) also took multiple wickets. Whalers’ Alex Garlick showed some resistance with a handy 28 but he lacked support as the Whalers were skittled for 100 in an abrupt end to their Country Cup campaign. Peel and Bunbury and Districts will contest the grand final on February 26.