Harvey-Benger fourth grade fall to 40-run defeat against Donnybrook

Harvey-Benger’s fourth grade couldn’t repeat the heroics of their previous game, falling to a 40-run defeat away against Donnybrook. Losing the toss for a fourth consecutive week, Harvey-Benger found themselves in the field on a hot day at Egan Park. They started brightly though, as opening bowler David Cooper (1-30) had Donnybrook opener Suren Numberdar bowled for one. Harvey-Benger dropped several catches in the early stages allowing Donnybrook to form a sizeable partnership, until Lachlain Brass (1-23) found the breakthrough. Spin proved to be a big factor with veterans Scott Fowler (0-12) and Jarod Maughan (3-14) going for only 26 runs from their 16 overs. Maughan was the pick of the bowlers on the day and helped restrict Donnybrook to 7-146 from their 40 overs. In reply, the Harvey-Benger openers started brightly with Rowan Morrison (15) and Brady Oxford (14) rotating the strike well until Morrison was bowled with the ball deflecting off his pads. The visitors struggled to build any momentum in their batting innings on a difficult pitch and could never quite find the one big partnership required to get to the score. Kyle Jones (16) and Maughan (15) put up a strong resistance for the seventh wicket but when they fell the innings ended soon after with Harvey-Benger all out for 106. The team will look to bounce back when they play away at Leschenault next Saturday.