After winning the toss and choosing to field, the Valleys failed to take advantage of the favourable wicket, with missed fielding opportunities allowing openers Myles Smith (55) and Aaron Halls (80) to build an 130 run stand for the first wicket. 

While things stabilised somewhat, with the Valleys able to secure a succession of quick dismissals to have the Colts at 6/190, Paul Dunford hit a quick-fire 30 runs in the tail to put the visitors in a formidable position at lunch.

Ben Cole was the stand out for the Valleys, producing figures of 4/49 to be the most damaging of the bowlers. 

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With plenty of batting talent, including Greg Garlick, Jacob McNaught, and Zach Starr, ready to go against the Colts’ bowling attack of Blake and Myles Smith, Dunford and Brent Tucker, the scene was set for an entertaining chase. 

Ultimately though, the required run rate was too much, with Garlick, McNaught and Starr all back on the bench with scores of 10 or less, as the Colts, the most clinical bowling team in the competition, continued their dominance with the ball. 

Blake Smith (2/10) and Dunford (2/5) were predictably efficient, while Adam Parker (2/10) also contributed to the rout. 

Faced with a score of 4/57 at drinks, the Valleys looked to build a score with Starr and Ben Houghton at the crease, but as the run rate crept above seven an over and wickets continued to fall, the result was increasingly set in stone. 

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Jackson Moodie and Darcy Callaghan both scored 20 runs each late in the piece to show lower-order fight, while Sam McNaught bounced back from a lean patch with the bat to get 30 runs during his opening stand.  

All-rounder Houghton said on a difficult day, the form of those who have not necessarily put the runs on the board earlier in the year was a positive to take forward after the January 26 bye. 

“Sam McNaught, Jackson Moodie and Darcy Callaghan all got 20-odd, and they haven’t really got any runs this year, and the guys who have been scoring runs like Jacob [McNaught] and Scott [Wilson] and Greg [Garlick], didn’t get any,” Houghton said. 

“It shows there is depth there. If everyone can put it together on the one day that’d be good.” 

However, he was more blunt when it came to discussing the bowling performance of his side.

“They batted well. We bowled bad balls and they hit them,” Houghton said. 

“There’s always 50-50 chances, you’ve just got to take them sometimes.” 

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The Cowra representative player, who took a five wickets in a narrow loss against Bathurst on the weekend, was optimistic about his side’s chances going forward however, saying despite their unbeaten streak, it is possible to defeat the Colts. 

“They’ve probably already sealed up first, but in finals, anything can happen,” he said. 

“The first time we played them we had them down a few and they ended up with a big total still.

“It’s like anything, you play good on the day you can beat anyone. We’ve still got the side to compete with them, [but] we’ve got to put it together.” 

The Valleys will resume on February 2, hosting the Cambridge Cats at Holman Oval, while the Royal Colts will take on Canowindra at Woodward Oval.