A youthful Valleys cricket side is proving more than competitive in the Lachlan Premier Cricket competition this season, the side going into the Christmas break with a win, a loss and forfeit after a rain delayed start to the 2021-2022 season.
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Rain washed out the first two weeks of the competition but since then the Cowra side has defeated Reedy Creek Raptors before going down to Parkes based Cambridge Cats last Saturday.
Their other opponents to date this season, Parkes Colts, forfeited their round four match.
After a three week break Valleys next opponents will be Reedy Creek Raptors at Woodward Oval in Parkes on January 15.
Batting first in their match against Cats at Parkes on Saturday Valleys closed their innings all out for 148 in a dig that would have left a number of Cowra players disappointed with themselves after getting starts but failing to go on with the job.
Off to a promising start it was the eighth over before the first Valley's wicket fell, with opener Jake Millar (27) run out in a costly mix-up.
Millar, who was scoring at more than a run a ball, went on to be the side's top scorer.
All-rounder Isaac McFarland (25) was next best with the bat.
The dismissal of Millar proved a body blow for Valleys with the side losing four more wickets in the next 15 overs as the run rate slowed considerably.
Jackson McLeish (13), Jacob McNaught (1), Tom Thaux (18), Jackson Moodie (15) and Sam McNaught (16) all made starts but failed to capitalise and go on to record what could have been match winning knocks.
Emerson Baratto and Lani Ryan were the only Valleys players to fail with the bat, Baratto out for a duck, stumped off the bowling of Zac Bayliss and Ryan caught of Bayliss' bowling for five.
Lewis McFarland remained not out one.
If Valleys were to take the points tight bowling would be required. Lewis McFarland did his part, finishing the match with a team best 3-25 off six overs. Baratto (1-24), Sam McNaught (1-22) and Tom Thaux (1-14) all picked up wickets in the unsuccessful defence, Cats reaching the target with four wickets still in hand.
In reply Parkes' opening combination of Harry Bayliss and Anthony Riach (23) stubbornly progressed the score to 32 before Riach was dismissed off the bowling of Thaux in the sixth over, but not before helping himself to 23 runs.
Cowra struck again in the next over with the important wicket of Mitch Cambourne out for a duck, bowled by Emerson Baratto to lift Valleys spirits, the home side on shaky ground at 2-34.
Harry Bayliss, who went on to score 27, and Anthony Heraghty, who top scored with 49, steered Cats out of the danger zone before cameos at the end by Hawke (8), Austen (11 not out), Albert (4) and Bayliss (15 not out) saw Cats pick up the points.