A MAIDEN first grade century for Callan McKiernan at South West Rocks set up Rovers for their second win of the season on Saturday.
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The teenage opener dominated the scoring in a first-wicket stand of 155 with Danny Powick, who himself managed a handy half-century.
Rovers skipper Tim Smith won the toss, putting his side in to bat, and McKiernan and Powick took full advantage of the perfect batting conditions and their opponents being three players short for the first 20 minutes or so.
The 15 year old enjoyed himself en route to his milestone.
“Cal was just unbelievable and got a lot of fours from good stroke play,” said the team skipper.
“He played some great cover drives and pull shots and with the outfield so fast he was hitting a lot of fours.”
All-rounder Mark Smee got the breakthrough, bowling Powick for 55 from just 50 balls.
The wicket of Matt Lewis, who contributed a single run, followed soon after as Smee claimed his second clean-bowled scalp with the score at 2 for 165.
He might have bagged two wickets, but Smee’s six overs yielded 54 runs for Rovers.
Almost as soon as he reached his maiden ton for the season, McKiernan became the last batsman to fall, caught off the bowling of Dylan Young.
Ethan Dowling was in dynamic form, blasting his way to a blistering 43 not out from only 18 deliveries to take the visitors to an impressive 3 for 218 from their 35 overs.
The hosts’ reply got off to a scratchy start, with two cheap wickets falling to Rovers opening bowler Matt Lewis.
Needs (9) and Coleman (19) were finished for the day with the score on just 29, before Young (33) and Mick Fotheringham (46) got the Rocks back on track.
They added 81 runs to keep the hosts in the match, before both fell with the score on 110.
Young Joshes – Colling and Swan – bowled well, the former helping himself to a threefer and the latter keeping the batsmen to belowthe eventual run rate.
“Josh Colling stepped up well and Josh Swan bowled really well too, into a stiff breeze,” Smith said.
”Over the last 10 years, we’ve had a lot of experience in the first grade side, but this year we’ve adopted more of a youth policy and it seems to be paying off.”
From 2 for 110, Rocks stuttered their way through the card.
Peel added 41 runs, outscoring his remaining colleagues and taking the home side to 7 for 191 in their allotted overs.
Smith said this was still closer than he might have liked, but with two straight wins and the prospect of a meeting with competition leaders United All Blacks this weekend he was happy with Rovers’ performance.
Rovers sit second on the ladder, on equal points with Nulla, but with a superior percentage.
