UGSCA 2023-24: Arron Quartermaine produces brilliant all-round display as Towns easily defeat Lake Grace

Towns scored an emphatic win at home over Lake Grace in round four of the 2023-24 Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday. A massive knock from Arron Quartermaine helped Towns cruise to their second win of the season, beating the visitors by 127 runs. A 276-run challenge would be set for Lake Grace as Arron Quartermaine partnered with Russell Cowcher and Scott Langford to lay the foundation for Towns’ victory in the first 45 overs. Arron Quartermaine belted a superb 131 not out (from 106 balls), which included 15 fours and four sixes, smashing four fours and two sixes in the final over off Lake Grace’s Matthew Trevenen. After winning the toss and electing to bat James Nicholson and Perrin Quartermaine took to the crease but Nicholson ( 1 ) would fall early after being caught from a delivery by Mitchell Smith. Arron Quartermaine joined his brother in the middle but Lake Grace’s Jack Carruthers soon put an end to the family reunion snaring Perrin Quartermaine lbw for 17. Cowcher and Arron Quartermaine would prove Towns’ most significant pairing, with Cowcher (62) hitting seven fours and two sixes before being bowled by Smith in the 25th over. Langford (43) made a valuable contribution to his side with six fours before he was removed by Matthew Trevenen but the home side finished with an imposing 4-275. Best with the ball for Lake Grace was vice-Mitchell Smith who finished with 2-23 from 10 overs. Vice-captain Kalan Joyce and Matthew Trevenen opened for Lake Grace and Joyce looked dangerous early, Joyce finding the boundary three times before being caught by Vagi John for 24. Next to fall was Jack Carruthers (0) snared lbw by Arron Quartemaine and things quickly went down hill for Lake Grace. Jack Trevenen (2), Smith (0) and Shaye Bowron (1) were dismissed cheaply and then Frans Grobler (2) was out lbw to Mitchell Ackland as Lake Grace slumped to 6-126. Towns’ Pierre-louis Mass kept the pain coming for the visitors, bowling Craig Shaw for six before combining with Aarron Quartermaine who caught William Korosec out for a golden duck. Lega Tau would mop up the tail for Towns as Lake Grace were bowled out for 148 in reply. The last man standing for Lake Grace was opener Matthew Trevenen, who in a losing affair played superbly for his unbeaten 100. Matthew Trevenen smashed 14 fours and one six in 89 deliveries but without support his score wasn’t enough to get his side to the big target. Arron Quartermaine capped a brilliant day with 3-20 from five overs while Ackland finished with 3-28 from eight overs. In the other A-grade contest, Wandering remain the only unbeaten team in the competition after a five wicket victory against Williams at Wandering. Williams won the toss and batted first, with Robert Rose making a half century and fellow top order players Kim Rintoul (27) and Rodney Ford (26) also getting starts. Riley Ford was 19 not out but a middle order collapse dented Williams’ hopes of a big score. Bailey Parsons returned 3-27 and was well supported by Ben Sherry (2-31) as they restricted Williams to 7-159 from their 45 overs. In reply Jacob Schorer (35) and Blake Egerton-Warburton (39) scored in a 57-run opening stand that set the platform for their third win of the season. Rodney Ford snared the first wicket for the visitors and then Roger Gillett trapped Blake Egerton-Warburton in front. Gillett claimed two more scalps and Rodney Ford helped himself to a second but Glenn Byron ensured Wandering got across the line with a half century. Byron finished with 57 not out from 53 balls with five boundaries, as Wandering reached the target with 31 balls to spare.