UGSCA 2023-24: Towns celebrate veteran Perrin Quartermaine’s 250th game by toppling top team Wandering

Wandering’s unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of Towns in round seven of the 2023-24 Upper Great Southern Cricket Association A-grade competition on Saturday. The home side turned it on for captain Perrin Quartermaine’s 250th match with Arron Quartermaine belting 132 runs including a whopping 13 sixes to mark the milestone. After winning the toss and electing to bat at Clayton Road Oval, Perrin Quartermaine and James Nicholson opened for Towns. Nicholson (9) was the first to fall with Ben Sherry taking a catch off a delivery from Jordan Hughes. Arron Quartermaine replaced Nicholson to share the crease with his cousin Perrin. Hughes and Sherry teamed up again to claim the captain’s scalp when Perrin was dismissed for nine in the sixth over leaving Towns 2-19. Arron Quartermaine was joined by Liam Renton and Wandering’s Lewis Parsons and Bailey Parsons restricted the duo to small gains until Quartermaine opened up in the 31st over hitting two sixes off Bailey Parsons. The sixes continued for Quartermaine as Towns’ most dangerous let rip with the bat taking every opportunity to send the ball over the fence. Wandering worked to keep Quartermaine to singles and the steady crawl continued until Renton was removed by Ben McMillan for 32 with the home side 3-126 off 32 overs. Quartermaine continued the onslaught, losing Russell Cowcher for 13 in the 43rd over to become McMillan’s second scalp. To close the innings, Quartermaine belted his 13th six to finish with a brilliant 132 not out, as Towns reached 4-212 from their 45 overs. McMillan (2-43 from eight overs) and Hughes (2-31 from nine) were best for Wandering with the ball. A top-order collapse, however, spelt Wandering’s demise as they lost two early wickets and slipped to 5-54. Sweeney claimed opener Blake Egerton-Warburton (4) and then Ben Sherry for a duck in the second over. Opener Jacob Schorer (11) would fare only slightly better before he was caught behind off the red-hot Arron Quartermaine in the 11th over. Hughes was then bowled by Sam Ellis for three to bring Wandering captain Bailey Parsons to the middle with McMillan. McMillan departed on 14, caught by Perrin Quartermaine, to leave Wandering in all sorts of trouble at 5-54. Bailey Parsons and Bryan Hardie provided stability in the centre but Ellis, Cowcher and Mitchell Ackland (2-20) kept the runs down before Ackland sent Bryan Hardie’s bails flying with the final ball of the 32nd over. At 6-83 Lewis Parsons joined Bailey Parsons until Perrin Quartermaine again made his presence felt in the field with a catch to dismiss Lewis for 13. Despite the best efforts of Bailey Parsons, who made a patient 41 from 80 balls, the Wandering lower order failed to provide much support. Bailey Parsons was eventually stumped off the bowling of Pierre-louis Maas and his side limped to 9-132 at the end of the 45 overs, 81 runs short of the target. In his milestone match, Perrin Quartermaine stood strong in the field taking three catches. Sweeney and Mass both finished with two wickets from three overs while Arron Quartermaine capped another strong display with 2-10 from six overs. In the other A-grade contest Lake Grace narrowly edged out reigning premiers Cuballing to score their first win of the season. Strong contributions from Matthew Trevenen (38) and Mitchell Smith (31) helped Lake Grace make 151 all out batting first on their home deck. Brothers Grady and Brock Francis did the damage for Cuballing, combining for six wickets. Cuballing lost three early wickets, including dangerous opener Kendall Ballard for 21, as they fell to 3-33. A middle-order partnership of 42 between Grady Francis and Blair Forrest gave the visitors some hope, but Lake Grace broke the partnership and then held their nerve in the tense final few overs. Grady Francis made 23 before he was bowled but Forrest (40 not out) and Thomas Fleay (25) took the game to the wire. Cuballing fell short in the end however, making 9-143 from their allotted overs. Brayden Reynolds (2-18) and Judd McKenzie (2-15) took multiple wickets while Kalan Joyce was effective with 1-18 from 10 overs.