Centennials’ Royal Hotel Cup title defence took a potentially killer blow on Friday night, in going down to 2014-15 premiers CYMS the reigning champions suffered their second loss in as many starts.
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Tom West (31) and Tom Belmonte (32) did the bulk of the damage for CYMS with the bat as they compiled a more-than-respectable 9-139, before skipper Chris Novak and Hugh Le Lievre each took three scalps as the Bulls fell 40 short.
The victory rockets CYMS to the top of pool B while it resigns Centennials to the bottom, with only two of the pool’s sides winning through to the semi-finals it now looks as though the reigning champions will need a minor miracle to progress.
Novak won the toss at Wade Park on Friday night and didn’t second guess himself when electing to bat, although the innings didn’t start perfectly as Matt Baker (6) fell with the score at just 19.
West and Belmonte consolidated though, playing composed innings’ to add 44 for the second wicket.
West was the first of those two to fall but Angus Le Lievre (10), Andrew Henry (10) and Hugh Le Lievre (13) all chipped in through the middle order, making valuable contributions.
Coming to the crease at 8-113, Novak also added a valuable 13 not out at the end of the innings.
In his return to the green and gold wily tweaker Al Dhatt (1-9) made sure the one scalp he took was a crucial one, he removed the Bulls’ marquee and former Western Zone hard-hitter Mick Curtale without scoring.
That left the Bathurst-based 1-0, and although Josh Toole (11), Ryan Gurney (25) and Joel Gurney (28) made some headway the Bulls’ chase fell away after them.
Novak finished with 3-29 while Hugh Le Lievre claimed 3-18 to the be the best of CYMS’ bowlers, the Bulls finishing 9-99 after 20 overs.
The Royal Hotel Cup continues this week, with Kinross’ washed out clash against St Pat’s Old Boys rescheduled for Wednesday night, from 6.30pm.
Bathurst City play Cavaliers, from 7pm, on Friday night.
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