At time of publishing, Riverina’s target of 9-244 looked out of reach for Western, who were battling at 9-188 with five overs to go despite opener Weymouth’s strong effort of 84 deliveries.

His teammate Harry McGregor, who game in when Weymouth fell with the score on 151, had clubbed five fours on his way to an unbeaten 25 alongside Harry Bayliss (17 not out). 

Weymouth had nine fours in his innings, but didn’t have support around him with the next-highest scores in the top order 17 from Koda Sissian and 10 from Weymouth’s fellow Orange player High Middleton. 

Earlier, Orange City young gun Harry McGregor took 3-37 off eight overs while opening the bowling for Western, while Middleton chipped in with 2-44 from 10 overs. 

Jesse Sprang took 2-61 from 10 but conceded 20 wides as Josh Mills (79) and opener Coby Fitzsimmons (69) did the damage for Riverina with the bat before McGregor and Middleton combined to remove the former caught while Bayliss ran out the latter. 

Fitzsimmons had a day out with the ball, taking four of Western’s seven wickets, with figures of 4-24 from nine overs at time of print. 

In the Kookaburra Cup, Riverina proved too strong for Western in their opening game.

The under-14 side were struggling at 9-141 from 39 overs in pursuit of 180 as the Central Western Daily went to print.

Riverina’s strong position was set up by wicketkeeper-bat Hayden Forner who hit 52 off 49 deliveries, with strong support from opener Ethan Hanrahan (38) and Jake Scott (32 not out). 

Forner and Hanrahan put on an 86-run stand before the pair were dismissed with the score on 120 and 128 respectively. 

Harry Quinn and Dubbo’s Anthony Atlee were the pick of the Western Bowlers with the ball, snaring 3-21 off four overs and 3-19 off eight overs respectively. 

The pair were also the best with the bat, hitting 34 and 37 respectively, with Atlee’s score coming at just better than a run-a-ball, hitting 37 off 36. 

However, those two were the only two bats to score higher than 10, with Hugh Sienkiewicz and Jack Fuller both ending their innings with 10 runs to their name. 

Western play North Coastal on Tuesday in their second game.