BDCA: Dalyellup looking to bounce back from qualifying final loss in preliminary final against Hay Park

Dalyellup will be looking to bounce back from a loss in the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association men’s first-grade qualifying final when they take on Hay Park in the preliminary final at Dalyellup College on Saturday.

The second-placed finishers were plunged into a game they must win to keep their season alive after going down to minor premiers Colts by seven wickets in the qualifying final, while Hay Park won their way through the first week of the finals by beating Marist by five wickets.

The hosts will enter the clash as warm favourites, having won all four games between the sides this season in convincing fashion.

After winning a T20 clash between the pair on the opening weekend of the season by seven wickets, Dalyellup have been particularly dominant over the Redbacks in the one-day format, ending the clashes between the sides as 157-run, nine-wicket and 45-run victors.

Dalyellyup’s powerful batting line-up has been the standout reason behind their success this season but it has faltered in recent weeks, being bowled out for 127 and restricted to 7-180 across their last two games, both against Colts.

The competition’s leading run-scorer Bradman May will be looking to get back on track after being dismissed without scoring in the qualifying final but he is not their only danger, with the side also boasting Jaxon Cornford (583 runs) and Vinnie Poller (476) in the season’s top-10 run-getters.

Much of Hay Park’s hopes will be pinned on Fida Hussain, who has enjoyed a standout end to the season.

A three-wicket haul against the Blues at the weekend saw the all-rounder move into top spot on the competition’s wicket-taking charts, having claimed 36 victims for the season.

He has also contributed 350 runs with the bat, highlighted by a brilliant 91 not out from 88 balls which rescued the Redbacks from an early position of 3-11 in the elimination final.

In the second-grade preliminary final, Colts will take on Donnybrook at the Bunbury Recreation Ground.

The hosts finished the home and away season atop the ladder with 17 wins from their 21 games but were bowled out for just 79 in a six-wicket qualifying final loss to Dalyellup, while third-placed Donnybrook beat fourth-placed Burekup by 69 runs in the elimination final.

The lower grade preliminary finals will see Eaton clash with Colts (third-grade), Dalyellup come up against Harvey-Benger (fourth-grade) and Rising Stars play Colts (fifth-grade).