Youth Club A grade player Jack Kelly prepares to launch into this big hit against Swifts/Great Western on a damp Central Park turf wicket on Saturday. Picture: MARK McMILLAN
GCA - Youth Club suffered a dramatic batting collapse against Swifts/Great Western on day one of their two day A grade Grampians Cricket Association clash.
Unfortunately for the Clubbers, the weather wreaked havoc as they looked to bounce back from an outright loss.
Sent in to bat and with the start delayed for a couple of hours, Youth Club's batsmen faced an uphill battle against a strong Combine bowling attack and a damp, slow wicket.
Steve Le Gassick didn't last long, removed for just one run while Matt Delzotto (10) and Marcus Marrow (5) didn't fare much better.
Tim Seymour tried to hit out but a brilliant catch by Tom McCord saw him out for one.
Phil Hall made a defiant 27 runs before becoming Damien Scott's first victim of the afternoon.
Youth Club had no choice but to unleash, with Todd Matthews smacking two sixes while Cam Kimber (13) and Angus Barham (11) tried to get their side back into the hunt.
Damien Scott was in fine form, returning 4/21 as Youth Club were bundled out for a score of 96.
Jackson Dark, Jamie Bach and Marc Brilliant picked up two wickets each.
Swifts/Great Western got off to a shocking start with both opening batsmen James Devery and Sam Cocks bowled out for no runs.
The scorecard made for bleak reading at 2/0 but Travis Nicholson and Jamie Bach helped the Combine to a score of 2/9.
Aradale have secured first innings points against Pomonal following day one of their two day match.
Batting first, Pomonal failed to navigate a wet turf wicket and sitting at 5/14 were in deep trouble.
It was left to middle order batsmen Nick Scott (24), Luke Roberts (19) and Matthew Grinham (16) to pick up the pieces with the Tigers limping to a score of 74.
Matthew Baldock and Brent Tate were Aradale's chief destroyers, returning 5/27 and 4/22 respectively.
In reply, an unbeaten 68 runs to Travis Horvatek helped Aradale easily pass Pomonal's first innings total.
Horvatek had the support of Cameron Ralph (17) and Jon Townsend (16) and Aradale reached 5/121 before a decision was made to declare.
Pomonal's leading batsmen struggled once again, with Rick Oliver (1), Nick Maddison (3) and Alex Malligan (1) failing to fire and the Tigers currently sit at 3/13. John Butler leads the Aradale bowling with 2/1.
It is a much closer affair in the match between Buangor and Tatyoon. Buangor made a strong start in their first innings with Jack Fraser reaching his half century.
Fraser made 58 runs before falling foul of an in-form Tim McDougall, while solid performances by Harry Ganley (39), Oliver Adams (30) and Declan Adams (24 not out) saw Buangor reach 214.
Tim McDougall was Tatyoon's leading wicket taker with 5/48 and Andrew McDougall chipped in with 2/6.
Tatyoon have made an unblemished start at 0/58.