The first day’s play of the WACA First-Grade pennant match between Bayswater- Morley and Gosnells at Sutherlands Park on Saturday was one full of drama and two   outstanding individual performances.  Batting first on a hard and flat track in ideal conditions, the Gosnells top-order steadily built a team innings of commanding proportions. The loss of the first wicket at eleven, brought visiting Lancashire professional Simon Marshall to the crease.  Marshall, who had recorded an unbeaten century in the previous match, went about building increasingly solid partnerships of 45 with Darryl Kipping, 90 with Stephen Mason, and 138 with Justin Gauder.

Mason made 33, Gauder scored 46, while Marshall went on to post a majestic 170 before succumbing to leg cramps which probably cost him a double century.  During his four hour innings, Marshall faced 193 deliveries and pounded 29 majestic boundaries.But, with the score at an imposing 3-284, the Bears fought back with devastating effect.  Astoundingly, the last seven wickets fell for only 31 runs in 11.3 overs in a totally unexpected collapse, due almost solely to a magnificent performance by recalled veteran medium-pacer Joe Barnes.

Barnes, who was covering for the injured Michael Thistle, finished with the superb figures of 8-81 from 20.3 overs including a dramatic hat-trick which brought the home team innings to an abrupt end at 315.  Teenage debutant Luke Waterhouse was the best of the other bowlers with 2-39.  Baywater then batted for the last six overs of the day and despite losing Matthew Birrell and Rob Morgan for ducks, finished with 2-33 with the in-form Liam Davis unbeaten on 24 and night-watchman Grant Thistle 8 not out.  With plenty of batting to come and a full day next week, the game is very much alive.

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