Bayswater-Morley completed their First-Grade WACA Pennant match against visiting Fremantle at Hillcrest Reserve on Saturday with a resounding win.  Defending the modest total of 193, but resuming the contest on day two having Fremantle at 3-64, the Bears frontline pace attack relished the early overcast conditions.  Michael and Grant Thistle, Dave Edwards, and the returning Mathew Inness, all consistently moved the ball in the air and off the pitch, having all but a dogged Cullum Creevey in grave difficulty.  By mid-afternoon the visitors had succumbed to the relentless pressure of the four-pronged pacemen to be all out for a paltry 140.

Grant Thistle turned in his best performance for some time in taking 3-22 from his 11 overs and was ably supported by Inness with 3-23 from his ten. But Michael topped off a man-of the match effort to complement his 71 with the bat, by snaring 4-44 from 21 fiery overs.  When the end came for Fremantle, Creevey had run out of partners to be undefeated on 37, compiled in almost 3 hours at the crease. He survived for 134 balls but had virtually no support.  Michael Thistle’s performance was typical of his mid-season form and augurs well for a future recall to higher honours.

Although it was unlikely that enough time remained in the match for either side to achieve an outright result, the Bears were soon in deep trouble when batting a second time.  Within five overs the scoreboard showed an alarming 3-15, but a 61 run partnership between Brendan Mills and teenager Sam Baird steadied the rocking boat.  When Baird went for 24, Warriors captain Marcus North joined Mills and promptly put the issue beyond doubt by entertaining the onlookers with a commanding cameo of 87, scored from 69 balls with 5 fours and eight swaggering sixes, one of which landed deep on the Clubhouse roof.  Mills made a fine 73 and, together with North, put on 123 for the sixth wicket.

The win was only the third of the season for Bayswater, but considering it was against a legitimate premiership contender, will give the team confidence when they visit Willetton in a one-day match at Burrendah next week

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