After waiting close to a month longer to start their season, the 2021-22 Shoalhaven District Cricket Association lower grade athletes players took to the fields for the first time on Saturday.
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In second grade, only one match of three was played due to the wet conditions.
That match at Hanging Rock Oval saw Batemans Bay host Berry-Shoalhaven Heads.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl first, sending the Magpies to the crease.
Behind knocks from James Milne (40), Christian Page (34), Joshua Weakley (27) and Dylan Cosgrove (26), the visitors posted 8-194 from their 40 overs.
With the ball, Darcy Knight (2-37) and James Dickinson (2-40) took two wickets each for the Bay.
In reply, the hosts were all out for 130 in the 34th over, despite a gutsy 23 not out from Mick Smart.
Daniel Watson (4-30) and Riley Ingram (3-23) were the two chief destroyers for Berry, in the opening round win.
The grade's two other fixtures, Bomaderry and Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemens at Bomaderry Oval and North Nowra-Cambewarra and Bay and Basin at the Bernie Regan Sports Complex, both ended in draws.
In third grade, the two winners in round one were Norths and Bomaderry, who defeated Batemans Bay and Berry respectively.
At Ray Abood Oval, the Bay posted 8-131 in their innings, after being sent in - with Ben Boyd (50) top scoring.
Hayden Batson (2-6) and Elijah Guyatt (2-12) both took multiple wickets for Norths.
In response, Alex Parsons (46), Clayton Hewitt (31) and Guyatt (28) steered the hosts to 6-136 in the 29th over - despite 3-18 from Rob Frawley.
While at the Bomaderry Sports Complex, the Tigers won the toss and chose to bat first against Berry - making 116 from their 39.5 overs.
Leading the way with the willow was Imran Zafar (19) and Mark Pritchard (17), while Logan Cosgrove (3-21) and Mal Windley (2-13) starred with the cherry.
The Magpies struggled in their chase, being all out for just 91 in the 33rd over, although Jarrod Griffith scored 21.
Gary Evans (3-15), Zafar (2-0) and Chais Kelly (2-14) dominated with the ball, to secure the hosts the win.
Ex-Servos had the bye in round one.
Finally, in fourth grade, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla United and Ex-Servos all chalked up their first wins of the campaign.
At the Thompson Street Sporting Complex, Bay and Basin won the toss against Sussex and chose to bat first - making 149 from their 37 overs.
Chris Labb (50) paced the hosts, with teammate David Rawle chipping in 23 runs.
With the ball, there were six wickets takers for the visitors, with Jayme Mulholland (2-11) being the only one with multiple scalps.
That total wasn't enough, as Dale Jarrett (38 not out) and Mitchell Ireland (30) steered the hosts to 5-150 in the 36th over - despite 2-31 from Nicholas Walter.
At Zealand Oval, Berry elected to have first use of the bat in their fixture against United.
But it proved to be the wrong decision, with only three batters reaching double-figures, including team-high Tobias Eyland (15), as the Magpies were all out for 78 in the 31st over.
Andrew Robertson (2-11) led the way for United.
A patient 37 not out from opener Shanky Verma saw United easily reach the target (1-79) in the 11th over - with Eyland taking the hosts' lone wicket.
Wrapping up the weekend's action was the match between Ex-Servos and Norths at South Nowra Oval.
Batting first, behind Micah Edwards' 47, Darren Parsons' 21 not out and Murray Roach's 21, Norths totalled 139 from their 38 overs.
Jack Langford (2-14), Darien Moore (2-21), Adam Moore (2-24) and Hunter Gilkes (2-27) all took two wickets each for the hosts.
Despite the loss of early wickets, a gutsy 38 not out from Gary Randall steered Ex-Servos to 8-14 in the 33rd over.
Cooper Luke took 3-32 and Frank Neri 2-14 in the loss for Norths.