Youthful Warilla Come Of Age In Oak Flats Thrashing

Illawarra Mercury

Monday October 20, 2008

By MICHAEL COX

WARILLA Sports showed they will be a force this season when they beat Oak Flats by 88 runs at Geoff Shaw Oval on Saturday.

A balanced bowling attack and gritty batting performance helped Warilla's young line-up upset last years minor premiers.

Aided by a captain's knock of 71 not out by Craig Bramble, Warilla set Oak Flats a target of 219 before five bowlers took two wickets each to dismiss their rivals for 131.

"It was our day - a lot of things went right for us," Bramble said.

"We were in a bit of trouble early, but we got a couple of partnerships in the middle. We were aiming for a total of 200 and when we got over it we were pretty confident we could defend it. But to bowl the way we did and to field the way we did was really, really pleasing."

With the side struggling at 5-81, Bramble combined with lower-order batsmen Ashley Kennedy (17) and Corey Piccirillo (34) to consolidate before lusty hitting set a defendable total.

Oak Flats were left ruing a tough dropped chance when Bramble was still to score.

Piccirillo (2-27), Gerard Healey (2-27), Gavin McCauley (2-28), Adam Zampa (2-29) and Nash Hutchison (2-15) were then backed by a fine fielding effort from a side brimming with confidence.

"Spirit and moral is sky high," Bramble said.

"We've got a really good fighting team spirit going on at the moment."

Warilla will be boosted by the return of teenage batsman Blake Hutchison next week against Jamberoo.

The highly rated youngster has spent four months on the sideline after knee surgery and just completed a training camp with Australia's elite under 19 cricketers.

Hutchison is just one of a group of up-and-comers looking to fill the breach after the departure of Nic Maddinson (Sydney grade, Sutherland).

"With got such an awesome cast of young guys coming through - they've all got the opportunity now," Bramble said.

"It's really pleasing to see them come on ... and to beat a side like Oak Flats was just awesome for them."

In other games, Sam Constantinou scored 87 and Brendan White 91 as premiers Lake Illawarra smashed The Rail by 152 runs at Croome Road, Albion Park beat Kiama by seven wickets at Keith Grey Oval and Jamberoo defeated Shellharbour City by 48 runs at Kevin Walsh Oval.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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