There is increasing speculation on Portsea island that Australian Fraser Hay is contemplating a return for a fourth tour of duty at St Helen's this summer.
It won't have gone unnoticed on Southsea seafront that Hay, now skippering Melville alongside the banks of the Swan River, blazed a season's best 132 (four sixes and 13 fours) to set up a big win over arch rivals Fremantle, who were dismissed for 171 chasing 232-9. He has just been picked to play a Second XI State match for WA against Tasmania at the WACA.
Also in the WACA Premier Division, Hampshire's Toby Albert hit 28 as Joondalup made 293-8 in beating Rockingham Mandurah.
Havant raised Andy Gorvin, now with Glamorgan, starred with bat and ball across in the Victoria Premiership, but finished on the losing Camberwell Magpies side (232-5) against Melbourne. He hit 97 (two sixes and eight fours) and took 3-37, but his side lost by two wiciets with eight balls to spare.
St Cross Symondians' prospect George O'Connor made his first grade debut for Southern Districts against the might of South Australia West End leaders Kensington.
He walked to the crease with Southern Districts in desperate straights at 41-6 and had to face former SA quick Elliott Opie and ginger haired leggie Lloyd Pope, who plays in the BBL and took 8-35 against England U19s in 2017.
O'Connor 'only' made 12 but was second top score in a partnership of 42 which was by far the biggest of the innings as SD were rolled over for 90 and soundly beaten!
Cape Town youngster Nathan Schultz, who plans a return to Burridge this summer, made his top score of the season and played a significant role in a Western Province Premier League thriller against table toppers WPCC.
Schultz made 64 before his side collapsed from 179-5 to 193 all out, but then clung on to three catches as WPCC plunged to 61-7, former SPL pair Darren Rolfe and Geoff Dodds taking two wickets each. A remarkable turnaround saw WP's eighth-wicket pair share a century stand before two more wickets left the outcome on a knife edge. WPCC eventually got home with a big six to win the match. It as pulsating stuff ...
