Waroona Warriors D-grade side defeat White Knights Baldivis by six wickets

Waroona’s D-grade side stayed in the race for the finals with a six-wicket away win over White Knights Baldivis on Saturday.

While the club’s A-grade side had a bye, the D-grade team were only a few points off the top four, meaning a win was a must to keep their finals hopes alive.

After Waroona lost the toss and were sent into the field, things looked bleak, with Baldivis at 0-85 after 20 overs.

But the Warriors were able to get themselves back into the contest and restrict their hosts to 8-195 from their 45 overs, with Joel Catalano (4-40 from nine overs) the best of the bowlers.

Catalano was also the star with the bat, making 107 from 104 deliveries as his side chased the target in the 37th over.

He shared a 107-run second-wicket partnership with Jefferson Escott (41 from 55 balls) and a 48-run third-wicket stand with Caleb Lewis (27 from 26 balls).

The win puts the Warriors in fourth place on the ladder, with a bye next week and one more game left in their home and away season.

Waroona’s F-grade side did not have the same luck, losing to Halls Head by 105 runs.

With the opposition posting a score of 206, Waroona could only respond with a score of 101, with Jett Derosa (25 from 60 balls) and Zachary Audino (3-14 from five overs) the best players on the day.

On Sunday, the Warriors’ women’s side had their final game of their campaign, losing to Mandurah by eight wickets in one of their best performances of the season.

Comprised of players who had not played cricket before, the group improved sharply over the course of the summer and have set a solid foundation for future seasons.