After being a mainstay in 2nd Grade for the start of the 2020/21 Macleay Valley Cricket season, Saturday saw youngster Beau Mainey step up a grade and leave a lasting impression.
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The step up couldn't have come in a more important game with both Nulla and South West Rocks sitting top of the table.
Nulla started with bat in hand and got off to a shaky start with Mitchell Smith and Patrick Cotter breaking through early to have the score at 2/6.
Mainey then entered to join opener Todd Giddy at the crease for a much needed 55-run partnership.
Giddy's departure for an attacking 42 off 35 balls saw wickets consistently fall but Mainey continued to plug away at the other end.
Michael Fotheringham (2/31 off 6) and Jye Woodger (4/32 off 7.5) were dangerous with ball in hand as they removed the majority of their batsman for single figure scores.
Woodger then picked up the prize wicket of Mainey to bowl Nulla out for 164 as Mainey finished with 70 from 72 balls in a 125 minute stay.
Liam Askew also had admirable figures of 2/26 off 6 overs.
If Nulla were to stand any chance they'd need to stop the most dominant opening combination of the past two weeks in Mick Chalker and Jye Woodger.
With Nick Morrison returning from his absence last week they did just that, as Chalker walked off for four runs, lbw off Morrison whilst Corey Crotty bowled Woodger for 10.
At 2/24 the game was Nulla's for the taking and they kept their foot on the throat.
Morrison (2/33 of 8) was instrumental dismissing first drop Liam Askew for 10 and running out Patrick Cotter for 5.
Martin Nicholls was extremely economic with 2/0 from 3 overs.
Graham Hughes offered resistance to the Nulla juggernaut but he too was run out for 23.
The Rocks were soon bowled out for 107 from their 27.4 overs to deliver a 57-run win to Nulla and see them move into equal first.
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