McGahan weaves his magic with bat and ball in big win

Frenchville skipper Joe McGahan almost single-handedly accounted for Yaralla in the Round 6 Cap Challenge game played in Gladstone on Saturday.

Frenchville captain Joe McGahan. Picture: Chris Ison ROK270915ccricket5

CRICKET: Frenchville skipper Joe McGahan almost single-handedly accounted for Yaralla in the Round 6 Cap Challenge game played in Gladstone on Saturday.

He produced an amazing double, scoring a chance free 101 before tearing through the home side's batting line-up to take 6-15 to lead his side to a 202-run win.

It is the second ton on the trot for McGahan, who scored an unbeaten 111 against The Glen last weekend.

The talented all-rounder was very modest about his performances when asked to explain his good run of form.

"I'd been wanting to score more runs this season so I had been doing some hard work and showing a bit more patience in my batting which has kept me out there a bit longer,” McGahan said.

"When I was bowling Charlie Simic wasn't going for any runs at the other end. That really put some pressure on the batters and I was able to take wickets from my end.”

Frenchville batted first, piling on 236 runs courtesy of McGahan and a half century from Callum McMahon.

In reply, Yaralla could manage only 34 runs with the team's top scorer Andrew Robertson with 10.

Six batsmen got ducks, four of them falling to McGahan.

Simic finished with the impressive figures of 1-2 off eight overs.

McGahan said it was a very one-sided game against a side which was missing two of its big guns in Josh Andrew and Nathan Spencer.

"We were able to have some good partnerships when we batted which helped us to put on such a big total,” he said.

"We then took early wickets when we were bowling which helped us wrap it up pretty quickly.”

Meanwhile, brothers Todd and Aaron Harmsworth both scored half centuries in Gracemere's win over BITS.

Gracemere recovered from an early batting slump to score 181 and then bowled BITS out for 137 to take the points.

Captain Aaron Harmsworth said it was a good win given his side was missing several of its regular A-graders.

"We didn't get off to a very good start; we were 3-6 at one stage,” he said.

"Todd made 51 and I got 58 and we managed to make 183 which I felt was probably 50 runs short on a good pitch and a quick outfield,” he said.

"Our bowlers bowled really well and got five wickets in the first session to set up the game for us.

"Ben Milne was bowling very quick and got three wickets, while Kade Horan and Luke Johnstone got two apiece.”

Aaron said he was disappointed that his side didn't bat out its overs, but he was impressed with how they fought back so well with the ball.

"We keep on winning the tight games which is good for us,” he said.

In the third fixture of the weekend, The Glen scored a six-wicket win over Cap-Coast Parkana.

Originally published as McGahan weaves his magic with bat and ball in big win