WILL Eason opened his wickets tally in Western Australia to help Halls Head CC to a 58-run first-innings victory over White Knights Baldivis in a low-scoring Peel Cricket Association encounter. Making his A Grade debut for the Mandurah-based club, near Perth, the Horspath captain returned figures of 2-8 from five overs as his side gained the upper hand in the Wyllie Cup clash. Playing away at the impressive Settlers Turf ground, Halls Head were bowled out for 113, before skittling their opponents for 55. Reflecting on his bowling, Will, who missed out with the bat, making one, said: "I was pleased with that, although I didn't feel I bowled particularly well, but the win gave us good momentum because we were defending a low total. "I managed to get it to swing a little bit on Saturday - mainly in the air - which was pleasing, but not a huge amount. Nowhere like what we get back at home. "It is nice to see that it did swing a little bit because if it doesn't that is my main asset and without it I could be in for a long afternoon." With teams able to use 12 players and temperatures up to 27°C, Will, whose first wicket came courtesy of a catch before he accepted a caught and bowled chance, was more than happy to take his leave from the pitch late in the innings. "Having 12 players you could get off the pitch for a drink," he said. "They were seven or eight down and I could put my shorts on. We were plenty close to the end and I wasn't going back on." Comparing the standard to the Home Counties, he said: "There is not a lot in it really. I think probably the bowling out here is a little bit stronger than back home. I suppose there are not so many four balls bowled and, if they are, they are often only hit for twos or threes because the pitches here are bigger. "With the batting the top order just play so many shots. As a bowler you always feel as if you are in the game, but you can soon be taken out of it." With no limit on overseas players, Will is one of five English players at Halls Head. The other four include Jack Manuel, who was in the England Under 19 squad alongside Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Joss Buttler and James Vince, who finished eighth in the World Cup in 2010. Last Saturday was a completely different experience to the previous weekend when Halls Head's A Grade game fell victim to rain, and Will was switched to the B Grade McIntosh Cup match away to Warnbro Swans - played in a cold wind and on astroturf. "When I came to Australia I wasn't expecting a wash-out," he said. "I can't remember the last time I played on astroturf and we managed to lose having put half of our A Grade team in. "It was one of the coldest games of cricket I have played in. It was freezing and no-one out here wears jumpers." Halls Head posted 194 all out with Will making six, before their opponents reached their target for the loss of seven wickets - as Will bowled ten overs at a cost of 44 - and then continued batting before being bowled out for 209. "No-one likes losing," said Will. "But by then I was quite pleased to get off the pitch and they carried on playing, which it turned out they are entitled to do for the 50 overs, which was interesting." With two wickets under his belt, Will's looking forward to adding to his tally over the coming weeks and months. Watch this space for updates.
Posted by: Russ
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