A SPARKLING hundred from newcomer Andrew Best has led ORC to a 110-run win over St Pat’s Old Boys in their second round Bathurst District Cricket Association first grade match on Saturday.

Without bowling spearhead Matt Fearnley and captain Adam Ryan, Pat’s Old Boys were up against it from the early stages of the clash and couldn’t run down their target of 236.

Best announced himself in his round one debut for ORC with a handy knock against Rugby Union and he showed that it was no one-off as he controlled his side’s innings perfectly.

He found the boundary at the Sportsground eight times and helped his team plunder 165 in the final 20 overs after a steady start from their top-order.

“It was an outstanding knock and one that we knew he was capable of when he came over from Mudgee,” Tigers captain Brendan Inwood said.

“We got a solid platform from Wayne Sellers and Mark Day and that gave us a bit of freedom later in the innings to throw the bat around and it was good to see that it worked.

“Batting has been our weakness for a long time, but since about half-way through last season it has become a strength and with Dave Sellers to come back in somewhere we can take a lot of confidence out of Saturday.”

Having won the toss and elected to bat, ORC lost Trent Fiztpatrick (10) early on to Bailey Webber, but Wayne Sellers (23) and Day (25) consolidated to take their side to 1-50 after 14 overs.

Day stuck around with Best in a 38-run stand before the fireworks began, as the former Mudgee representative linked with his captain for a 101-run union for the third wicket.

Inwood hit a couple of sixes in his 36, and even after he fell Best continued on to 102 not out, while the Saints didn’t help their own cause, sending down 17 wides.

Webber was their only multiple wicket taker in ORC’s 7-235, finishing with 2-47, while George Doueihi managed to escape relatively unscathed with 1-27 from eight.

Chasing almost a run a ball from the outset, Pat’s Old Boys needed a good start.

They didn’t get it.

They lost Connor Slattery to Angus Daymond without scoring and Josh Knox for four a short time later.

A recovery from that point without the services of Ryan was always unlikely, though in-form opener Jared Rowe (18) and Scott Traves (33) briefly put some life back in the innings.

They were both dismissed in quick succession and, aside from 23 from Sam Mark, the remainder of the batsmen were removed for single figures.

The innings wrapped up in the 33rd over, Pat’s Old Boys all-out for 125.

The wickets were shared for the Tigers, with Jacob Bognuda taking 2-9, Jeremy Judge 2-24 and Clint Bryant 2-4.

“It is good to get that first win, you don’t want to fall off the pace early in the season and play catch-up,” Inwood said.

“Unfortunately for Old Boys they were without a couple of key players and that obviously made a difference, Matt Fearnley is one of the best bowlers in town and ‘Rhino’ [Ryan] is their most dangerous batsman.

“But you can only beat what you’re up against and this time we did a pretty good job of it. 

“It was good to see Wayne Sellers spend a bit of time in the middle as well.”