CITY Colts’ season roared back to life on Saturday as fast bowler Craig Hanrahan destroyed the Blayney Bushrangers to give his side their second victory of the 2014-15 Bathurst District Cricket Association first grade competition.

Hanrahan finished with 6-18 from his eight overs as the Bushrangers were routed for just 46, losing by a massive 207 runs as a consequence.

Earlier opening batsman Henry Shoemark had starred for Colts, finding the boundary with regularity at King George VI Oval on his way to 96.

“I bet Maxy [Hanrahan] a six pack that his first ball would be short. He made extra sure it was nice and full and he basically kept it there from that point on,” victorious captain Daniel Casey said.

“It was the batting that really set things up though, to get a score that big (253) and put the opposition under pressure right from the start of their innings went a long way towards making the win happen.

“He didn’t take a wicket, but Matt Stephens bowled an outstanding spell with the new ball as well, I lost count of how many times he beat the bat and that piled up the pressure even more.”

Batting first Colts were in a bit of trouble as they lost Hamish Bartlett (two) and Casey (13) cheaply, but Shoemark made sure that the runs were flowing.

Craig Berry (19) gave things a bit of an injection with a couple of big hits before Jaden Ekert arrived to partner Shoemark in what was the definitive partnership of the match.

The pair put on 99 in quick time, Ekert thumping five sixes in his 54 and illustrating the batting depth of the club given that he has spent a majority of the last two seasons playing second grade.

Shoemark was dismissed soon after having struck eight fours and a six. The damage was done by that stage with the score already over 200.

A late cameo of 17 from Hanrahan as well as 14 not out from Olly Shoemark and 12 from Stephens ensured that the asking rate for Blayney would be above a run a ball, Colts finishing with an imposing 8-253.

Jameel Qureshi was by far the most effective Blayney bowler with 2-28 off eight overs, while Simon Ewin had 2-34 from seven.

If Blayney thought the end of their time in the field was going to bring some relief, they were wrong.

Bowling with the new ball and bringing back memories of his days as a regular opener with Bathurst City, Hanrahan was devastating as he ploughed through the Bushrangers’ top order.

After a quiet patch in the first five overs of the innings, chaos arrived in the sixth as Hanrahan removed Yousuf Qureshi for four and in his next took the prized wicket of Jameel Qureshi for six.

Hanrahan’s fourth over saw him make a double-strike with Evan Stanbridge (four) and Jayden Fuller (duck) both departing. 

It meant Blayney’s innings was officially in tatters and there was no recovery.

The wickets continued to tumble as Casey (3-9) got in on the act, and it was all over and done with before the completion of the 19th over, Blayney shot out for 46 with no player getting into double-figures.

Imran Qureshi’s nine was the top score.

“Henry is a talent, it is great to captain a team that he’s in when he’s at his best,” Casey said.

“Jaden’s style doesn’t always come off, and he can be a bit hit-and-miss, but when he has a good day it is amazing to watch, he bombed some massive sixes and just hit it as clean as anything.

“We’ve struggled a bit this season but we’ve picked up a couple of bonus-point wins now and if we can get another victory against ORC at Loco this weekend, we’re back on track.”