BLASTING 92 runs off 62 deliveries - Nic Broes underlined his status as St Pat's Old Boys' marquee player as he helped them to a Royal Hotel Cup quarter-final triumph over Cavaliers on Friday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Broes cleared the rope twice and hit 11 boundaries, scoring his runs at a strike rate of 148 to help the Saints to a mammoth total of 4-182 at Wade Park.
Needing to score at more than nine runs an over was a task beyond Cavaliers who, despite Wesley Lummis' 52 off 33, finished at 6-140.
The Saints' 42-run win not only sees them advance to the semi-finals of the Twenty20 competition, but avenge last season's grand final defeat by 17-times Royal Hotel Cup champions Cavaliers.
"We were pretty excited. It was a really good one," Saints skipper Adam Ryan said.
"I was pretty happy when we won the toss and got to bat first because the deck was pretty rock-hard. I think now that the out-field is growing back more, it's a lot quicker than it was just before Christmas, so that helped us capitalise on the scoring options.
"Nico, I don't think he gave a chance until he got caught, it was a fantastic knock."
Broes and fellow opener Andrew Brown (49 off 21) were quick to show their aggressive intent as they put on 57 runs during the opening six-over power play.
While Brown eventually fell leg before wicket to Mitch Black, as the Saints sat at 1-92 after 10 overs they had a perfect launching pad.
Bailey Brien (28 off 29) kept momentum going, but Broes was the star. Though not quite able to reach triple figures as he was caught out off Kyle Buckley's bowling, the damage had been done.
It was an effort which betters Broes' previous top score in the Royal Hotel Cup - a 67 off 59 in the Saints' 2018-19 grand final win over Orange City.
And there was more pain to come for Cavaliers.
The pace of Saints' new-ball bowlers Mitch Taylor (2-19 off four overs) and Jack Goodsell (1-15 off four), saw the hosts slip to 4-29.
"Nico and Browny got off to an amazing start for us and we cruised to that total. Then Mitch and Jacko pretty much sewed it up in those first six overs with the power play," Ryan said.
"We knew that batting first, it was a massive total and it would be hard batting second, especially when the dew starts to set in and you've got Jack and Mitch, who are probably the quickest in the comp, bowling from both ends.
"It was a massive advantage. If Jack didn't bowl a couple of wides, I think after his first three overs he was 1-6, that's crazy, and same with Mitcho."
Though the Saints were guilty of relaxing a little as Lummins and Cavs skipper Matt Corben (40 off 44) formed a 76-run stand for the fifth wicket, Ryan's men were still in control.
Matt Fearnley removed Lummins in his first over then Corben in his second to end any faint hopes Cavs had of pulling off an unlikely chase.
The win extends St Pat's unbeaten run in both the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket and Royal Hotel Cup competitions this season.
"That was another thing playing into our hands, momentum is a big thing in any sport and they were coming of four losses and we were coming off wins - we could play with a bit of confidence," Ryan said.
