Hay have ended Griffith’s run of successful defences in the Creet Cup which extended back to 2016 with a 16-run win at Exies Oval on Sunday afternoon.
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After the visiting side won the toss and elected to bat, Jack Cattanach (1) fell to the bowling of Mitchell Williams Hedges, but Hay was able to mount an immediate fightback.
Lead by Nick Baird and Simon Bunyan, Hay was able to get themselves into a strong position with a 105-run partnership for the second wicket.
When the partnership was finally broken by Bennett who trapped Bunyan (27) in front, Hay lost three more quick wickets with Baird (75) run out by Williams-Hedges while he returned to the bowling crease to dismiss Blake Aylett (3) before Matt Peruzzi picked up J Coleman (0).
Only Mick Cattanach (19) and Jackson Ferguson (11) were able to get starts as Hay were bowled out for 172.
Griffith ran into trouble early in their innings as Liam Greenaway (5) fell to the bowling of Bunyan to have the holders sitting at 1-12 after the second over.
It would prove to be a common theme with the top order, with the exception of Theo Valeri, able to find their stride with Bennett (3) falling to Bunyan while Jack Cattanach (2/33) picked up the wickets of Reece Matheson (4) and Marc Tucker (7) to see Griffith slump to 4-45 after 10 overs.
Oliver Bartter and Theo Valeri were able to put on 22 runs for the fifth-wicket before Bartter (9) was the third to fall to Bunyan (3/33), but Griffith was soon in trouble.
Peruzzi (3) and Ryan Greenaway (0) fell in consecutive deliveries from Fergus Cattanach, and while Williams-Hedges (3) survived the hat-trick ball, he fell soon after to Cattanach (3/21).
Connor Bock joined his captain at the crease with Griffith needing 92 runs to win with 19 overs remaining and just two wickets in hand. The pair were able to give their side a fighting chance with a 59-run stand before Valeri (70) was dismissed by Coleman (1/20).
Bock and Tom Greenaway (4*) gave their side a chance, but Hay was able to pick up the win when Ferguson (1/21) dismissed Bock (33) with Griffith stranded on 156.
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