Batting:
Flynn Hurley 21 (20), Alastair Wise 12* (34), Alex Sedgwick 11 (16)

Bowling:
Riley Walters 2-23 (3), Harrison Wright 1-8 (4), Samrath Khaira 1-11 (3)

A crisp Sunday morning set the scene for one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season — the all-Marist derby between Marist Navy and Marist Light. With captain Flynn leading the side, the Navy boys arrived full of confidence and energy, ready for a hard-fought contest on their home turf.

The toss didn’t fall Navy’s way, and Light chose to bat first. From the very first over, Navy’s bowlers were on point. Harrison and Alex opened brilliantly, finding swing and seam movement, and bowling with impeccable control. Both bowled tight lines, forcing early mistakes. Their pressure soon brought rewards — the stumps were sent flying and “Big H” snatched a sharp catch that lifted team spirits and set the tone.

Samrath continued the charge, bowling with excellent rhythm and subtle variation to remove another batter, leaving Light reeling at 3-8 after five and a half overs. The energy in the field was outstanding — every player was switched on, backing up with commitment, cutting off boundaries, and maintaining constant communication.

Nirodha chipped in with a smart catch-and-bowled before Flynn executed a perfect setup to hit the timber once more. The intensity remained high, with Ethan and Will maintaining the squeeze through tight, disciplined spells. Despite their efforts, Light’s middle order began to rebuild. By drinks, the visitors had reached 5-70, showing some resilience.

After the break, Riley Walters took charge, striking twice in quick succession to swing the momentum back in Navy’s favour. However, Light’s tail showed grit, finding gaps and crunching boundaries in the final few overs. The fielders — particularly George, Marcus, and Alastair — worked tirelessly, chasing everything down and keeping the energy up until the very end. Light eventually closed on a competitive 7-189, a total that demanded a focused reply.

As clouds gathered, Flynn and Alastair strode out to open the batting. The pair started confidently, blending solid defence with sharp running and clean stroke play. Flynn looked in fluent touch, timing the ball sweetly before an inswinger ended his composed 21. Samrath kept up the intent with two crisp boundaries, while Alastair anchored the innings with patience and maturity. Riley and Alex added handy contributions, each playing positive shots before falling to good deliveries as Light’s bowlers found late rhythm.

Just as Navy began to build momentum, rain swept across the oval, forcing play to end prematurely at 4-69 after 15 overs.

Despite the early finish, it was an excellent all-round effort from Marist Navy — disciplined with the ball, sharp in the field, and showing growing confidence with the bat. A spirited performance, full of teamwork, skill, and heart — another promising step in an exciting season ahead.