ACT Aces have issued a stern warning to their Regional Bash rivals after thumping Murrumbidgee Rangers by seven wickets in the Wagga Pool opener.
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The Aces were a class above throughout the Twenty20 fixture, restricting the Rangers to just 4-110 before chasing down the meagre total with eight overs to spare.
It looked as though Murrumbidgee might launch some early fireworks when opening batsman Al Edis (20) tonked four fours off the third over.
The Rangers were in the box seat at 0-33 after four overs before Edis was run out by Praveen Mattai in the fifth over.
A subsequent maiden from Aces skipper Ethan Bartlett tightened the screws and when Dayon Johnson (1) fell cheaply in the ninth over, the Rangers could only limp to 2-57 at the midway point.
Dean Bennett (56 from 60) did his best to keep the scoreboard ticking over but found little help from Luke Arandt (4) and eventually fell in the final over trying to up the ante.
Angus Boulton (18) and Jeremy Binks (2) finished unbeaten as Murrumbidgee set a target of 111 for their capital rivals with Esam Rahman (1-21 from four overs) the pick of ACT’s bowling attack.
It was all one-way traffic in the chase as Bartlett set about finding the boundary rope with ease.
Bartlett (15) fell in the second over after a sharp catch from Boulton at backwards point but opener Robbie Trickett and first drop Rhy Healy continued to fire, taking their side to 1-50 after just four overs.
Trickett (25) eventually fell in the sixth over with Healy (44 not out) continuing to anchor the innings alongside Corey Spink (25 not out).
With the score poised at 2-98 after 10 overs, Spink smacked 11 runs from the 11th over before cutting Dean Aylett’s first delivery of the game to the fence and wrapping things up with 53 balls to spare.
Aces will take on the Border Bullets at McPherson Oval tomorrow morning while the Rangers must dust themselves off to face Wagga Sloggers back at Robertson Oval.
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