Bayliss, Brien go berserk and an unlikely hero emerges: Western Zone's team of the week

This summer we're bringing you something different as we'll have a Western Zone team of the week after each round.

This will highlight the best performers in our region, showcase the talent in the area, while also singling out the players who should or could feature in Western Zone selection conversation ahead of this summer's Country Championships.

The biggest result of the weekend was Dubbo's thrilling final-ball, one-wicket win over Bathurst in the opening round of the Western Zone premier league.

A Cooper Brien century headlined Bathurst's total of 7/225, and then Kane MacFarlane was the unlikely hero for the WZPL defending champions, as he clipped the ball off his pads on the final ball and secure a tense victory.

Orange defeated Lachlan in the other match, with a total of 215 proving too imposing.

In club cricket, Dubbo's RSL Whitney Cup started with Twenty20 matches and there Newtown stunned defending premiers CYMS,

In Bathurst Orange Inter-District Cricket (BOIDC), defending champions Cavaliers had no such worries as they crushed City Colts, while Rugby had an unexpected star with the ball in a win over Orange City, St Pat's Old Boys cruised past Centrals, and Orange CYMS edged out Bathurst City with an over to spare.

Orange CYMS, Orange

Two wins and plenty of runs to start the season for the CYMS junior.

On Saturday, Belmonte starred as CYMS restricted Bathurst City to a total of 185 to win by one run.

Opening the batting, Belmonte whacked five fours and four sixes on his way to making 82 from 93 balls to set-up the successful chase.

On the representative scene Sunday, down in the middle order, he chimed in with a quickfire 33 from 28 in Orange's 72-run win over Lachlan.

Orange CYMS, Orange

We're saying it now, it's going to be pretty rare someone makes a golden duck and still earns a spot in this team.

However, in week one Coughlan has done that.

The Orange CYMS all-rounder's season started in the worst way possible on Saturday as he was bowled first ball.

Luckily for Coughlan, he had the chance to make up for it.

The duck came after he took a handy 3/23 from 7.4 overs and then he led the way in Orange's win over Lachlan on Sunday.

He made 45 from 59 balls in that one to set the tone early.

RSL Colts, Dubbo

His Colts side may have enjoyed a round one bye in Dubbo, but he started his season in style on Sunday.

After Bathurst posted an imposing 7/225, Jeffrey came to the crease with his side 1/0 following the early departure of Ben Wheeler.

He went on to anchor the chase, finishing with 88 from 139 balls.

There were some nervy moments after he fell, but his innings still highlighted the thrilling victory.

RSL Colts, Dubbo

Like Jeffrey, Bower started his season on Sunday and he was part of a partnership with went a long way to winning the match for Dubbo.

While the captain was the steady hand, Bower kept the runs ticking along during the chase.

The former NSW Country rep scored 56 from 73 balls, an innings which included seven boundaries and two sixes.

He also took a miserly 1/26 from his 10 overs with the ball.

St Pat's Old Boys, Bathurst

How different his weekend could have been.

Brien made only 17 on Saturday and when he edged one early for Bathurst on Sunday, things weren't looking great.

However, the ball was dropped and Brien made that chance count in a big way.

He piled on a fantastic 134 not out from 143 balls and dominated the Dubbo attack and his side's total of 7/225.

He punished anything loose and was unlucky not to be part of a winning side.

Cambridge Cats, Lachlan

The veteran still has it.

After making 51 not out from 59 balls for his club side on Saturday, Rosser was a shining light for Parkes the following day.

In a sign of Rosser's class, he was the only one of Lachlan's top eight batters who made double figures against Orange.

His 58 not out from 97 balls wasn't enough to earn his side a win, but it was yet another example of his talents.

Cambridge Cats, Lachlan

From a stalwart of Parkes cricket, to one of the young stars.

Bayliss produced the most destructive performance of the weekend back home with the Cats.

Bayliss played his club cricket in Dubbo with CYMS last season but at Woodward Oval on Saturday he belted an incredible 152 not out from 108 balls for the Cambridge Cats.

He whacked four sixes and 17 fours, but couldn't repeat the effort on Sunday when he only made four against Orange.

Cavaliers, Orange

Cavaliers did what Cavaliers does in the opening round of the season, and Laird was a big part of the win over City Colts.

Batting at number five, Laird raced to 85 from 74 balls and powered his side to a total of 8/267 after they were earlier wobbling at 4/106.

Just for good measure, he hit 34 from 30 balls to late in Orange's innings on Sunday to help his side to a strong total of over 200 against Lachlan.

Newtown

Dubbo isn't too strongly represented in round one given there were only two first grade matches and they were both Twenty20s.

Despite that, Raza still had the time to impress.

An aggressive stick well-suited to the shorter form, Raza whacked 59 from 33 balls - a knock including three sixes and seven fours - and was largely the reason why Newtown stunned defending premiers CYMS in the opening round.

Rugby Union

The unlikeliest of standout bowlers in round one of the BOIDC competition.

MacPherson took eight wickets in the competition across the entire season in 2023/24. We're only one week into this summer and he's almost reached that total already.

Things were looking dicey for Rugby on Saturday as Orange City rattled along well in reply to the Bathurst side's total of 163.

MacPherson was the seventh bowler used by City but he responded in style and took 5/31 from six overs to help his side secure an 18-run win.

After taking 39 wickets in 2022/23, it appears MacPherson is ready to damage again this summer.

St Pat's Old Boys, Bathurst

He benefited a little from the Dubbo batters chasing quick runs, but he still was the one to take the wickets.

Parsons went at more than five an over on Sunday, but he took five wickets in the tightest of WZPL losses at the Sports ground.

Parsons finished with 5/35 from his six overs, a haul including the big wicket of Dubbo captain Jeffrey (88).