performance in the Merrin Cup to lead Stockinbingal to a crushing 61-run victory over Big O Burglars on Saturday.

The match, originally scheduled for Fisher Park, was moved to the village venue following heavy rain on Friday afternoon and Mitchell cashed in on the home ground advantage with a match-winning knock.

With the game reduced to 30 overs a side, Stockinbingal scored at better than a run a ball to post an imposing total of 6/183, to which the Burglars could only reply with 8/122.

Mitchell’s unbeaten 75 made up the bulk of the total as he shared in a couple of match-turning

partnerships.

The home side was 2-24 after James Smith fell on the third ball of the game and fellow opener Doug Hunt made 17, however Mitchell and Matt Holt, who was elevated up the order, combined for a whirlwind 14-over partnership that saw the score accelerated to 106.

Boundaries were hard to come by on the damp

outfield, however Mitchell and Holt had the Burglars fieldsmen chasing plenty of leather, the partnership broken when Holt offered a return catch to Peter Guthrie when on 39.

Having waited patiently with the pads on, Stock gun Nathan Corby came and went quickly for six, misreading a Guthrie delivery and having his stumps knocked over, while Craig and Scott Friend also made brief appearances, although the latter did score half of his 12 runs in one lofty blow.

That wicket fell in the 26th over, however more power hitting from Mitchell and Brendan O’Callaghan saw the villagers add another 37 to the total, with Mitchell remaining unbeaten on 75 and O’Callaghan not out on 20.

Jimmy Mitchell toiled hard with the ball to be the Burglars’ best with 3-25 off six, while Guthrie bowled the reduced maximum of seven for 2-39.

The Burglars had to attack from the start if they were to be any hope of hauling in the total and it was the need for quick runs that brought about the demise of many of their batsmen.

Scott Roberts was caught by Nathan Corby for five off just the third ball of the second over, while Peter Guthrie made four and Mitchell 11 to see the Burglars in trouble at 3-22.