Seven days after scoring a

hard-fought seven run win over Stockinbingal, the Harden side barely put up a challenge as they were thumped by 74 runs at Roberts Park on Saturday.

Having restricted the visitors to

9-133 off their 40 overs on a damp and slow outfield, the hosts never recovered from a poor start where they lost their first four wickets for 34 to be eventually rolled for just 59 inside the space of 24 overs.

It could have been so much

different if not for some rearguard action by Stock tailender Scott Friend.

Friend came to the crease with his side struggling at 8-86 after just three of the top eight batsmen

managed double figures.

Almost completely dominating the strike, Friend raced his way to an unbeaten 38, sharing in a 42-run stand with James Corby who was required to contribute just two.

His late innings heroics included returns of eight, seven, six and 11 an over which, as it panned out, gave the villagers more than enough.

The early part of the innings

was dominated by Brendan O’Callaghan who topped scored with 36 having shared in a 34-run stand with opener Doug Hunt who looked impressive before edging one behind off Rob Scott for 12.

Key batsman Nathan Corby came and went for seven, while the only other notable effort was Mark Annetts’ 14.

At one stage Stock had slipped from 1-37 to 5-63 with Josh Logue (4-23) and Reece Henman (2-31) the pick of the bowlers.

The Harden run chase struggled to get out of first gear thanks to some tight bowling from teenager Sam Annetts and his uncle Jeremy.

Between them they took seven wickets, with the younger of the two Annettses finishing with 3-23 from nine overs, three of which were maidens and among his scalps were Logue (16), Todd Elliott (2) and Jason Pollard (2).

Jeremy claimed the first wicket for the innings, Kai Steele for two, on his way to 4-20 off the maximum 10 overs and at one stage he took

3-0 off nine balls.

Paul Potts was the only other

batsman to reach double figures with 11, as O’Callaghan had the honour of wrapping up the win with 2-4 off 1.2 overs.

The win has resulted in

congestion around the all important second place on the ladder, with the Central Hotel Tigers on 63 just half a win ahead of Harden on 60, while Stock have given themselves a chance to sneak into the top two, just three points back in fourth.

The Tigers and Stock meet this weekend at Fisher Park.