The reigning premiers of the WDCA A grade competition look to have the goods once more, after Rovers United Bruck chased down the target set by Benalla Bushrangers in the 27th over.

Sent into the field by the Bushrangers, the Hawks’ bowling battery maintained a tight line and length, limiting Benalla to just 8/118 from their set of 45 overs.

It was young gun Will Graham who would give them the early advantage, knocking over Benalla skipper Brayden Stepien for nine and James Carboon for just one, the Bushrangers shaky at 2/24.

Vaughn Kirk would stop the bleeding with a composed 20 from 41 balls, but would have his stumps rattled by a Jeremy Wilson spinner.

Jonty Priest would play the anchor role, seeing out 116 deliveries for his 38*, but would be saddled with a revolving door of batting partners at the end.

No other batter would make it to double digits, as the Hawks’ attack challenged the stumps and outside edge of the bat, often with the desired result.

Lucas Ham (three) was stumped short of his ground, Lee Brennan (eight) edged one into the waiting gloves of Ryan Collier for Graham’s third scalp, and Brady Bartlett sent Matthew Priest back to the sheds with just two runs to his name.

Benalla were in trouble at 6/86, but it would go from bad to worse when a calamitous run out affected by Matt Whitten saw the back of Dale Stratton for just three runs.

With time running out, Wilson would pick up another wicket, with Benalla having set a sub-par score for the Hawks.

RUB skipper Wilson said it was a brilliant performance to start the season with the ball.

“We didn’t know what to expect, we don’t often play at home in round one so we were unsure of what the deck was going to throw at us,” he said.

“Will Graham set the tone early, he’s had a few great years in A reserve, and he’s taken his game to another level.

“He got ‘Steppo’ [Brayden Stepien] and Jimmy Carboon out early, really put the pressure back on them and turned the game in our favour from the outset.

“I think we had seven bowlers, just rotated everyone around, kept to the basics, bowled full and straight and set the field accordingly.

“The ground was pretty quick, so if you bowled a loose one it went to the boundary pretty quick - to keep them to 118, we were rapt with that.”

With an achievable target ahead of them, RUB’s top three batters made short work of the total, reaching 121 for just the loss of one wicket.

Charith Perera was the damage dealer, smashing 60 from 54 balls to bring his team within 40 of the final total.

Ryan Collier (33* from 64) and Reid McNamara (21* from 41) were classy enough to steer the ship home with more than 18 overs to spare.

“We don’t tell ‘Chazzy’ [Perera] how to play his game, he knows it, he’s been doing it a long time, he knows when to go and when not to go,” Wilson said.

“He just plays to his strength, that’s the way he plays, so for him to get us off to a flyer really took the pressure off, and Ryan and Reid capitalised and finished it off.

“It’s a bit weird the game’s over in the 26th over, but those are the new rules, so it was good for those boys to really start the season in good form.”

Elsewhere in the A grade, Ovens Valley took the win over Beechworth Wanderers, bowling the Wanderers out for 132 defending their total of 185.

Last year’s champion player Geeth Alwis continued his fine form, making 53 from 65 deliveries, while Seamus Phillips (37 from 44) and Dylan Bursill (28 from 33) forged a 62-run first wicket stand to set the Tigers up well.

Off-spinner Jonathan Carson was effective for Beechworth, picking up 3/36, while Henry Scalzo (3/28) and Matt Ryan (2/16) were impactful.

In the chase, barring a stunning virtuoso performance from Brenton Surrey (63 from 66), the Wanderers offered little resistance, with English signing Joel Jordan on fire with 5/29.