Cricket
23 February, 2025
Carter and Preston smash centuries
Centuries to Dezi Carter (Horsham Saints) and Liam Preston (West Wimmera Warriors) in 40-degree heat was the story of round 13 of the Horsham Cricket Association on Saturday, February 22.
Both players at one stage were on 95, and both scored their centuries within minutes of each other.
It was Dezi Carter's first-ever century. He scored it with a four and described the feeling as 'awesome'.
"It felt pretty good, and the biggest goal as a batter in cricket is to hit a century, so it was awesome," Carter said.
"The heat wasn't too bad. The drinks breaks helped, and so did the breeze."
After missing the earlier part of the season with a knee injury, Carter returned in Country Week for the HCA under-17 representative side and scored 31, 41, 41, 58, 8, 38 and 16 in his last seven innings, the latter two for the Horsham Saints.
Carter was glad he finally capitalised on one of his starts.
"I was making starts and was unable to convert them into big scores, and it has been frustrating, so I was determined to make a big one on Saturday," Carter said.
"To score a century is a good feeling, and we are in a nice position, so hopefully, on a slow outfield next week, we have enough runs on the board to defend."
Liam Preston's century was his first senior one, having scored one in a practice match for the Western Waves in the under-16s.
"It is always good to play cricket and stay out in the middle for as long as you can, so I didn't think much about the heat," Preston said.
"There were a lot of drink breaks, which was well-needed.
"It was one break where we came in, and everyone was telling me that I was in the nineties, and I said, 'Please don't say that'."
"When I came back out, it was slow going. I worked a couple around and finally got there, and then I tried to accelerate again."
"It's a good feeling. There's nothing like it. You always aim to get a century. That and a fifer are achievements you aim for."
