The Merrivale opener has got his team off to a flying start to the 2015-16 Warrnambool and District Cricket Association season.

Stapleton smashed 98 not out to help the Tigers defeat Wesley-CBC by nine wickets in a Twenty20 fixture at Allen Oval on Saturday.

Wesley CBC batted first and made 8-112 with Stapleton producing the best figures for the Tigers with 2-10 from three overs.

But it was with a blazing bat in hand that the 24-year-old made his biggest mark.

Stapleton smashed eight sixes and 10 fours in a 34-ball stay at the crease.

Such was his dominance that only 17 runs of the Tigers’ winning score of 1-115 did not come from his blade.

“My natural game is to hit the ball so I usually do go out with an attacking frame of mind,” Stapleton said.

“The Allen Oval is pretty short straight down the ground and the outfield was really quick so I was getting good value for my shots.”

The dominant display from Stapleton meant the game was over in a flash with the Merrivale’s innings taking just 7.4 overs. 

The one downside to the day was Stapleton falling just short of triple figures.

“Jeremy Burgess came out to bat right at the end and he asked me if I wanted to know what I was on,” Stapleton said.

“I said no and all he said was if I wanted a hundred then I needed to go big.

“We needed two to win and I hit a four and ended on 98 so that was what he meant by big, I needed to go over the boundary. 

“It would have been nice to get a century but I’m pretty happy to get some runs to start the season.” 

Stapleton said the Tigers had bowled and fielded impressively with new recruits Steven Plant (England) and Mark Jones (Koroit) performing well. 

He said Merrivale is expecting to welcome back Justin Lynch, Thomas Ludeman and former Cobden opening bowler Matt Ross-Watson in the coming weeks, adding to a formidable line-up.