WGCA LOWER GRADES
REVIEW – ROUND 7 (Day 1)
By David Nagel
B GRADE
RUNS were like gold – a rare and precious commodity – at Rutter Park on Saturday as highway rivals Tooradin (125) and Devon Meadows (4/59) settled in for a bowler-dominated shootout.
There was no place for the timid or faint of heart as Panthers’ spearhead Scott Clark (16/3/6/44) set the park alight with a hostile spell of bowling.
The 2015/16 WGCA District Player of the Year was at his intimidating best, relishing the drop in class to give the fifth-placed Panthers the upper hand over their more highly-fancied opponents.
Clark claimed the early wickets of Michael Ralph (0) and Peter Stone (6), met stern resistance from Dave Freeman (37), Luke Adams (19) and Adam Jacobs (32), before combining with Ben Hussey (3/5) to shatter a brittle lower order.
The Panthers took just 32 overs to turn the Seagulls first innings to dust.
But – as so often happens in cricket – there was a twist to the tale.
The Panthers are 4/59 in reply, the late wicket of Paul Borg (18) returning the balance of power after Borg and Dave Carson (17 not out) has settled in nicely. Luke Adams (14/6/1/17) will look to build on his remarkable 27 wickets for the season when play resumes on day two.
Kooweerup (201) will need to defend an even-par score to remain a finals aspirant after a great fightback by the home-team Upper Beaconsfield.
Openers Steve Johnson (51) and Lachie Ramage (52) had the Demons right on top at 0/108 before Shawn Hassall (2/62) led a Maroons revival. Hassall took the first two wickets to fall, the veteran combining well with Craig Chapman (2/27) and Willy Haines (2/30) to keep the Demons honest.
Arie Hazendonk (42) threatened to take the visitors to a winning score, but late panic saw two of the last four wickets fall to run outs. Young leg-spinner Harry Sharlassian (15/6/1/27) bowled beautifully in a game that looks set to go down to the wire.
Top-of-the-table Merinda Park had the better of a very patient Emerald (157) at Donnelly Reserve.
Jason Burns (51) and Lachie Gleeson (27) were solid for the Bombers, who crumbled when the rate needed to be lifted. Seven Bombers got starts, but Uma Rattan (18/8/3/19) and Brendan Fairlam (14/3/2/40) had the last laugh for the Cobras.
And Carlisle Park (8/210dec) was pretty well held by cellar-dwellers SFX Old Collegians (0/4).
Maqbool Laiq (65) made the most of a solid start from Sami Muzaffar (39) and Asim Ahmad (29), while Chaminda Dheerasinghe (17/6/3/37) was clearly the best trundler for the X-Men.
C GRADE
SOMEONE grab the extinguisher … Pakenham (7/321) opener Graham ‘Hamsy’ McCraw (128) is on fire!
The affable McCraw made his third century of 2016, and his second on the trot, with a brilliant innings against Carlisle Park at Heatherbrae. McCraw’s plundering of bowlers began with a C Grade 110 against Cranbourne Meadows in February and continued with a blistering 162 not out, also against the Rebels, last weekend.
The Gazette hunted down McCraw for a comment on Saturday night but, with caller and receiver both drunk, it was hard to translate. We think he said, “Get stuffed Nagel … no comment.”
McCraw’s batting was far more expansive than his words, sharing a 115-run partnership with Scott Webster (66) and a 134-run stand for the fifth wicket with the promising Luke Hartley (58 not out).
Malan Weththasinghe (21/1/5/67) was an absolute standout for the Vikings.
Cardinia’s (224) Matt Celima (99) wasn’t so lucky against Pakenham Upper/Toomuc, joining the most painful of exclusive clubs, falling one run short of a century at Pakenham Upper.
Celima looked set for a huge total, before being caught by John Langley off the bowling of Nicholas Braham (3/23) with the score on 5/141.
Matt Hobson (45) and Matt Scott (26) took over from where Celima left off, with Shaun Ager (3/14) joining Braham as the Yabbies best bowlers.
Cranbourne Meadows (196) looks poised to win its first game of the season in the bottom-of-the-table battle against Aura Vale (0/20).
Wayne Mannix (52), Josh Matthews (48) and Jay Broomhall (41) all dug in deep for the Rebels who showed plenty of application. There are no scores to report from Aura Vale.
And there were only 113 runs scored in 67 overs in the match between Catani (77) and Officer (3/36) at Catani.
Both clubs have failed to enter the impressive bowling figures of their players into the My Cricket website.
D GRADE
A BLAZING century from Josh Spittal (120 not out) has Clyde (8/261dec) in command of its clash against Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (0/7).
Brenton Huyskens (22/3/4/91) toiled manfully for the Goon.
Bowlers dominated the game between Emerald (119) and Officer (3/22) at Worrell Reserve, the points still in the balance after a brave Bombers fightback late in the day.
The Bullants initially struggled to break through a Mark O’Brien (24) led top order, but made significant inroads once they did. Jake Santini (36) was the only player through the middle to lower order to make double figures as Andrew Dike (3/17), Daryl Hargreaves (2/11) and John Armstrong (2/25) gave the Bullants the upper hand.
The Bullants will need to remain composed however, still needing 98 runs with seven wickets left in the sheds when play resumes on Saturday.
Merinda Park (1/17) has relied on a real team performance with the ball to take day-one honours against Kooweerup (148) at the Kooweerup High School.
Corey Moncrieff (3/34) took his tally to 16 wickets for the season, receiving great support from Josh Phillips (2/27), Bo Hellman (2/29) and Thanuja Senerathna (2/42).
Plenty of Demons got starts, with Chris Wood (37), Tom Cottrell (34) and Michael Miles (20 not out) the best of five double-figure contributors.
Mick McCalman (9) lost his wicket to Jackson Berry (1/8) before the close of play.
A shortage of players has seen Pakenham Upper/Toomuc forfeit its clash with local rival Pakenham.
E GRADE
GEMBROOK (2/93) opener Jake Rosen (23.4/7/7/24) was the bowling star of the WGCA on Saturday, his brilliant seven-wicket haul leading the Brookers to day-one victory over Officer (89) at Starling Road.
Rosen started and completed the rout, removing Lindsay Dean (0) for the first of the day and then rounding out his performance with the wicket of top-scorer Leigh Sullivan (21). Sullivan and Tim Smith (14) were the only Bullants to march their way into double figures.
Jack Burchill (2/22) gathered the sparse crumbs left by a hungry Rosen.
Jeremy Everett (37), Aaron Matthews (29) and Dean Allcott (18 not out) saw the Brookers to first innings points by the close of play.
She has done plenty of work behind the scenes but Shona Lynch (15/4/6/31) turned star with the shiny red leather ball to lead Nyora (1/36) into a wonderful position against Catani (107).
Lynch took wickets at vital times, with Matt Coleman (29), Ash Zinnow (20), Jeremy Hill (19) and Lucas Kallady (18 not out) looking to take the Cats to a challenging score.
Lynch was well supported by ever-green performer Keith Maclure (25/6/2/40) who kept things tight at the opposite end.
Joshua Vella (21 not out) holds the key to the Maroons run-chase this weekend.
Kooweerup (3/113) can thank a mesmerising spell from Graeme Caig (5/30) and some hard hitting from Dan Tannahill (75) for its great day at the office against Merinda Park (123).
The Demons looked set to chase leather early, with Rob Wilson (43) and Grant Mills (28) talking the score to a dangerous 2/80. But Caig and Tannahill (2/12) turned things around, taking 6/9 at one stage to send the 12 points floating in a completely different direction.
Tannahill spanked the Cobras in reply until Mills (2/12) took his second for the innings.
And Tooradin (222) has set the bar high for Devon Meadows at Junction Village.
The Seagulls were pretty consistent all day with Beau Gilliatte (50), Luke Townsend (38) and Lewis Johnson (34) seeing off the best the panthers had to offer.
That best came through the hard work of Chris Floyd (3/40) and veteran toiler Peter Zauner 19/9/2/33).
F GRADE
OFFICER (7/341) youngster Riley Clark was pretty much spent early in his innings against Emerald at Heatherbrae Reserve on Saturday.
After an early morning knock in the juniors, Riley got to about 30 runs in his afternoon hit before fatigue started to kick in.
For a 15-year-old to bat on for a further four hours, chalking up an unbelievable 231 not out, is quite remarkable.
The Clark family had mixed fortunes on the weekend, Riley’s opening partner, dad Ross, was dismissed for a duck, leaving the door open for young Riley to take centre stage.
And deliver he did.
Riley shared a 179-run partnership with another promising youngster, Under 14 player Luke Dunn (55), and kept on batting and batting and batting. He walked off totally spent, having batted for the full 70 overs, unbeaten, unstoppable … unbelievable!
Upper Beaconsfield (8/308) batsman Adam Lawrence (108) has continued Pakenham’s pain with the ball, leading the Maroons to safe ground at Holm Park Reserve.
The Lions, who went for 5/432 against Merinda Park last round, have now conceded 750 runs in their last two innings.
Lawrence was superb for the Maroons, batting brilliantly through the middle order after Peter Brennan (55) and Marcus Gehling (37) had set up the assault. Jack Sharlassian (28) capped things off the Maroons while Darren Sidebottom (3/25) and Peter Shea (3/95) were best for the Lions.
Merinda Park (8/291) star John Cuthbertson (90) has taken his season tally to a whopping 612 runs after another blazing innings against Lang Lang.
Cuthbertson, now averaging 102, was joined by Andrew Syddall (55 not out), Grant Bloomer (32) and Peter Aberle (32) as they ripped another attack to shreds.
Samantra Alwera (2/25) and Max De Longville (2/47) were the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers.
And Clyde (179) will be hoping to defend a competitive score against Carlisle Park (0/2).
Lee Wolfe (3/29) and Rob Collins (3/55) worked hard for the Vikings while there are no scores available for the Cougars.
G GRADE
CRANBOURNE Meadows (6/339 dec) looks well on the way to outright victory after Brett Richards (115) and co smashed Clyde (7/97) to all parts of Lawson Poole Reserve.
Richards, Ross Hopwood (60), Anthony Soros (55 not out) and Lee Fallon (51 not out) kept the run rate ticking over at more than 7.5 per over.
The Cougars were in all sorts of trouble by the close of play.
Brendan Laidlaw (4/17) and Harinderjit Brar (4/35) have bowled Carlisle Park (1/38) into a strong position against Devon Meadows (138).
Brad Williams (43) was the pick of the Panthers batsmen.
And William Wolstenholme (59 not out) and Sam Downes (36) have led Pakenham (226) to a competitive total against Upper Beaconsfield.
Veteran spinner Rob Hansen (2/42) led the way for the Maroons, supported by his much-younger counterparts in Paddy Cross (2/28), Jaxon Binns (2/36) and Dave Westra (2/42).
The experienced Hansen holds the key to the Maroons run-chase this weekend.
Catani has forfeited its clash against Gembrook.
