WGCA Premier Division – round 10, day 2

By Julian Bayard
PAKENHAM Upper-Toomuc (PUT) moved right back into finals contention with a convincing victory over Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll in round 10 of the West Gippsland Cricket Association’s (WGCA) Premier Division.
Chasing the Marygoons’ overnight total of 236, Yabbies’ skipper Andrew Cooper batted throughout his side’s total of 6/246 to score an extremely patient 74 not out, guiding his side to victory.
Cooper was well assisted by Michael Wake, with the number three batsman blasting 58 runs before he was run out.
PUT superstar Chris Smith scored yet another half-century with 59 runs, taking his season tally to 389 runs at an average of 38.9.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll’s Steve Lewis backed up his half-century last weekend by taking the respectable figures of 3/41 from 15 overs to clearly be the Marygoons’ best player.
Kooweerup captain Shane Dole scored a brilliant 105 not out as the Demons comprehensively overcame Catani’s total of 9/234, reaching 3/238 from 75 overs to retain its stronghold of a top-two finish on the ladder.
Dole hit 10 boundaries in his steady innings, and combined with opening batsman Chris O’Hara (78 runs including three boundaries) for a 148-run second-wicket partnership that took the match away from the Blues.
Catani bowler Nic Close was the only Blues player to taste any real success with the ball taking 2/38 from 14 overs.
A magnificent spell of bowling from Cardinia’s Dwayne Doig has once again led the Bulls to a convincing victory, this time against Beaconsfield, with the Tigers being dismissed for just 118 from 64 overs, still 122 runs short of the required target.
As he so often does, the off-spin bowler opened the bowling for his side, bowling unchanged for 32 overs to take the superb figures of 5/33, including 16 maidens.
Only Brad Miles offered any resistance for the Tigers, scoring a defiant 59 not out.
However, there was little support from his team-mates, with no other batsman managing to score in excess of 15 runs.
Ben Darose backed up Doig’s bowling by taking 3/15 from seven overs, while first change bowler Adam Hobson again bowled well to take 2/27 from 14 overs.
Officer put itself one game clear of fourth position on the District Division ladder with a strong victory against Tooradin at Tooradin Recreation Reserve.
Chasing the Seagulls’ modest total of 189, the Bullants were in early trouble after losing four wickets, however, the experience of Mick Torney and Daniel Savage guided the visitors to a comfortable victory.
The pair arrived at the crease after Tooradin bowler Richard Holland – who was playing his first District Division match of the season – claimed four Officer top-order wickets and gave his side a strong chance of victory.
However, the poise and concentration of both Torney and Savage saw them through the difficult period, before showcasing their brutal power against the Seagulls’ attack, with Torney blasting 70 not out, while Savage remained undefeated on 61 runs.