By DAVID NAGEL
WGCA LOWER GRADES REVIEW – ROUND 10 (one day)
B GRADE
WINLESS after nine rounds it was always going to take something special for Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (4/162) to break its season-long drought against Upper Beaconsfield (138) at Garfield on Saturday.
And that special performance came from Connor Johnstone (101 not out), who crafted a perfectly-timed and unbeaten century to lead the Marygoons to their first taste of success for the season.
The Marygoons still sit bottom of the table, but have the Maroons in their sights after Johnstone, Jack Salan (20) and Bailey Lownds (18) set the visitors more than four runs per over for victory.
Peter Brennan (57) and Jack McHale (28 not out) tried their hearts out for the Maroons, but Greg Shallard (3/19), Phill Young (3/19) and the golden touch of Johnstone (2/22) ensured the smiles returned to Spencer Street.
Gembrook (54) had no answer to a fired-up Kooweerup (2/56) attack at the Gembrook Sports Ground.
This one was over in a hurry as young-gun Luke McMaster (4/7), Tom Cottrell (3/12) and Premier Division regular Sam Cole (2/8) gave the under-prepared Brookers a real spanking. It was the Brookers first hit-out since 20 December, after soft conditions at Gembrook saw the abandonment of last week’s game against Beaconsfield. Demon’s skipper Daniel Hawken (35 not out) then showed the Brookers how easy batting can be in reply. Beaconsfield (8/132) also seemed to suffer from its extended break, the third-placed Tigers given a good old fashioned touch up by Devon Meadows (6/211) at Glover Reserve.
The Tigers suffered at the hands of Panthers’ batsmen in Peter Deighton (55), Tom Jewell (42), Dave Carson (27) and Sam Hurdiss (26 not out) before Javed Iqbal (3/31) spun the home-side to a comfortable victory. Brendan Boon (4/27) and Wayne Hocking (38) were the Tigers’ best performers.
Top-team Merinda Park (3/137) basically ensured itself a home-final after a quality run-chase against Tooradin (9/136).
The Cobras contained the Seagulls with some terrific bowling from Grant Pearson (2/11 off 8), Dale Cunliffe (2/33) and Gurpreet Singh (2/35), before Chris Smith (57 not out) and Peter Jessop (30 not out) completed the job with an unbeaten 80-run stand.
For the Seagulls, Adam Richmond (34) and Owen Johnstone (27) will need to continue their good form in what looms as an early-season eliminator against Devon Meadows this weekend.
C GRADE
TOORADIN (9/153) brought an end to Pakenham’s (120) all-conquering seven-game winning streak, treating the Lions to a bit of a wake-up call with a 33-run victory at Rutter Park.
The Seagulls are growing in confidence now and find themselves just one game outside the top four after claiming their second major scalp in three rounds.
Dave Freeman (41) and Luke Adams (41) matched motors early for the Seagulls, aided by a butter-fingered Lions’ outfit that let seven catches hit the deck. Tom Coupe (3/32) and Rod Berry (2/38) bowled well for Pakenham, who then struggled to make a strong-fist of its reply.
Tooradin’s bowling was even, with Adams (2/20), Craig Spicer (2/21), Dale Bethune (2/25) and Craig Dicks (2/28) proving too much for all but Steve Insall (39) and Berry (24) to handle.
The Bulls are charging … that’s the clear message to emerge from the Rythdale Rec. Reserve on Saturday after Cardinia (3/163) made it four wins from their last five games against Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (8/154).
The Bulls appeared to be on the back foot after Nick Black (46) and Mark Johnson (22) steered the Yabbies to a more than competitive total, despite the bowling of Jackson Berry (3/23) and Ray Perkins (4/10).
But in reply the Bulls went whack, Brad Remy (92) and Daniel Boyle (45) blazing their side to victory in just 32 overs. John Miller (3/24) claimed late wickets for the Yabbies.
Lyndhurst (209) is poised to pounce on a finals berth after the Vikings proved too strong for Cranbourne Meadows (124) at Barry Simon Reserve.
The Vikings were in all sorts at 7/101 before a low-order charge from Muhammad Ajmal (62) and Brendan McCarthy (44) pushed the total beyond 200. Kaine Bundy (4/14) and Chevy Dyall (3/26) were superb for the Rebels, but their batsmen struggled as McCarthy (2/7), Rohan St Clair (2/21), Mal Perez 92/25), Trev McGeachin (2/26) and Chris Slater (2/33) bowled the Vikings to an important victory.
Officer (5/147) has regained top spot after hunting down Merinda Park (8/136) at Lawson Poole Reserve.
Bullants’ bowlers Ash Smith (3/32) and Ben Monagle (2/17) restricted the Cobras well before Marcus Sattler (35) and skipper Brent Pullen (33 not out) finished the job off in style.
D GRADE
STEFAN Bock (6/12) created a storm on Saturday … a whirlwind eight-over spell that left Merinda Park (21) in tatters at Syme Road.
The Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (2/22) opener took the first wicket to fall, and then sliced through the Cobras batting order like a hot-knife through butter. The Cobras have been too reliant on Brett Armitage (3) for their runs this season, and when he went, caught off the bowling off Tyson Carey (3/5 off 8), it triggered a staggering collapse.
The wounds created by Bock and Carey then had the salt rubbed in as the Yabbies completed the rout in just 11 overs.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (8/132) is now just two points outside the top-four after making heavy-weather of its run-chase against SFX Old Collegians (122).
The Marygoons had the perfect start after Shaun Ager (2/19) had two X-men back in the sheds without a score on the board. Dylan Cameron (4/16) then kept up the intensity through the middle overs, with Matt Swift (37) the only SFX batsman to fire. The Goon batsmen then made hard work of their reply, Geoff Ball (32) repelling the spirited attempts of Liam Swift (3/38) and Nick Travaglia (2/16) long enough to get his side home.
Catani (2/120) was super impressive as it pushed aside Clyde (117).
The Blues were on top from the start, restricting the Cougars with some fine bowling from Wayne Haysom (3/16) and Troy Robinson (2/16) before chasing the runs down with ease. Liam Keily (42 not out) remained unbeaten after 34 overs while Ben Ahern (24) and Haysom (24 not out) played well to give the back-in-form Blues their first victory since round six.
Emerald’s (172) Geoff Worrell (49), Sam Stapleton (29), Leon Gailitis (22) and Cody Chasteau (21) combined to post a winning score for the Bombers against Officer (147).
The Bombers had to work through a fine-spell of bowling from Bullant Billy Carlyle (4/27), who had support from John Armstrong (2/29) and Thomas Carlyle (2/32). Armstrong (40 not out) then tried his best to get the Bullants home, but Danny Ceeney (4/30) and Worrell (2/21) just packed too many punches in the end.
E GRADE
OFFICER (7/138) has jumped to third on the ladder and put a gap between itself and fifth-placed Beaconsfield (121) after rolling the Tigers at Holm Park Road.
Matt Robinson (2/9 off 8) made two early breakthroughs for the Bullants, before Neil Busacca (36) and Declan McDermott (31) batted the Tigers back into the contest. Mark Harris (2/30) was another to shine for the Bullants who then set out on their winning journey.
Robinson (51 not out) completed a fine all-round performance with a gritty half-century, while “Mr Natural”, first-season player Bevan Tukerangi (29), played a key role in the victory. Joe McMaster (2/9), David Green (2/21) and Wayne Holden (2/23) took two each for the Tigers.
Pakenham (3/137) bounced back to the winning list after a quality run-chase got the job done against Kooweerup (136).
Paul Depasquale (46) top-scored for the Demons as Jackson Hillard (2/14), Dave Nobels (2/19), Matt McCormick (2/19) and Fraser “Getting ready for school” Selby (2/22) bowled beautifully for the Lions. Pakenham then made batting look easy with Blake Price (52), George Zekic (49 not out) and McCormick (30) partnering up superbly.
Devon Meadows (2/101) trio Dean Lewis (4/18), John Drew (47 not out) and Mark Hosking (36 not out) led the Panthers to an eight-wicket win over Nyora (95), while Lang Lang (3/116) kept its finals hopes alive after dealing with Gembrook (110) at Don Jackson Reserve.
Martin Williams (32) batted manfully for the Brookers but Tom Dwyer (4/31 and 21), Tim Miller (2/12 and 55 not out) and Hayden Diehl (24) had all the answers for the sixth-placed Swamp Tigers.
F GRADE
OFFICER’s (92) Callum Porter (6/19) has already stamped himself as a player of the future this season, and he did it again on Saturday leading the Bullants to an amazing victory over Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (76).
Porter’s six-wicket haul follows on from a superb 111 against the same side in round five, and sparked a dramatic collapse that saw the Yabbies fall from 3/70 … losing a remarkable 7/6 – the last five wickets for one – to throw away a certain victory.
Earlier in the day, Brad Langley (41) saved the Bullants from the clutches of Adam Rayner (3/12), Darren Roberts (3/14) and Matt Failla (3/19), while Andrew Cock’s (3/3 off 3) late-afternoon spell was a key component in the victory.
The tightness of the F Grade competition was highlighted on Saturday after Lyndhurst Vikings (8/168) fell from second to fifth after lowering its colours to Pakenham (2/177) at Toomuc Reserve.
The Vikings, who didn’t play in rounds seven or eight due to byes, have now lost games to Officer and the Lions and look vulnerable.
A sparkling 80 not out from Mike Chapman had the Vikings in a good position on the weekend, a position that would have been stronger if not for the bowling efforts of Lions’ opener Jamie Lehman (4/9 off 8). But from there it all turned pear-shaped for the Vikings as classy contributions from Paul Hart (68 not out), Greg Hogben (57) and Steve Minahan (25) stamped the Lions as a genuine contender.
Merinda Park (8/201) opener John Cuthbertson (80) led the Cobras to victory in a high-scoring contest against Tooradin (8/188) at Donnelly Reserve.
Cuthbertson put on 85 with number-three Josh Colomer (31) to help set the huge total, one nearly hunted down by Seagulls’ Dylan Mitchell (58), Tom Bennett (35), Jack Barker (29) and Anthony Ciconte (27). Cuthbertson (2/26) claimed two wickets to round out a great day at the office.
G GRADE
EMERALD’s (7/105) winning-streak has stretched to eight after the Bombers took care of Pakenham (102) at Worrell Reserve.
Rod Smith (3/8) and Warrick Marsh (2/11) did the bulk of the damage for the Bombers before Nick Litterbach (34) and Dale Street (24) led a well-executed chase. Jeremy Hill (4/27) bowled beautifully for the Lions.
Second-placed Clyde (2/125) is breathing a little easier – two games clear of fourth-placed Lyndhurst (114) – after Adrian Buller (65 not out), Mick King (24 not out) and Steve Houlihan (20) proved too good for the Vikings at Singleton Reserve. Gareth Tucker (3/23), Chris Ryan (2/14) and King (2/23) were also pretty good with the ball.
Catani (9/131) number 10 Adam White (30 not out) hit his top score for the season to guide the Blues to a thrilling win over Merinda Park (7/128). Liam Adams (4/14 off 8) had earlier put the Blues in the box seat, but his good work was about to be wasted as his side slumped to 9/115. White and under-15 player Lachlan Gregson (0 not out) saved the day with an unbeaten 15-run partnership that passed the Cobras total with just two balls remaining.
