By JARROD POTTER
WGCA SUB-DISTRICT
REVIEW – ROUND 14 (day 1)
TOORADIN continued to spread its wings while the battle-of-the-feline fighters – Catani and Lang Lang – would both feel confident heading into day two.
CATANI v LANG LANG
Easily the match of the round, Catani (143) will consider itself a little short of the par target as Lang Lang (1/18) ran through the home side’s order.
The Cats were round up in droves as the top order wobbled and fell. Glen Easton (3/13) and William Wykes (3/37) were the prime movers in the Swamp Tigers’ bowling contingent as Catani struggled to mount any tangible offence at the top of the order.
At 6/75, the problems with the order were in overdrive, but the skipper Luke Gilbert (61) – who pushed himself down the order to let the rest of the side get some crucial time at the middle before finals – made sure the destruction was limited. He would carry the batting burden as he found some help from Tom Keily (21) and Ross Kortholt (13). Easton would let fly and take his scalps late to finish the innings after 67 overs. Gareth Andrews (2) was the only Lang Lang casualty at the start of the chase as Tim McGibney (1/3) made the breakthrough in the dying overs.
NYORA v PAKENHAM
Sean Gramc (124) waited his turn in the Pakenham (250) sheds. He wouldn’t have thought his innings would start so soon after Scott Webster (41) won the toss and sent his lads in for the first hit. Coming in at five, Gramc would have anticipated time for a sit, bit of a chin wag with those Lions in the middle order and eventually get ready and strap on the pads. That wasn’t meant to be as Greg Interlandi (0), Sam Webster (3) and Josh Gonzalez (6) departed for a pittance after Gavin Hackett (3/55) and Jake Hackett (2/64) gave their all in the last match of the season.
It brought Gramc to the crease alongside Nic Close (23) at 3/15, but the pair worked their way in – seeing off the shiny leather to strike back and post 42 for the fourth. Close would, before another Hackett victim who couldn’t hack it, leave Gramc and the skipper Scott Webster (41) to turn the tables and make sure an embarrassing loss to the wooden spooners wasn’t on the cards.
Their stand would be 133 runs worth, which left the Maroons back where they’re used to this season – on the back foot. Gramc went the tonk – smashing 10 fours and six of the maximum amount – to tire out the signalling arms of umpire Navindra Nawaratne. Gramc’s fun came to an end at 190 as Jake Hackett found the Lions’ slasher holing out. From there Webster and Steven Dillion (35) would put the foot down to make 250 the in-fashion score of the weekend for high flying achievers. Keith Maclure (3/62) boosted his tally in what’s probably his last trundle in 2014/15.
Nyora still had 14 overs left to see out, taking 26 off the required tally before stumps.
TOORADIN v EMERALD
Lightly brushing aside Emerald (0/14), Tooradin (250) posted a whopper to give the Bombers another headache in an already up-and-down season.
From all parts of the order Tooradin had the wood over the visitors as Ben Spicer (54) and Aaron Creasey (31) set off the first warning shots before Daniel Hunt (73) went full tilt. His nine boundaries and one whopping six set the tone for the Bombers’ downhill slide as even the Seagulls’ tail wagged. Owen Johnstone (28 not out) had a bit of fun at the death as Tooradin reached 250 to leave only pain in Emerald’s path.
The visitors survived the final five over barrage of the day with 237 left to hunt down to take a confidence-boosting win ahead of winter.
CLYDE v CARDINIA
Cardinia (283) smashed the living suitcase out of Clyde (1/32) in a hit-and-giggle cricket extravaganza. Going at nearly five-an-over, the Bulls rammed through anything the Cougars could put up as the top order thrived. Ash Jones (88), Josh Brown (81) and Brad Remy (53) surged ahead from the top of the order. Their contributions would thankfully be enough as the rest of the order fell away like wet cardboard. Trent Wheller (19) was the only batsmen from 4-11 to notch double figures as everyone suffered after the platinum trio at the top of the pops fell.
Noel O’Brien (3/26) turned back the clock with a nice thrice of wickets while Stuart Williams (3/26) also picked up a few after the early barrage.
Clyde would lose captain Ben Reilly (12) in the 17 overs before stumps.
