By Russell Bennett
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 6 (DAY TWO)
The next two rounds – rounds seven and eight – are almost certainly what this season’s relegation battle will boil down to.
The seventh-placed Merinda Park will host the last-placed Emerald at Donnelly Reserve over the next two weekends, before the fixture is reversed and the two sides battle it out in a one-dayer at Chandler Reserve.
But on current form, the brutal reality is that the Bombers will need a minor miracle to survive.
They were simply obliterated on Saturday in the second day of their round six clash at home against Pakenham. There’s no other way to slice it.
The Lions resumed on day two at 4/108 – needing just another 31 runs to claim first innings points.
But it was unlikely they were ever going to stop there.
Sensing blood in the water, they went in for the kill – declaring at 5/145 (off the back of an unbeaten half-century from Troy McDermott) and sending the Bombers back in.
The hunt for outright points was well and truly on for Pakenham skipper Dom Paynter and his men, and the Bombers’ second innings was nothing short of disastrous – rolled for just 61 with only two batsmen, Jason Burns (13) and Sam Stapleton (12), making more than 10 runs each.
Tom Tyrrell was devastating to Emerald’s top and middle orders, finishing with 4/13 from his 12 overs – which included seven maidens – while Paynter (2/14), Jason Williams (2/12), and Chris Smith (2/7) took two scalps apiece.
The Lions then closed out their rout, finishing on 2/56 from just nine overs in their second innings with Smith (26 not out) and Williams (12 not out) leading the charge.
At Tooradin, meanwhile, the Cobras started day two in chase of the Gulls’ 209 and a potentially stunning win.
But it was an all too familiar story for Merinda Park with impressive opener Daniel McCalman (47) the only one of his side’s top four batsmen to fire.
Yet with McCalman’s wicket at 3/68, Jordon Thomas (87 not out) stepped up to the plate.
Though he was struggling for support around him, he kept a calm head and compiled a stoic, gutsy half-century – even getting to within reach of a memorable ton – before the resistance finally ended at 163.
Russell Lehman (2/27), Kade Burns (2/27) and Dylan Sutton (2/1) were the multiple wicket-takers for the home side.
Meanwhile, at Denhams Road, Kooweerup continued on its barnstorming run with a commanding win over finals aspirant Clyde.
Glen Tuckwell and Gavin Britt resumed on Saturday at 2/7 – a position their side couldn’t ever recover from, particularly when Tuckwell fell for eight at 3/29 and skipper John Simpson fell immediately after without troubling the scorers.
A steady stream of wickets followed for the remainder of the innings as the Cougars were ultimately dismissed for 165 in 44 overs.
Shane White (31 not out) and Britt (30) top-scored for the visitors while Jack Bacon (3/25), Mitch Davey (2/33), Matt Bright (1/8), Paul Bright (1/8), and Chris O’Hara (1/9) were Kooweerup’s day two wicket takers with Jess Mathers (2/35) taking both of his in a devastating spell late on day one.
Elsewhere in Round 7 beginning this Saturday, Clyde hosts Tooradin, the Demons head to Upper Beaconsfield to battle the Maroons, and Pakenham hosts Cardinia.
