One-run victory to Cobras

Mark Dipilla tried to lift the run-rate for Merinda Park against Clyde in F Grade, but things didn’t go exactly to plan. 175984 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

By David Nagel

WGCA LOWER GRADES
REVIEW – ROUN D 7 (ONE DAY)
B GRADE
The fine line between pleasure and pain has never been more evident after Merinda Park (7/156) maintained its unbeaten start to the season with an exciting one-run victory over Emerald (7/155) at Chandler Reserve on Saturday.
The Cobras claimed victory at the very death of an absorbing contest, chasing down the Bombers competitive total in the 80th over of a great game of cricket.
The Bombers stood up to the B Grade powerhouse from the outset, with Mark Alenson (36) enjoying the drop from Premier Division, to provide a solid start, before James Burke (48) matched Alenson’s achievement of making his top score for the season. A late burst from Shaun Santini (20 not out) offset some tireless bowling from Cobras’ pair Kanwaljit Handa (2/21) and Nick Phillips (2/25).
The Cobras looked to be on track throughout their innings, with Lester Betreen (48), Chris Smith (21) and Noel Betreen (46) controlling things at the top of the order, before the Bombers hit back … and hit back hard. Some quality bowling from the likes of Burke (3/18), Tristan Fraser (2/19), Hunter Wardale (1/18) and Sebastian Mueller-Schmuki (1/33) dragged the Cobras back from 2/140 to 6/155.
But Jace Field (1 not out) had a final trick up his sleeve – scoring the winning run to end a one-day classic.
Darren Kneebone (74) chalked up a well-deserved first half century of the season to lead Officer (6/180) to victory over Pakenham (88) at Heatherbrae Reserve.
Kneebone has been super-consistent of late – scoring five twenties on the trot – but finally converted a solid start into an innings of considerable substance. The Bullants built their innings around Kneebone, who connected well with Craig Fenney (35 not out), Sean Hinkley (27) and Jonty Bennie (19 not out) to set the Lions a mighty task.
The Lions chase would have been far more formidable if not for the efforts of Tom Jones (3/10 off 8), who put his trusty left-handers to good use. Jones (18) then top-scored for the Lions, who failed the test provided by Bullant bowlers Vikram Karwal (3/4), James Quinn (2/8) and Dean Perrow (2/11).
Devon Meadows (6/146) has slipped from third to fifth on the ladder after Carlisle Park (6/149) made light work of its run-chase against the Panthers at Carlisle Park.
Batting first the Panthers had many get starts, with Spencer Churchill (32), Darren O’Brien (25) and Bill Loudon (20) all making their way into the twenties, and Michael Addison (19 not out) chiming in nicely, but none could truly grab hold of the momentum. Lee Wolfe (3/21) and Jesse Fitzgerald (2/14) were terrific for the Vikings, who set about their chase with purpose.
George Augustine (32) was impressive, before being run out, while Manjeet Sandhu (27), Lesley Howell (20) and Greg Benoit (18) piled on the runs at a slightly better rate than the Panthers.
Loudon (2/46) was expensive, but was the only Panther to claim two wickets.
And Kooweerup (160) has cemented second-place on the ladder after rolling Upper Beaconsfield (127) cheaply at the Kooweerup Rec Reserve.
The Demons needed some real resilience to post their winning score, with Brent Wilson (56 not out) taking control of things late after Arie Hazendonk (37) set up the innings at the top of the order.
Nick Meyers (3/27) and James Haupt (3/41) were impressive for the Maroons, who struggled to get going with the bat.
Under-14 gun Jaxon Binns (39) played a timely knock, as did Meyers (35) in the opening slot, but the remainder of the team caved in under pressure.
Superstar all-rounder Matt Davey (3/14 off 7.1) kept things tight for the winners while Jai Lewis (2/21) and Curtis Eddington (2/37) also played important roles in the victory.
C GRADE
Some wins just mean that little bit more than others and Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (8/118) would have enjoyed the experience of defending a very modest total against Officer (116) at Pakky Upper on Saturday.
The 12 points were never a certainty for the Yabbies until the very end of the match, when Chris Vernal (1/11) took his seventh wicket of the season – claiming the scalp of Anthony Hayes (8) – to give the Yabbies a two-run victory.
But getting to that point was hard work for both teams, with Yabbies openers Brett Armitage (27) and Phil Brook (31) facing a Bullants’ attack chock full of quality. Bowlers like Darcy Taylor (3/14), Ben Monagle (2/18) and Hayes (2/18) made life difficult for the Yabbies – who were a little off the pace with just 118 on the board.
But Greg Shallard (4/20) came out firing for the Yabbies, claiming two early wickets to even the game as a contest.
Taylor (55) was superb for the Bullants in a low-scoring game, but even his efforts couldn’t lift his team across the line.
Lang Lang (72) bowler Shero May (6/17) must be wondering what he needs to do to win a game of cricket after his six-wicket haul failed to inspire the Swampies to victory against Catani (96) on Saturday.
May was in inspirational form, cutting a swathe through the Cats who relied heavily on the experience of Brad McDonald (24) and Leigh Jose (28) to post a competitive score. But even McDonald and Jose would have thought their team was a bit light on for runs at the half-way mark – with 97 seeming an easy target for the Swampies.
But cricket’s a funny game, with the home side collapsing after a very positive start. They lost all 10 wickets for just 44 runs, falling from 0/28 to be all out for 72 and way short of their completing their mission. Adam White (4/14) was the star for the Cats, while Jose (3/8) claimed three wickets to confirm his title as the most influential player for the afternoon.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (7/181) was the most impressive winner on the weekend, reeling in Cranbourne Meadows (162) with four overs to spare at Lawson Poole Reserve.
The Marygoons were very even with the ball prior to tea, with Travis Gray (3/24), Shamraiz Medhi (2/20), Daniel Glen (2/26) and Luke Hill (2/45) all troubling the scorers on more than one occasion. Maqbool Laiq (44) played a classy innings for the Vikings, building on the fine top-order work of Munir Saqib (32) and Sami Muzaffar (26) to set the Marygoons a solid target.
Glen (54) got the ball rolling for the visitors with some lusty hitting but, at 5/90, his side still looked in trouble. But Bryce Thomas (48 not out), Hill (24) and Dale Ackermann (13) got the shovels out and filled a big hole, with partnerships of 31, 29 and 31 getting their side home in style.
And Clyde (2/108) had the easiest win of the day, taking just 21 overs to overcome Cardinia’s (106) modest challenge at the Hillcrest Christian College.
The Bulls had four players make it into double figures, with Adam Hobson (38) the best of those, but had no-one in the type of form to cope with the relentless pressure applied by Kidman Johnstone (3/14), Stuart Williams (3/23) and Ben Lineham (2/23).
The Cougars made batting look easy in reply, with Ben Reilly (58 not out) and Jack Harmes (24) carting the ball to all parts of the College boundaries.
D GRADE
Top-team Kooweerup had the first of two consecutive byes on Saturday, allowing their main challengers to shine in their coloured shirts.
And Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll, Merinda Park and surprise-package SFX Old Collegians didn’t disappoint – enjoying their time in the summer sun.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (3/152) was super impressive against Tooradin (7/146), confirming their second ranking on the ladder with a clinical run chase at Rutter Park.
Kunal Nanda (3/19) kept things in check for the Marygoons, thwarting the best efforts of Mat Finch (39) and Elizabeth Bardwell (29) prior to tea, who were in fine form for the Seagulls. The Marygoons then pranced their way to victory, with Chase Saunders (85 not out) in spectacular form and Nick Govaars (30) and Nanda (20 not out) providing more than honest support.
Merinda Park (3/99) continues to apply pressure to the top two after steamrolling Pakenham (93) at O’Neill Road.
The Cobras looked set for a tough day at the office when the Lions cruised to 1/46 – with Fraser Selby (26) and Gary Sewell (29) in fine touch – but found a way to penetrate the innings in a hurry.
The main source of urgency came from Dion Olszewski (4/9), who removed Sewell on his way to his four-wicket haul, while Scott Kunziak (2/18) claimed wickets at either end of the innings to make his mark. The Cobras were never in trouble in reply, with Grant Mills (53 not out) showing his class on his way to his second half century of the season.
And SFX Old Collegians (9/120) have jumped from seventh to fifth on the table after a brilliant defence of a small total against Carlisle Park (109).
Wayne Balm (29) and Luke Staker (21) can take a lot of credit for the victory, giving their bowlers something to aim at, after seeing off the impressive nagging of Navdeep Singh (3/28), Harinderjit Brar (2/15), Andrew Kendall (2/25) and Ali Kemali (2/28).
The Vikings had plenty of chances in reply, with five players making double figures, but didn’t capitalise when it was needed most.
The X-Men were almost their own worst enemy, conceding 31 extras, including 19 wides and nine no balls.
Ross Baker (4/25) continued his great form for the X-Men, taking his second-consecutive four-wicket haul, while Mansoor Ahmad (2/14) was another key player in the victory.
E GRADE
A massive log jam has developed in the mid-to-lower reaches of the E Grade ladder after Emerald and Pakenham Upper/Toomuc put their claims forward for a place in this season’s finals series.
Teams from fourth to seventh – Emerald, Upper Beaconsfield, PUT and Officer – are now locked on 36 points after an intriguing round of matches on the weekend.
Pakky Upper (7/125) pulled off the surprise of the round, sending Upper Beaconsfield (121) crashing from the top four at Holm Park Reserve.
The Maroons looked good early, with Jack Hayes (40) and Adam Lawrence (24) at the crease, but got swamped through the middle overs as returning medium pacer Blake McGrath (5/13 off 8) put his stamp on things.
McGrath, playing his first game for the season, was in devastating form as he crashed through the Maroons batting lineup in partnership with under-16 player Steven Langley (3/1).
The Yabbies made hard work of their run chase, with Sukhdutt Singh (32) and John Miller (21) making early inroads before a mid-order collapse, but found a way to get home with experience leading the way. At 7/90 the Yabbies looked in trouble, but the skill and concentration of Stuart Langley (14 not out) and John Baker (13 not out) helped bank an important 12 points.
Isaiah Jassal (3/7) and Dave Westra (2/8) were best of the bowlers for the Maroons.
Emerald (6/150) had a very convincing victory over a disappointing Officer (79) at Worrell Reserve.
The Bombers batted exactly as you would like before tea, proving hard to dismiss early before blossoming in the latter part of the innings. The early groundwork was performed by Glenn Tucker (31) and Mark Smith (19) before skipper Dale Street (56 not out) put the icing on the cake late. Ross Clark (2/13) and Paul Simon (2/15) were best for the Bullants.
Tucker (5/24) then followed up his fine innings with a brilliant bowling spell for the Bombers, backed up by Jordan Robinson (2/7), with Vincent Artis (32) proving the only real impediment to victory.
Fine knocks to Shane Filius (49) and Mark Hosking (45) – and a four-wicket haul to Lincoln Hepburn (4/14) proved the catalyst for Devon Meadows (7/153) comfortable victory over Catani (112) at Junction Village.
Filius and Hosking set things up with a 92-run stand before tea – with Hepburn then delivering the final blow to the Cats winning chances.
Brayden Hall (3/10 and 39) was a clear top pick for the Cats after a classy all-round performance.
And Cranbourne Meadows (6/168) had the better of the top-versus-bottom clash against Gembrook (139) at Lawson Poole Reserve.
The Rebels didn’t have things all their own way, but had enough class to repel the best that the Brookers had to offer.
Trevor Poole (51), Ricky Mitchell (32 not out), Wayne Mannix (26) and Mitch Abel (25) laid the foundations for success for the Rebels, with Mitchell (3/21) and Mannix (3/31) joining Adrian Savage (2/37) as the key destroyers after tea.
Leigh Taylor (32 not out), Ashley Pierce (30) and Phil Miners (29) really dug in their heels for the Brookers.
F GRADE
Carlisle Park and Clyde consolidated their positions at the top of the ladder on Saturday while crushing victories to Cranbourne Meadows and Officer propelled those two teams into the top four.
That was the general wash up of a day that saw three one-sided contests and the other go all the way down to the wire.
The close one of the day took place at Donnelly Reserve where Merinda Park (8/189) set Clyde a (6/195) difficult post-tea run-chase.
The Cobras, on the back of stylish knocks from Jason Viney (35), Heath Gibson (32) and Gerard Healy (24), found themselves at 6/114 before a classy half century to Nathan Francis (58 not out) cut the shackles in the dying overs.
Daniel Waite (3/33), Ben Cooper (2/23) and Clayton Blair (2/35) bowled beautifully for the Cougars, before setting out on a major mission with the willow.
And the Cougars didn’t disappoint with Blair (28) and skipper Shane Jack (54) controlling the tempo at the top before handing over to Cooper (47) and under-16 player Coby Hodgson (30 not out), who showed great composure to guide his team to victory. Peter Aberle (3/23) and Rob Ferguson (2/16) took multiple wickets for the Cobras.
Officer (165) showed no mercy, giving Lang Lang (26) a very frosty welcome into F Grade at Starling Road.
The Bullants were consistent prior to tea, with Aidan Pipicelli (34), Jack James (23) and Adam Vangeninden (21) taking on the best that Alexander Giacco (2/11), Ash Miller (2/22) and Jacob Pringle (2/25) had to offer. But it was after the break when the Bullants really decided to flex their muscles.
The main flexer was up-and-coming all-rounder Cooper Pursell (5/11 off 7) who took five wickets, including the first two for ducks. Pipicelli (2/2 off 5) also proved difficult to get away – the Bullants finishing off the job in just 13.3 overs at the crease.
Cranbourne Meadows (0/114) made very light work of Nyora (96) at Lakeside Oval.
Keith Maclure (46) and Dylan Ford (24) were the only Maroons to fire as their teammates fell to a great spell of bowling from Brodie Matthews (5/8 off 8). The junior player starred with the ball, sharing the joy with the also impressive Ross Hopwood (2/22).
Brett Richards (78 not out) and Eddie Pulu (33 not out) then raced to victory, scoring at an average of seven runs in their 16 overs at the crease.
And Carlisle Park (3/100) can thank Chris Slater (3/22), Richard Boswell (3/15), Rahil Gandhi (51) and Ekansh Bhambhani (20) for its seven-wicket victory over Pakenham (97). Nathan Hedt (29) tried his best with the bat for the Lions while Lachlan McLeod (3/17) was destructive in just four overs with the ball.
G GRADE
He may be more noted as a bowler, but Rob Worsteling (68 not out) is now officially classed as an all-rounder after steering Devon Meadows (3/119) to a seven-wicket victory over Catani (9/105) at Catani on Saturday.
Worsteling’s half century propelled the Panthers to victory after Cameron Coupar (3/17) had put his team on the front foot, restricting the Cats who toiled long and hard for runs during the first 40 overs of the match.
Ben Coleman (29), John Barrow (20) and Matt Coleman (13) worked hard for the home side – but there was never enough runs on the board to be competitive. Worsteling, Glen D’Alton (19) and Mick Hawkins (12 not out) made sure there would no nasty surprises for the Panthers who cruised to victory with five overs to spare. Matt Coleman (2/12) was the pick of the bowlers for Catani.
Clyde (2/83) proved too strong for Pakenham (79) on the number-three ground at Toomuc Reserve.
The Cougars started their dominance with the cherry, with Ron Kane (4/18) outstanding, receiving great support from Jack Lowis (2/10) and Michael Cloney (2/22). Things could have been a lot worst for the Lions, who sat at 7/30 before Mohit Bhatia (18), Peter Carr (16) and Shadab Anwer (10) gave the scoreboard a hint of respectability.
But the Cougars made short work of the run chase, with Paul Duyvestyn (42 not out) and Leigh Sweetland (27 not out) achieving top marks for their unbroken partnership. Under 14 player Nicholas Motton (2/7 off 6) showed some promising signs for the future for the Lions.
And finally, Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll had the day off after Cranbourne Meadows forfeited the points at the Nar Nar Goon Rec Reserve.