By Tyler Lewis
WARRAGUL & DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION
REVIEW – ROUND 9
Drouin climbed into the top four with a strong win over Western Park in its first match after the holidays break.
After winning the toss, Westerm Park won the toss and opted to bat.
The start didn’t go to plan for the visitors losing opener Luke Gilbert with only one run on the board, courtesy of a run out from Malcolm Dow.
Leigh Diston came to the crease with plenty of work to do, but he didn’t shy away from the fight, leading the way with bat in hand, carrying his bat for the remainder of the innings for a hard fought 60 not out.
Diston albeit brilliant, could only watch on from the other end as his side collapsed at the other end.
Sam Van Der Zalm ran riot with the ball claiming 5/24 from his nine overs as Western Park posted 9/118.
Getting through the opening spell of Sam Batson (2/16) was the key for Drouin to claim the points, and in the early stages it seemed an unsurmountable task as the quick had 2/0 to his name in the early stages of the match.
A steadying 61 from Dow and an unbeaten 44 from skipper Trevor Gardiner guided their side home and into the four at an important time of the year.
Drouin chased down the total with seven wickets in hand and 14 overs remaining.
Hallora, meanwhile, chased down the total set by Neerim District to claim its sixth win and skip clear ahead on top of the WDCA ladder.
Neerim was bundled out in the 40th over with 138 on the board.
Vinnie Caia provided some crucial late order runs with a dazzling 20, which included three maximums.
The ladder leaders took their time to get the job done but passed the home side in the 44th over with five wickets in hand.
Opener Fraser Duncan carried his bat all the way to victory, continuing his form from before Christmas with a second 49 not out of the season.
Yet again runs from Gamini Kumara proved the difference as Yarragon edged out Buln Buln.
In reply to Buln Buln’s 8/160, the Yarragon skipper was at the crease at 1/0, but it didn’t seem to cause any issues as he piled on another half-century (61) to secure his side another win.
Kumara now has 486 runs to his name at an average of 81.
Ellinbank is applying pressure on the top four after securing a win over defeating Garfeld-Tynong.
Ellinbank sent Garfield-Tynong in and immediately had the upper hand at 6/42.
Tidy bowling from Ellinbank made resurrecting the innings too big of a task.
Sujeewa Liyanage (1/11) was impossible to get away with the ball, only claiming the singular wicket but going for next to no runs in his nine overs.
In reply, a quick-fire 39 from Troy Ferguson did the brunt of the damage in the early stages of the run chase for Ellinbank.
The Eagles chased down the required 90 runs in just over 33 overs with six wickets in the shed.
