By Tyler Lewis
WGCA DISTRICT AND SUB-DISTRICT DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 13
DISTRICT
Officer stayed in touch with the top two after a win over fourth placed Pakenham Upper/Toomuc.
The Bullants sent the Yabbies in and bundled them out for just 128, even after the Yabbies were 1/63.
Shane White inflicted the bulk of the carnage with 4/19 from eight overs.
In reply, the Bullants were in serious strife early at 4/15 with Lucas Plozza (2/25) and Nicolas Kyval (2/21) running riot in a chaotic opening spell.
But James Parnall (66) and Cooper Pursell (40 not out) dug the Bullants out of a hole, putting on an 111-run stand to win Officer the game.
Unfortunately, Parnall fell only a handful of runs short of the target but was phenomenal in the run chase.
The Bullants got home with five wickets in the shed and six overs left to play with.
Upper Beaconsfield, meanwhile, made light work of Clyde in another swift run chase.
The Maroons ran right through the Cougars, bundling them out for 86.
Every Upper Beaconsfield bowler who grabbed the ball got amongst the wickets, but Bathiya Perera was the pick of the bowlers with 3/4 late in the innings.
In reply, the Marooons were only four runs short of securing a 10-wicket win, but did so only an over later, reeling in the total with nine wickets in hand.
Will Haines was the best of the batsmen throughout the day with an unbeaten 45 at the top of the order. He is yet to make a score below double figures this season.
The Carlisle Park Vikings recorded a thrilling one-run victory on Saturday over Emerald.
The Vikings opted to bat and posted a strong 9/174, as Ravindu Kodithuwakku was amongst the run getters once again with 41.
With the ball, Trent Rolfs claimed 4/21 in another admirable display.
In reply, the Bombers were on track to reel in the total at 5/158 before losing 5/13 including the final wicket on the final ball of the match – falling for 173.
Despite going for a few runs, Prasith Sudusinghe was the match-winner from his small spell, claiming 4/17 – four of the final five scalps.
SUB-DISTRICT
Kooweerup has secured the minor premiership with a powerful victory over the last-placed Merinda Park.
The Demons were sent in to bat last week and were able to forge partnerships from the top, with almost every batsman getting a start.
Of the 11 Kooweerup batsmen, nine reached double figures. Ayden Mills was the only one to go on with it, albeit falling three runs short of back-to-back half-centuries.
Robert Strang was the pick of the bowlers with 7/66, while Dylan Hand bowled every over from one end with the figures 3/111 from 36 overs.
This week, in reply of the Demons 201, the Cobras were unable to achieve a similar script to their opposition with their batting partnerships. It seemed whenever Merinda Park looked like building a sustainable partnership, a wicket would fall.
The Demons bowled eight bowlers in their bowling innings, bowling out the Cobras for 135.
Dylan Hand capped off his remarkable game with 64 with the willow.
Tooradin, meanwhile, got some early finals experience with its big win over fellow top four side Cranbourne Meadows.
After posting a bold 9/257 last week from their 75 overs, the Gulls had no trouble in their total defence.
The Rebels had eight players get double-figures, but none to go on with a big score. Santinderpreet Singh led the way with 42.
The Gulls threw the ball around, giving seven bowlers a trundle, six of which added their names to the wickets column as the Rebels could only manage 185 in their reply.
A scintillating Shannon Marum will definitely highlight the Officer Sub-District’s season as it claimed another win at the back end, this week over local rival Pakenham.
The Lions opted to set and posted a strong 4/170 from their 40 overs.
After joining in the middle at 2/23, Nic Close (64) and Liam Wolstenholme (50) dragged the Lions out of the dirt, putting on what loomed as a match-saving, 108-run partnership.
In reply, the Bullants were in some early trouble of their own before Marum charged to the crease at 2/8.
Known for his destruction with the willow, Marum fought fire with fire – blasting the ball to all parts to bring the Bullants home in an emphatic run chase.
Marum finished unbeaten on 107, which included seven boundaries and four sixes. Despite the early damage, he peeled off his ton at a strike rate of 120.
Lang Lang, meanwhile, won an important clash over Cardinia on Saturday.
From afar, second hosting fifth seems a dead rubber, but with Lang Lang searching for a home final and Cardinia surging for a spot in the final four, it was an elimination final for the Bulls and a qualifier for the Swamp Tigers.
With rain halting the match to a one-dayer this week, the Swamp Tigers opted to set a total in the 40-over fixture.
Losing regular wickets, the Swamp Tigers finished 9/157 from its 40 overs.
In reply, despite being 0/52, the Bulls fell short of reeling in the Lang Lang total.
Opener Pat Nolen (69) fought hard at the top of the order and was the glue to the Bulls’ chase, but he had no one go with him.
With the ball, Glen Easton bowled his side to a home final with 3/23 from eight overs.
One top four clash highlights the final round with Cranbourne Meadows hosting Lang Lang, but unless an outright win occurs the top four is set for finals cricket.
