By David Nagel
WGCA LOWER GRADES
B Grade
One of the great rivalries in WGCA cricket continues to throw up thrilling results with Devon Meadows (7/160) defeating Clyde (9/157) by three wickets with just three balls to spare at Ramlegh Reserve on Saturday.
These two have had some incredibly tight tussles over the last two seasons and this one was no exception.
Clyde was sent in by the Panthers and looked in all sorts of trouble at 6/37 before a 90-run stand between Roshan Bandara (77) and Ross Elston (32) gave a better balance to things.
Bandara was the last man to fall, repelling some great bowling from Arthur Churchill (3/14), Riley Worsteling (2/16) and Mick Floyd (1/19 off 8) to post a decent score.
The Panthers got off to a much better start than the Cougars with Billy Loudon (23) and Bill Halton (23) putting on 39 for the first wicket.
Craig Dodsworth (2/23) and Shem Smith (2/30) kept the Cougars in the hunt, but fighting knocks from Churchill (27), Mitchell Kleinig (18) and not out batters Nathan Kleinig (30*) and Floyd (6*) saw the Panthers home in a thriller.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (99) has produced a minor-miracle, defending its modest total against Carlisle Park (95).
Jaswinder Gill (32) and Mansoor Ahmad (18) steered the Goon towards three figures against some wonderful bowling from Tom Clappers (3/27), Doug Knowles (3/4) and Chris Slater (2/31).
Vikings skipper Campbell Furze (35), with support from Duke Miller (17), looked set for victory, but the bowling of Shamraiz Medhi (2/24), Abhi Sharma (2/27) and Kuwarjeet Singh (2/22) saw the Goon salute by four runs.
Emerald (6/201) has proved too strong for Cardinia (7/170) in a high-scoring contest at Chandler Reserve.
Declan Cocks (30), Michael Hoban (29), Sam Stapleton (29*), Paul Hennessy (29*) and Lawson Cocks (28) all made significant contributions for the Bombers as they ticked past the 200-mark.
Bulls’ skipper Jordan Healey (48 not out), along with Kyle Ashton (38), put up a brave performance in reply – but the Bombers had too many on the board.
And Tooradin (4/121) has packed too many punches for Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (117).
Nathan Perkins (44) and Ken McLeod (20) did best for the Yabbies, with Ryan Mibus (2/25) also chipping in, but the Seagulls had better players on the day
Adam Jacobs (2/18), Tim Huguenin (2/17) and Shane Somers (2/27) were handy with the ball before Peter Stone (48 not out) and Rob Simpson (36) made easy work of the run chase.
C Grade
Officer and Merinda Park remain the only undefeated teams in C Grade after both scored hard fought wins on Saturday.
Officer (99) looked gone against Clyde (67) but a brilliant bowling performance saw the Bullants home by 32 runs.
Agamjot Dhindsa (30) top-scored for the Bullants as Aaron Wooley (5/9) produced a great spell of bowling for the Cougars, ably supported by Sukhmanjit Singh (2/21).
Clyde began its innings ok – 0/31 – before losing 10/36 as Brent Pullen (3/8), Jashanpreet Bath (3/5) and James Quinn (2/18) did their thing.
Merinda Park (8/102) has survived a middle-order collapse to hunt down Pakenham’s (96) modest total at Toomuc Reserve.
Russell Little (31) made almost a third of the Lions’ score as Cobras’ veterans Adrian Slater (5/23) and Jamie Smith (2/15) made the home side work for every run.
In reply, the Cobras looked gone at times, but the steady hand of Smith (21), and valuable contributions from Russ Jenkin (18) and Michael Coull (12*) got the Cobras home.
Dave Auld (4/18) and Tristan Sharp (2/34) gave everything for the Lions with the ball.
Batting first, Upper Beaconsfield (148) has cruised to victory over Lang Lang (117).
Richard Wicks (36), Josh Westra (30) and Beau Watson (27) set things up for the Maroons against some good bowling from Shaun McLean (3/15) and Dale Cranston (2/17).
Wicks (3/15) and Watson (4/23) then backed things up with the ball, with Shannon Ranasinghe (27) producing the most resistance for the Swampies.
And Gembrook (3//118) has proved too powerful for Kooweerup (111).
Darcy O’Hehir (25) was the only Demon to deliver as Matt Candy (5/19), Mitchell Candy (2/14), Daniel Tigges (2/31), Dean McPherson (57 not out) and Brett Walton (26) got the Brookers home in a canter.
D Grade
Cardinia (6/143) has made it two wins on the trot with a strong performance against Devon Meadows (7/138) at Rythdale on Saturday.
Lachlan O’Beirne (46 not out), Robbie McMahen (27) and Anthony Brown (20) batted well for the Panthers against some solid send-downs from Bulls Ryley Watts (2/9) and Tyson Browne (2/31).
But Janitha Hettiarachchi (53 not out) played the knock of the day, and with Lachlan Boswell (21) and Browne (19) in tow, steered the Bulls to victory.
Thomas Rowe (2/31) and Corey Coupar (2/16) were best of the trundlers for the Panthers.
Cranbourne Meadows (4/157) looked very sharp in its six-wicket win over Carlisle Park (6/150).
The Vikings were serviceable with the bat, with Martin Davies (44 not out) and Mike Chapman (33) making runs, but they struggled to contain the Rebels with the pill.
Bailey Wear (69) and Jaskaran Bhullar (32 not out) wielded the willow for the winners, who had Dave Waller (3/21) and Mark Zoldak (2/28) in fine form with the ball.
Tooradin (7/177) was never in danger of defeat against Officer (8/115).
Kane Latham (37), Shaun Tongue (36) and Adam Splatt (34) played nice innings for the Seagulls before Craig Dicks (3/27), Brock Goldberg (2/4) and Tongue (2/9) produced some nice bowling in the late-afternoon session.
Ben Monagle (2/47 and 51) and Greg Henderson (2/17) were clear top picks for the Bullants.
And Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (103) remain undefeated after a great effort against Emerald (86).
Alan Downes (40), Nadun Alwis (23), Nathan Phillips (4/9) and Peter Gates (2/22) piloted the Goon home to victory.
E Grade
Pakenham (3/122) is cruising along nicely – undefeated at the top of the ladder – after a commanding performance against Merinda Park (121).
The Lions restricted the Cobras well, with Corey Davis (3/7), Ethan Bell (2/26), Shadab Anwer (2/33) and the frugal Dale McCraw (1/16 off 8) giving Cobras’ batters Craig Robertson (31) and Josh Hargreaves (24) very little to work with.
Experienced-pair Scott Webster (46) and Troy Wilson (46 not out) then master-minded the run-chase, getting the job done with 17 overs in the tank.
Brock Jenkins (2/35) stuck to his guns for the Cobras.
Emerald (6/137) also remain undefeated after a hard-fought victory over Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (126).
Brandon Interlandi (56 not out) and Jake Caisley (20) did well for the Goon, setting a total despite some great bowling from Bombe Kunal Nanda (3/15).
Ross Jackel (28), Ryan Burdette (19 not out) and Andrew Harford (17 not out) then guided the Bombers home…with Jarratt (2/12) and Callum Eastburn (2/30) bowling well for the Goon.
Clyde (2/114) had no trouble chasing down the smallish total of Officer (9/106).
Josh Beddows (29) batted well for the Bullants, but with Jack Watson (3/13)
Shane Jack (2/10 and 66 not out) in terrific form the Bullants didn’t stand a chance.
Jack faced 74 balls and hit 10 boundaries and one six in his hard-hitting half century
Cranbourne Meadows lost via forfeit to PUT.
F Grade
It was the ‘Battle of Toomuc Reserve’ on Saturday with Pakenham (6/185) producing a great run chase against Pakenham Red (179).
The Reds looked in control at the half-way point after Cooper Lambert (72), Rob Blackwell (41) and Simon Davis (23) repelled the best that Hiren Joshi (3/31) and Gunjan Patel (2/36) had to offer.
But Pakenham was equal to the task with the bat with Craig Hart (51), Patel (37), Adam Roseby (23), Ravinder Marwaha (21) and skipper Paul Hart (15) making very valuable contributions in their successful run chase.
James Ahern (2/26) and Ryan Martini (2/55) were best of the bowlers for the Reds.
A great all-round performance from Tangata Dean (82 not out and 2/10) has led Lang Lang (2/154) to a comfortable victory over Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (7/147).
The Yabbies posted a decent score – courtesy of great knocks from Mark McDonald (89) and Adam Tucker (27), who had Dean, Brad Buttigieg (2/17) and Ben Geyer (2/28) to deal with.
But the Swampies made batting look easy, with Dean, Kalin Giacco (29 not out) and Matthew Waixel (21) cruising home with five overs left in the innings.
And a patient Upper Beaconsfield (3/124) has taken 38 overs to hunt down the score of Kooweerup (121) at the Kooweerup High School.
Issam Kamal (35) and Suman Chakraborty (16) did most of the grunt work for the Demons, the pair facing some probing bowling from Tyler Astle (3/3) and Tana Castelli-Carter (2/20).
But Astle (50 not out), Scott Ricketts (28) and Thesara Hirinuthugoda (19 not out) were steady with the bat…notching victory with two overs to spare.
Devon Meadows had the bye while Merinda Park lost to Cardinia via forfeit.
