By David Nagel
B GRADE
Devon Meadows (5/188) has continued its impressive start to the season with the Panthers dismantling a top-four contender in Tooradin (106) at Glover Reserve on Saturday.
The Panthers remain undefeated – one game clear on top – after flexing their muscles with a fine all-round performance.
But this was a victory not without a major hiccup.
The Panthers seemed to be cruising at 0/33 before Riley Willis (3/38) turned things around with three wickets for no runs to see the Panthers in trouble at 3/33.
Billy Loudon (22) was the first to go, but left the innings in safe hands as Nathan Kleinig (43 not out), Callum Cavanagh (43), Arthur Churchill (31) and Mitchell Kleinig (22 not out) batted the home side out of trouble.
Willis was the pick of the bowlers for the Seagulls, with Adam Jacobs (2/32) also wearing the title of a multiple wicket taker.
But the Panthers possess a solid bowling outfit, with Trent D’Alton (3/20) and Kleinig (2/12) – of the Mitchell variety – leading the premiership favourites to a crunching victory.
Ash Adams (18) top scored for the Gulls.
Clyde (5/207) is another team announcing itself as a genuine contender after the Cougars proved too strong for Carlisle Park (8/172) in a high-scoring contest at Carlisle Park.
The Cougars are showing great batting depth with Shem Smith (54 not out), Adrian Buller (44), Ben Reilly (36) and Steve Russell (29) making major contributions to the score.
Veteran Chris Slater (2/42) stuck to his guns for the Vikings, who started their chase in style.
Campbell Furze (24) and Iqbal Soi (16) threatened in the top order, but couldn’t kick on to a game-changing score.
Steve McLachlan (39) and Duke Miller (26) also persisted well, but the bowling of Billy Round (3/39) and Lachie McGeagh (2/18) saw the Cougars home with 35 runs to spare.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (2/82) has consolidated its position inside the top-three with a crushing victory over Emerald (9/78) at Nar Nar Goon.
The Bombers were up against it early – being 4/18 – with mid-order players Nick Karman (19) and Noah Van Haren (16) digging deep to stop this one from getting ugly!
Number-10 Hunter Wardale (13) also showed commitment to the cause but the bowling of Kuwarjeet Singh (3/18), Ash Bailey (2/7 off 8) and Luke Hill (1/12 off 7) proved too big of a task to handle.
The Marygoons had the stumps packed up early with Jaswinder Gill (27) and James Markland (26 not out) putting on 51 for the first wicket.
And a fighting half century from skipper Mitchell Mibus (53) has led Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (8/151) to a hard-fought win over Cardinia (144) at Rythdale.
Mibus, Luke Prendergast (25) and Mark Allott (23 not out) were the stars for the Yabbies as Kyle Ashton (2/19) and Andy Ciantar (2/37) did their best to quell their impact.
The Bulls had their chances in reply – 5/109 at one stage – but the bowling of Prendergast (4/20), Bailey Smith (2/11) and Ryan Mibus (2/28) saw the Yabbies salute for the second time this season.
C GRADE
The top-four teams battled it out with Merinda Park and Upper Beaconsfield triumphant in big games against Lang Lang and Officer respectively.
Upper Beaconsfield (8/164) had been meandering along in fourth-place on the ladder but came to life in a fantastic game against top-team Officer (8/160).
The Bullants batted first with Ben Monagle (40) and Daryl Hargreaves (34) ably assisted by 30 extras…with 20 of those coming in wides.
However Chris Howard (3/25) and Braedyn Bowden (2/22) landed enough rocks on the spot to leave the Maroons with a gettable run-chase.
Josh Westra (54) and Ben Amos (39 not out) held the innings together with Amos at the crease as the winning runs were struck in the final over of the contest.
James Quinn (2/19) and Lachie James (2/25) were best of the Bullants’ toilers.
Merinda Park (8/136) has recovered from a moderate performance with the bat to steamroll Lang Lang (112) on the number-one ground at Caldermeade.
Chris Smith (35) and Craig Robertson (25) worked hard for the Cobras, who had some good bowling from Tim Miller (2/12) and Nadeera Fernando (2/19) to deal with.
The Swampies got off to a solid start, with Miller (22) and Nisal De Silva (20) top scoring, but the brilliant bowling of Russ Allison (3/34), Chris Smith (2/14) and Dion Olszewski (2/15) saw the Cobras dominate and move to top spot on the ladder.
An unbeaten 108-run partnership between skipper Beau Hawkins (48 not out) and Salman Faiz (56 not out) has rocketed Clyde (5/146) to victory over Gembrook (8/144) at Ramlegh Reserve.
The Cougars – batting second – were battling badly at 5/38 before Hawkins and Faiz commenced a rear-guard action.
The Brookers were well served by Dean McPherson (34) and Jeremey Everett (31) earlier in the day, while the bowling of Coby Hodgson (3/19), Locki Terry (3/34) and Jake Hodgson (2/28) set up the Cougars big win.
And a four-wicket haul from Deepak Gusain (4/12 off 8) has piloted Pakenham (2/89) to its first win of the season against Kooweerup (87).
Gusain and Shadab Anwar (3/29) proved a lethal combination for the Lions, with Brent Wilson (24) then only Demon who could work his way into the 20s.
The Lions then knocked off the runs in double-quick time, with Paul Kezik (50 not out) and Gusain (18) contributing a bulk of the runs.
D GRADE
Officer (5/123) is no longer the cellar-dweller after the Bullants won their first game for the season against Cranbourne Meadows (9/92) on Saturday.
The Bullants can thank Steve Pursell (51) and Josh Beddows (45 not out) for having a score to bowl at after Rebel Dave Waller (2/14) had the Bullants in early trouble.
The hard-work of Pursell and Beddows would pay off late in the afternoon as Beddows (3/10 off 8) and Brendan Finch (2/19) tore shreds through the Rebels batting order.
If not for Ajith Venkatesan (40)…this could have been even uglier for the Rebels!
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (1/122) remains a game clear at the top of the ladder after a resounding victory over Carlisle Park (9/120).
The Marygoons had three heroes, with Ryon Tocknell (3/18) and Luke Merrett (3/26) doing some wonderful things with the ball before Nadum Alwis (80 not out) made batting look easy after tea.
Tocknell and Merrett had running battles with Corey Miller (36), Mick Perry (23) and Martin Davies (22) before sitting back and watching Alwis go to work.
Playing supporting roles for Alwis were Russ Jackson (17) and Mansoor Ahmad (17 not out) who had the very best seats in the house.
Tooradin (5/190) master-blaster Kane Latham (72) has pounded Devon Meadows (80) into submission with a typical blazing innings at Rutter Park.
Latham is a very dangerous commodity on his day and his nine boundaries and one fence-clearer are testament to that.
Latham and Shane Tongue (34) got the ball rolling for the Seagulls, with Ben Proctor (32) and Glenn Michie (16) cashing in late.
Tony Northeast (2/18) had the Panthers heading in the right direction, while Robbie McMahen (2/40) also toiled hard.
Northeast (31) was then the only Panther with his compass bearings, as Tongue (4/16) completed a tasty all-round performance with great support from Connor O’Riordan (3/16).
And Cardinia (9/150) has got the points after a solid run-chase against Emerald (144) at Worrell Reserve.
Jaxon Burdette (49) and Steve Kapahnke (33) batted best for the Bombers as Ryan Dennis (3/9), Tyson Browne (2/5), Anthony Ponweera (2/25) and Evan Webster (2/34) produced their best work for the Bulls.
Phil Webster (50) and Ryley Watts (22) then steered the Bulls home despite some great work from Kapahnke (3/20), Jack Scalora (3/38) and Harrison Closter (2/17).
E GRADE
Pakenham (2/49) star Dale ‘Bucky’ McCraw (5/6) has added some remarkable bowling figures to his already glittering career with a match-winning performance against Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (46) on Saturday.
McCraw turned Lakeside Oval into his own Yabbie-farm on the weekend, taking the first five wickets of the match.
McCraw bowled five maidens in his eight-over spell…and the Yabbies never fully recovered.
McCraw handed over the reins to up-and-coming star Luke Wilson (3/7 off 5) – who kept the pressure applied in tandem with David Searle (2/9).
Opener Mark McDonald (14) was the only Yabbie to reach double figures.
Pakenham lost last week’s century maker Scott Webster (0) early, before Mick McLaren (20) and skipper Troy Wilson (19 not out) steered the Lions home without fuss.
Clyde (7/136) has joined Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll (129) on two wins each for the season after the Cougars proved too strong for the home team on Saturday.
The Goon threatened to set a decent target, with Greg Interlandi (28), Callum Eastburn (24) and Brendan Kroon (23) all amongst the runs, but the Cougars bowling attack had other ideas.
Kevin Baldsing (4/37) was the main destroyer for the Cougars while Satinder Saini (2/27) and Shannon Allum (2/34) both joined in the fun.
The Cougars were battling early – at 5/58 – despite a sparkling innings from Shane Jack (31).
Interlandi (3/36) and Jarratt Eastburn (2/17) threatened to steal the show but Jerome Willenberg (43), Joel Driver (27) and Linto Francis (10 not out) got the job done with 10 overs left in the can.
Merinda Park defeated Officer via forfeit while Emerald had the bye.
F GRADE
Batting second was the key factor in the F Grade competition on Saturday with Cardinia and Pakenham Red making light work of moderate run-chases.
Cardinia (5/150) remains at the pointy end of the ladder after the Bulls proved too strong for Upper Beaconsfield (7/144) on the wide expanses of Heatherbrae.
The Maroons won the toss and batted, but were in early trouble at 3/26.
But a 58-run stand between Zac Claxton (44) and Tyler Astle (46) got things back on track, with Claxton hitting six fours and a towering six in his enterprising knock.
Ben Monckton (3/47) was expensive, but took top honours for the Bulls, while Ash Jones (2/11 off 8) gave nothing away in his spell.
The Bulls then charged their way to victory with Yohan La Brooy (73 not out) in great touch and Ben Warren (31) playing a fantastic supporting role.
Taj Pentland (3/22) never stopped trying for the Maroons.
And finally, Pakenham Red (4/146) has scored a six-wicket win – with 12 overs to spare – against Kooweerup (7/144).
Tanbir Joarder (31), Issam Kamal (29) and Rizwan Ahmed (21) batted well for the Demons against some high-quality bowling from Cooper (2/17) and Thomas Lambert (1/10 off 8).
The Lions were always in control during their run chase, with Rob Blackwell (56 not out), Tarrant Millar (32), Craig Hart (18) and Cooper Lambert (17) getting their team home to victory.
Kamal took 3/30 for the Demons.
Devon Meadows defeated Pakenham Upper/Toomuc via forfeit, while the game between Pakenham and Lang Lang was abandoned and declared a draw.
