By Ian Ferguson
THE Pakenham B-grade team only reached the abysmal total of 34 in its first innings at Nyora. The host captain Matt Hutchinson was the destroyer, capturing 4/16 from 12 hostile overs, and he then made clear intentions of gaining outright points with some attacking leadership.
Hutchinson declared the home team’s innings closed at 6/99 and the Lions again faltered in their second innings, slipping to 3/27 before play ended. Bertie England scored 43 in Nyora’s innings, while Mark Pearse remained undefeated on 17.
Kilcunda-Bass produced another solid batting performance, scoring 7/208 against the visiting Upper Beaconsfield team. Opener Paul Mohacsy was again in excellent touch, scoring three boundaries in his score of 77, while Paul Hammer contributed 41.
The combine side lifted its run rate appreciatively in the final four overs of play to boost its total beyond 200, despite the efforts of Maroons’ bowler Clint James, who captured 3/41 from 16 overs.
Kooweerup scored an impressive 243 against a disappointing Cardinia B-grade team, which dropped eight catches for the day. Chris O’Hara top-scored for the Demons with 70, while Matt Davey and Trent Cochrane reached 46 and 32 respectively. Both players clouted three sixes, while five fours were also included in Davey’s rapid innings. Adam Hobson was the pick of the Bulls’ bowlers, collecting 4/69 from his 28 overs.
The Beaconsfield B-grade team continued to impress, scoring 244 against Tooradin. Steve Glen top-scored with 89, while the returning Kris Fletcher was equally impressive in notching 87. Seagulls bowler Dale Bethune also performed impressively, capturing 7/60 from 21 overs.
A brilliant 182 from Adam Thornton enabled Cranbourne Meadows to score a mammoth 5/265 against Emerald. Cameron Williams, who collected 3/41 from 14 overs, was the best of a blitzed Bomber attack and the home side will resume on 1/30.
It was a tight day’s contest between the Clyde and Merinda Park B-grade teams. The visiting Cobras only managed 87 in their first innings, but struck back well in the final 23 overs of play when Clyde staggered to 5/32 before stumps were drawn. Daven Johnson captured 3/17 from 12 overs for the Cougars, while Merinda Park skipper Marty Donaldson had 3/4 from his seven overs.
In C grade Beaconsfield performed strongly against the Lyndhurst Vikings, scoring 6/260. Matt Brown led the scoring rampage with his undefeated hand of 68, while Dave Lennon reached 53. Sean Morcom led the Vikings attack capably, capturing 4/48 from his 13 overs.
Kilcunda-Bass was well placed on 2/70 at the tea interval at Devon Meadows, but lost its last seven wickets for 55 after play resumed. Neil Baker sparked the Panthers’ revival, snaring 5/27 from 12 overs.
Catani produced a pleasing team effort, scoring 9/209 against Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll. Tim Miller top-scored for the Blues with 42, while Clint Fulton and Rob Demamiel both reached the 30s. The Goon’s opening bowler Paul Govaars collected 4/62 from his 24 overs.
PUT, boosted by the inclusion of A-grade players, had secured first-innings points against Upper Beaconsfield. The Maroons were shot out for 89 after offering little resistance to the bowling of Adrian Garvey (3/6 from four overs) and Shannon Price (3/28 from 13 overs) and the Yabbies then scored heavily against the home attack to be 1/162 at stumps. Price reached 96 to complete an excellent all-round performance, while Brett Carey resumes next week on 33 not out.
Officer recovered well from a shaky start, and finished with the reasonable total of 9/214 against the Lang Lang C-grade team. Peter Quinn, who scored 92 and Tony Smith, who added 57, were the Bullants’ lifesavers, while Alan Jenkins captured 4/27 from 12 overs for Lang Lang.
In D grade Scott Webster was left stranded on 96 not out when Pakenham scored 214 against Kooweerup. Jared Goldsack also performed well, scoring 31, while newcomer Jeremy Darmody chipped in with 27. Ryan Wilby bowled superbly for the Demons, capturing 7/73 from 19.5 overs, and veteran Chris McConnell was undefeated on 16 when Kooweerup moved to 3/47 at stumps.
Russell Dunne scored an excellent 106 when Merinda Park reached the stumps total of 7/231 against Lang Lang. Wayne Bruce helped out with a score of 47, while Tony Riley bowled well for the Swamp Tigers, snaring 3/46 from 14 overs
Cougar captain Chris Hymas top-scored with 76, while A. Johnson contributed 62 when Clyde totalled 169 against PUT. Yabbies vice-captain Adrian Grey performed well, collecting 3/35 from 9.2 overs, and PUT replied with 0/11 when stumps were drawn.
The Cranbourne Meadows team was poised to collect first-innings points, moving to 2/72 after dismissing Catani for 89. The Rebels’ Cameron Blair captured 5/17 from 13.4 overs in a fine display of bowling, and he was 16 not out when stumps were drawn.
Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll was matching Emerald in a close contest. Leigh Tomkins top-scored with 30 when the Goon posted the modest total of 110, and Bombers’ bowler Jay Kleinsmit collected 4/32 from 16 overs. Emerald reached 1/21 from the final 12 overs of play.
A 125 opening partnership between Paul Dorbolo and Gary Tomamichel enabled the Beaconsfield D-grade team to total 196 against Nyora. Dorbolo scored a fine 82, while Nyora bowler Peter Jensen captured the excellent figures of 7/36 from 15.5 overs.
Merinda Park had convincingly seized first-innings points against Officer. The Cobras scattered the Bullants for only 46 in their innings, Peter Graham collecting 5/31 from an excellent nine-over spell. The visiting skipper Tim Inglis then raced to 88, while under-14 player Jarrod Armitage added 12 when Merinda Park reached the stumps score of 6/156.
The Tooradin and Merinda Park 2 E-grade teams were engaged in a close tussle. Jarrod Thompson and Mitch Adderley scored 49 and 37 respectively when the Seagulls totalled 162 and the Cobras’ response at stumps was 1/11. Jeff Gillespie secured the pleasing figures of 5/39 from 18 overs for Merinda Park.
PUT is poised to overtake Gembrook’s small total of 75. Michael Wright (4/3 from four overs), and Damien Garth (3/14 off nine overs), broke the Brookers’ batting resistance and Luke Gunton then scored an unbeaten 30 when the Yabbies reached 3/66 at stumps.
The Pakenham and Emerald E-grade teams are engaged in an engrossing contest. Paul Hart scored 35 when the Lions posted the modest total of 121, but the Bombers crashed to 3/18 in the final 12 overs of play.
Ayden Mills top-scored for the Beaconsfield E-graders with 53 against the Devon Meadows. Brett Vance produced a wonderfully accurate spell for the Panthers, returning the frugal figures of 2/36 from 27 overs.
Ian and Ricky Campbell, a Cardinia father-son combination, rescued the E-grade Bulls from a shaky start with a third wicket partnership of 60. Ian the elder top-scored with 52 when Cardinia amassed 9/279 and under-16 player Dylan Mitchell remained undefeated on 28.
Stuart Lee (Lyndhurst Vikings), Stephen Van Steensel (Kilcunda-Bass), Daniel Fry (Gembrook) and Chris Simmons and R. Gill (Nyora) all reached the compulsory F-grade retirement score of 50, while Ross Shepherd from Kilcunda-Bass captured 5/8 in a matchwinning six-over spell.
Jason Maher (Tooradin under 12s) captured the excellent figures of 3/6 from four overs against Cardinia, while Josh Lownds, Jesse Cribbes, Lachlan Gridley and James Canty were all commended for their fine fielding by the Nar Nar Goon Blacks under-12 coach.
However it was the Catani under-14 player Luke Failla who was the junior star after collecting the superb match figures of 10/15 from 11.4 overs against Lang Lang.
Lucas Hunter, representing the Beaconsfield under-14 Tigers, also bowled well to capture 3/5 from 2.1 overs against Officer. The Bullants’ mainstay in this game was Tyler Sidwell, who remained 30 not out after opening the innings.
There was an unusual highlight at the under-16 game between PUT and Emerald Black when the Yabbies’ Jake Able and Greg Shallard shared a great double-team catch.
