Umpire Daryl Williams and Kooweerup batsman Chris O’Hara look on as Beaconsfield’s Ray Cook sends one down. 75421 Pictures: Donna Oates
By David Nagel
A CLASSIC batting joust between the reigning premier and its heir apparent, a fiery spell from a fine all-rounder, the return to form of a gun batsman and a return to cricket for a classy Lion were the highlights of round nine in West Gippsland Premier Division on Saturday.
At Kooweerup (9/222cc), the league leaders played host to title holders Beaconsfield (216) and what ensued was a feast of stroke play.
Tigers’ skipper Justin Stanton showed scant regard for the powerful Demons’ line up and sent them in to bat in a must win game for his sixth placed side.
Stanton’s worse fears were realised when the competitions most consistent opening duo Michael Giles (87) and Chris O’Hara (23) put on 83 for the first wicket. Once again the Tigers’ bowlers battled to get early breakthroughs.
O’Hara’s departure was quickly followed by Shane Dole (2) but a steady partnership between Giles and skipper Travis Canavan (23) kept the innings ticking over nicely. Canavan was next to go and Giles soon after but not before the hard-hitting opener passed the 300 run mark for the season.
Matt Davey (47) was promoted up the order and played his role to perfection, guiding the mid to lower order through the latter overs and keeping the Demons’ run rate well above five runs per over.
Justin Stanton (2/17 off four overs), Jason Dodd (1/32 off eight) and Ray Cook (1/32 off eight) held firm amongst the onslaught while Jarrod Williams (2/35 off four) claimed wickets but was dealt with harshly in the process.
Beaconsfield has been the competition’s in-form batting team in recent times with no one player dominating. A consistent spread from top to bottom has been the key to its recent resurgence but even with that depth it needed everything to go right in its run-chase which started off shaky.
In-form youngster Adam McMaster (1/31 off six) removed Ray Cook (3) early but it was the next two wickets to fall that really rocked the Tigers’ chances.
Key players Brad Miles (22) and Stanton (18) both got starts but fell in quick succession to leave the visitors 3/60. Davey (1/44 off eight) was unusually expensive but the wicket of Miles capped off a good day at the office for the Demon stalwart.
Jordy Andrews (52) held the middle order together for the Tigers but a steady stream of wickets kept the visitors behind the eight-ball. Canavan used eight bowlers and finally pulled the right reign when he brought John Bright (3/23 off six) into the attack. Bright claimed three wickets in a row, including Andrews, and at 7/141 the Tigers looked gone.
Dodd (44 not out) and Jesse Douma (30) breathed new life into the contest with a 58-run stand and at 7/199 the Tigers were favourites for the first time all day. Great games have twists and turns however and this one was no exception.
Jarrod Williams (9) followed Douma to the crease and along with Dodd took the score to 8/212 before disaster struck, Williams run-out with just 11 runs required. One wicket left and the Tigers needing 11 runs to keep its season alive.
Dole (2/31 off 7.2) bowled the last over and with five balls remaining captured the wicket of Matt O’Connor (0) to give the Demons a six-run victory. Dodd was left unbeaten, at the wrong end at the wrong time, almost pulling off a season defining win.
Kooweerup will benefit from a tough encounter after easy wins in its last two while the Tigers will lick its wounds and bounce back next week against Officer.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:UPPER BEACONSFIELD V CARDINIA
CARDINIA’s (5/144cc) amazing ability to defend mid-range totals and the return to form of skipper Mark Cooper (65) were the key elements in its successful visit to Upper Beaconsfield (120).
Occupying the crease after winning the toss, the Bulls found themselves in unfamiliar territory when the competition’s leading run-scorer Neil Barfuss (1) was back in the sheds early. Danny Diwell (5) joined him soon after but from there some wise old heads steadied the ship.
Cooper and Dwayne Doig (20) battled hard against some tight Maroons’ bowling, Chris Pentland (1/20 off eight) and Xavier Gargan (1/15 off five) settling into a tidy line and length.
Ben Darose (22 not out) and Luke Turner (20 not out) capped off Cooper and Doig’s hard work but the end result was a total more competitive than imposing.
Jayden Joyce (2/17 off three) and Shawn Flegler (1/29 off eight) were the other wicket takers.
Upper Beaconsfield finally had a chance to nail a top side but its innings capitulated badly, five of its top six batsmen making six runs between them. Craig Boswell (2/13 off eight) continued his stellar form trapping danger man Flegler (2) along the way.
Travis Welsh (3/16 off five) was the main destroyer with all his wickets caught behind the stumps by Turner who had a day out with four catches and a stumping.
Doig (2/9 off 6.4) was up to his usual tricks.
For the Maroons, David Taylor (44) gave lower order respectability to a score line that at one stage had slumped to 7/57.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:PUT V TOORADIN
CALLUM O’Hare produced a bowling spell of rare quality to help Tooradin (190) to a comprehensive away victory over Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (111). With an above average score to defend, O’Hare (5/20 off eight overs) turned human wrecking ball as he smashed his way through the Yabbie top order claiming the first five wickets to fall.
O’Hare had the job done at 5/39 but then skipper Aaron Avery (3/18 off five) chimed in with three more quick wickets to leave the home side in ruins at 8/53.
Darren Warne (21) was the only batsmen inside the Yabbies’ top seven to score more than five runs in a clear indication of the rout that took place. Luke Gunton (20) and Lucas Plozza (33) tried to camouflage the early damage with some late order grit but the story of this match had already been told. The Yabbies bowled out inside 25 overs.
Earlier in the day Tooradin’s batting machine was purring but coughed and spluttered through the middle stages then clicked back into gear late.
Brenton Adams (45) and Tom Hussey (40) put on 69 for the first wicket but the Seagulls then lost 6/42. Sam Clarke (34) and Craig Dicks (14) were left to pick up the pieces and controlled the lower order, being the catalyst for three crucial 20-plus partnerships at the end of the innings.
Warne (3/37 off seven) was the pick of the bowlers for the home side with Peter Richards (2/14), Gunton (2/27) and Chris Smith (2/33) all claiming multiple scalps.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:PAKENHAM V OFFICER
THE brilliant return of class batsman Sean Gramc (73 not out) has given Pakenham’s (1/154) already impressive season a further shot in the arm as the Lions brushed aside an improved Officer (9/150cc).
Gramc, playing his first game this season after recovering from a leg injury, played a key role in last year’s premiership success and wasted no time getting back amongst the runs.
He shared an unbroken 109-run stand with Sugeesha Dinushan (55 not out) as the Lions passed the Bullants’ total inside 20 overs.
Ben Maroney (21) helped set the platform before Gramc and Dinushan pummelled the Officer attack to all parts, scoring at almost eight runs per over.
Adam Reid (1/32) was the only successful bowler.
Earlier in the day, Officer batted out its 40-overs on the back of a second wicket partnership between Ollie Brown (68) and Peter Quinn (45).
Two early wickets gave the innings a familiar feel but Brown and Quinn steadied the ship and had Officer well placed through the middle stages.
Russell Lehman (3/28) then took control and tore through the Bullants middle order before Lachlan Porter (18) put some respectability back into the total.
Dinushan (2/35) was effective with his orthodox spin while Mick Torney (1/5) and Maroney (1/31) both claimed wickets, Maroney claiming the key wicket off Brown, LBW.
Pakenham’s 14-year-old Southern Sharks representative, Zac Chaplin, made his senior debut in the game.
Pakenham will host Tooradin this week in a crunch game while Officer plays host to Beaconsfield.
