Tooradin number four batsman Brenton Adams (left) looked set for a good day before cutting this ball from Cardinia paceman Chris Remy to youngster John Nooy (below) who held the catchto the congratulations of his Bulls team mates.By Ian Ferguson
KOOWEERUP rewrote WGCA senior grade record books on Saturday when it plundered a mammoth 608 runs from 80 overs against an overwhelmed Clyde bowling attack.
Catani has already provided the major shock of round nine by gaining a firstinnings result in the opening day at Beaconsfield, while Cardinia has the upper hand in a tight contest at Tooradin.
Merinda Park is producing a spirited performance against Officer and honours are currently shared in the Pakenham UpperToomucEmerald and Devon MeadowsPakenham matches.
At Kooweerup the home side completely dominated the Clyde bowling attack when it smashed an unprecedented score of 6/608 runs in the day’s play.
Demon openers Chris O’Hara and Mick Damon began the run carnage with a gargantuan first wicket partnership of 312, and the run avalanche continued for the remainder of the day.
The Demons achieved a withering run rate of more than seven an over, with 71 fours and 13 sixes being smashed to all parts of the lightningquick ground.
Most of the host batsmen played starring roles.
Twentyfour fours were included in O’Hara’s scintillating knock of 179 and Damon smashed 23 fours and four sixes in his fine innings of 173.
Robust wicketkeeperbatsman Steve Johnson clouted eight fours and three sixes in his undefeated hand of 73, while captain Matt Davey struck seven fours and four sixes in his score of 45 notout.
Trent Cochrane and Ben Miller added to the visitors’ woes by contributing 40 and 41 respectively.
Clyde used nine bowlers in its battered attack with Simon Rogers (4/172 from 27 overs) being the most successful.
The Demons have now totalled more than 1100 runs in the past two rounds and if their bowlers can perform at a high level this week then the exciting Kooweerup team could gain an outright result and a coveted finals’ chance.
Catani kept its slim finals’ chances alive with a brilliant openingday performance at Beaconsfield.
The host side was bundled out for only 90 by the dominant visiting attack, with opener Kris Fletcher top scoring with 21.
The Blues trio of strike bowlers in Paul Govaars, Lionel Sexton and Luke McFarlane were all on song, with the returning McFarlane (4/25 from ten overs) returning the best figures.
The visitors continued to play positive cricket scoring 227 in 44 overs before being dismissed.
Sexton displayed his allround skills by scoring an aggressive 74, captain Nic Close added a well compiled 53, while Govaars and Brad McDonald each scored 20s.
Young Tiger spinner Jack Benbow was the main wickettaker for the host side with his figures of 5/66 from ten overs, while parttime trundler Kris Fletcher collected consecutive wickets in the final two balls of play, providing him with the figures of 2/5 from two overs.
Tooradin elected to bat first against Cardinia, but the home side struggled for most of the day against the visitor’s accurate bowling attack.
Shock waves reverberated early in the Seagulls’ nest when Chris Remy captured the key wicket of Trevor Johnstone in the third over of play and when Sean Wilson, Brenton Adams and Sean Baker followed soon after Tooradin slumped to 4/34.
A gritty 39run partnership between veteran Grant Kernot and the returning Chris Hughes steadied the Seagulls before another batting collapse and it was finally left to lateorder batsmen Sam Clarke, Greg Bethune and James Haupt to carry the home side to the moderate total of 171.
Hughes top scored for the hosts with a determined 42, Clarke added 30 before he was brilliantly caught and bowled by Troy Da Rose and Bethune and Haupt added valuable 20s.
Dwayne Doig, who snared the impressive figures of 5/61 from 25.3 overs, was the best of an impressive Bulls bowling attack, while Chris Remy collected 3/25 from his hostile tenover spell.
Association wicketkeeper Luke Turner continued his neat form behind the stumps, collecting two catches and two stumpings and the Bulls are well placed to win this game and retain top spot on the ladder.
Officer held the upper hand at Donnelly Reserve for much of the day before a penetrating late spell of bowling from Merinda Park youngster Jess Mathers brought the Cobras slithering back into the game.
Earlier in the day Merinda Park was dismissed for a disappointing 154.
Brett Armitage followed up his roundeight century with the top score of 48 while under17 player Matt Grayson contributed a valuable 35.
Andew Tucker bowled well to take 3/21 from 9.2 overs, while the remaining wickets were shared evenly between Kable Dowsett, Ben Tivendale and Sean Marchetti.
Merinda Park fought back well in the final 17 overs of play with Mathers removing both Rod Zlonzak and Brett Reid cheaply.
This week the strong Officer side resumes on a shaky 2/24 and if Mathers and Craig Boswell continue to bowl well a close finish should result.
Pakenham UpperToomuc (PUT) holds a slight advantage over an improved Emerald team.
The local Yabbies totalled 228, which was a slightly disappointing effort considering that they reached a pleasing 3/122 at the tea interval.
PUT’s 16yearold star Chris Smith displayed good shot selection in his stylish innings of 83, club stalwart John Fleming contributed an undefeated 48 and captain Darren Warne added 34.
Bomber veteran Rod Smith and skipper Quenten Lucas each collected three wickets and the brilliant caughtandbowled chance that Lucas plucked up with one hand to dismiss Ken Fielder was one of the highlights of the day.
Emerald scored a blazing 1/43 from the final six overs of play before Clinton Marsh’s breezy innings ended after he scored 23.
The Bombers’ attacking play has kept them in the game and a close finish to the game beckons for this week.
Devon Meadows sent Pakenham into bat after winning the toss and the visitors reached the reasonable total of 170.
Again it was the Lions’ diminutive skipper, Rawan Weerawardana who was their batting mainstay with his score of 72, while Alan Ruddell, Dennis Porter and Dale McCraw all contributed 20s.
Panther pace bowlers Doug Loudon and Peter Zauner performed well on the turf wicket, claiming the respective figures of 4/75 and 3/80, but they were not supported well in the field with the Panthers grassing three catches and conceding unnecessary runs with poor ground fielding
Pakenham opening bowler Dale Haggar lifted the Lions in the final 39 overs of play with two valuable wickets and Sean Gramc chipped in with the valuable wicket of the host coach, Darren O’Brien.
Next Saturday Devon Meadows will resume on 3/73 and experimental opener Matt Davidson (currently at the wicket on 37 notout) could be the key element in the outcome of the game.
