LAST season’s Dandenong and District Cricket Association turfone premiers Berwick started season 200607 with an emphatic victory against the only side to beat it last year, Buckley Ridges.
Star of the game was Ash Henry, following last week’s sixwicket haul, with 113 runs – his first century in turf one. Chasing a challenging 166 and resuming at 1/30, the Bears lost Justin Stanton in the second over.
Dave Hampton and Gavin Wills helped settle the nerves with a concrete 40run partnership that included one devastating 20run over from Hampton.
When the experienced Wills fell two overs later, Berwick still had plenty of work to do.
Enter firstgame English import Alex Roberts and past club captain Ash Henry in his return game, who paired for an enthralling 166run partnership as they as they belted the dwindling Buckley bowling attack to all parts of the Arch Brown oval.
Roberts reached 50 with ease and Henry brought up his half century shortly after the tea interval. Roberts cruised into the 90s before being adjudged lbw.
Henry, following on from his 6/47 last week, showed that he could be just the inclusion required for backtoback success for the Bears, as he brought up his century.
Henry has played cricket with some of the countries finest at district level and played his entire junior cricket at Berwick as well as boasting longrunning family ties to the club.
The late order failed to capitalise on the middle order onslaught, with wickets tumbling quickly and eventually Henry was the last man out for an outstanding 113 with 299 runs on the board for the Bears.
TURF TWO
Berwick made the most of its seaside journey to play St Brigid’s/St Louis, coming home with the points after a hardfought run chase.
Berwick made a shaky start, loosing two early wickets and a third fell soon after with the score on 31.
With 192 more runs to make, Berwick was relying on the talented pair of Simon Cornell and Sean Haberfield who didn’t let the team down. They piled on an even 100 for the fourth wicket, Haberfield crushing eight fours and two sixes on his way to 78.
It proved to be a matchwinning innings and Cornell followed suit with 76, moving Berwick to within ten runs of victory when he became the sixth wicket to fall on 212. Captain Rob Chilver knocked up 21 and some encouraging signs came from the lower order, with Brendan Lloyd putting together a valuable 36 and Adam Kruger showing that he is a handy cricketer with bat and ball, with 24 runs to his name. Berwick finished on 8/253 when play closed after 68 overs, a valuable four points in the bag
A GRADE
Chasing the 184 set by Doveton, Berwick youngsters Brad Eagleton and Matthew Quinlan led the charge, showing just how it’s done with a 119 run first wicket partnership.
Resuming at 0/9 Eagleton and Quinlan never looked troubled by the bowling attack as they picked them off with ones and two before punishing the bad ball to the fence.
It took an error with the running between the wickets to cause the first wicket to fall, Eagleton going for 58 having started his season off in style. Quinlan brought up his 50 and was bowled for 65. Skipper Brad James came to the crease and his 14 runs helped move Berwick closer to victory as did the 15 Shaun Grant.
Berwick got the job done in this important first round clash, their first back on synthetic after a year getting experience on turf.
B GRADE
With 188 runs on the board, the Bears got behind their bowlers to defend a competitive firstround total against Coomoora. They struggled to get early wickets however, and some dropped chances were costly. Ryan Smart worked tirelessly without much luck and Steve Carle was at his aggressive best, but could not break the impenetrable barrier of the Coomoora defence.
Ray Henry had almost immediate success and grabbed the first wicket with the score on 107. Stephen Tolley showed the benefits of some senior experience last season and captured a wicket thanks to a great catch from Henry.
Damien Hawkins took a wicket as did Mark Angelone, but it was too little too late for the Bears with Coomoora passing them six wickets down.
C GRADE
Berwick was fighting a loosing battle against Keysborough, but didn’t allow their heads to drop, with plenty of youngsters holding their own.
The experienced Will Chapman had some great support from Nick Shannon (224) who bowled with excellent control and Tim Renwick, who made a great start with a wicket maiden in his first over, finishing with 1/18. Marty Allan continues to develop as a leg spinner and was rewarded for his efforts with two.
It was the junior players too that did the hard work in the field, Jack Pickering taking three catches to add to his three overs 0/2 and Berwick made life tough for Keysborough that declared with a lead of 74 and sent Berwick in for another hit.
It was a muchimproved second innings Tim Chapman resolute with 16 and his father Will adding 26.
Geoff Willcock and Andy Peters showed their knowhow with 41 and 45 respectively as Berwick finished on 5/154 at the close of play.
