By Ian Ferguson
KILCUNDABASS, chasing 7/193 appeared to be in an invincible position when it cruised to 1/169 against Nyora before the sudden loss of five wickets jolted it out of its complacency.
Fine respective innings of 68 and 64 from Paul Mohacsy and Paul Palmer and a handy score of 32 from David Hunt, appeared to be steering KilcundaBass to an easy victory.
However spirited bowling from Nick Fairbank, Kevin Toogood and Matthew Hendry dramatically projected the visitors back into the contest.
The Sharks survived their unexpected batting collapse and their final tally of 7/204 gave them an 11run victory.
Pakenham has been the bottom team in Bgrade ranks, but a fine spell of penetrative, accurate bowling from Tushan Fernando partly restored the Lions’ pride.
Fernando captured the excellent figures of 7/51 from 20 overs that helped the visitors to an 18run victory.
Chris Chilcott batted well for Pakenham, scoring 67, while the Yabbies’ Nick Fromhold produced an eyecatching performance.
Fromhold scored 55, collected 2/19 from seven overs and clung onto two catches. His teammate Dave Johnson also contributed well, scoring 54.
Upper Beaconsfield declared its innings closed after reaching 105 without loss last week, but the Maroons had to be content with a firstinnings win after an improved Merinda Park scored 9/184 in its second innings.
Andy Sydall scored a resolute 61 for the host team, while Marcus Gehling and Scott Pitcher both collected three wickets for Upper Beaconsfield.
Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll continued on its winning roll at Cardinia defeating the Bulls by 66 runs.
Craig Lewis scored his second century of the season after notching an impressive 122 notout, skipper Matthew Lownds scored 68, while Austin Van Strijp contributed 39.
Only four wickets fell for the day as the winning Goons’ juggernaut continued its successful season.
Tooradin accounted for Cranbourne Meadows by 55 runs after the Rebels capitulated for a total of 128.
Shane Ashwood struck 11 boundaries in his defiant score of 65, while Dale Bethune collected the impressive bowling figures of 5/33 from 17 overs for the Seagulls. Kade Latham and Dene North then scored 50 and 36 not out respectively when Tooradin scored 5/131 in its second innings.
Emerald failed by 65 runs to match Beaconsfield’s total of 224.
Owen Thorne and James Litterbach both scored halfcenturies for the Bombers, while J. Williams and Peter Sofra each collected four wickets for the Tigers.
C GRADE
Lang Lang won an entertaining, highscoring encounter at Gembrook by 18 runs after the host side scored 6/210.
Andrew Williams (82), Craig Heppell (44 notout) and Andrew Hilder (42) all scored valuable runs for the Brookers, while Alan Jenkins captured 3/48 from 12 overs for Lang Lang.
Kooweerup scored a meritorious 39run victory against the Lyndhurst Vikings.
Demon stalwart Chris McConnell scored a fine 107 notout and respective scores of 49 and 36 notout from Jarred Farrell and Rick Light enabled the Demons to tally an imposing 3/219.
Chris Hasselberger plundered 78 runs for the Vikings when they previously totalled 180.
Officer scored a pleasing 17run win against Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll.
Mick Lewis top scored with 73 when the Goon totalled 149, while seniors’ regular Andrew Tucker captured 6/39 from 21.2 overs for the Bullants.
Upper Beaconsfield prevailed by only five runs in an engrossing lowscoring match.
Michael Floyd top scored with 68 notout when the Panthers were dismissed for 150, while Shaun Hassall captured 3/27 off eight overs for the visitors.
The Maroons then mustered 155, thanks to an excellent score of 88 from P. Williams.
D GRADE
KilcundaBass gained a thrilling threerun victory against PUT in a tightly contested match.
The inform Ross Smith scored an excellent 79 when the Sharks totalled 154 and PUT was then dismissed for 151.
Craig Spicer scored 54 for the Yabbies, while Paul Hammer (5/45 from 18 overs) and Rohan Duff (3/24 off 17 overs) shared the Sharks’ bowling honours.
Daniel Morrison scored a dominating 110 notout and Peter Jensen a handy 36 when Nyora accounted for Cardinia by 85 runs. Nathaniel Wade and Cameron Haynes both obtained two wickets for the Bulls.
A defiant score of 54 from Jay Viney failed to save Cranbourne Meadows from defeat against Beaconsfield.
Greg Butler produced a matchwinning spell for the Tigers, claiming 4/39 from 21 overs.
Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll easily defeated Tooradin by 123 runs after the Seagulls were dismissed for 184. G. McKay top scored for Tooradin with 35, while Goon allrounder Chase Saunders captured 3/16 from five overs for the victors.
Steady respective scores of 42 and 34 from Corey Sweeney and L. Ligtermoet enabled Emerald to defeat Merinda Park by four wickets and ten runs, while Clyde forfeited its Dgrade fixture against Pakenham.
E GRADE
Tooradin scored a resounding outright win over Officer after smashing the mammoth score of 4/362 declared and then scattering the Bullants for the meagre total of 35 in their second innings.
Blazing centuries from Adam Richmond and Aaron Brooks, as well as a halfcentury from Adrian Brown, set up the easy victory and Brown then captured the superb figures of 6/10 from six overs when the Officer batsmen capitulated late in the day.
Craig Hunter created club history at Devon Meadows when he scored a magnificent 254 against Beaconsfield.
Jason Brzezowski provided strong support with his excellent innings of 155 and the Panthers mammoth score of 8/469 resulted in the home side recording a comprehensive 224run win.
Kooweerup under15 player Jack Carson scored an excellent 106 when the Demons totalled 313 against Emerald.
Handy scores of 63 and 44 from B. Siegel and G. Burns respectively helped Kooweerup to its 41run win, despite a fine hand of 115 from the Bomber’s L. Richardson.
Merinda Park’s M. McCalman and Dion Olszewski, who scored 52 and 44 respectively, failed to prevent a 69run defeat for the Cobras against the Lyndhurst Vikings, while Cardinia easily accounted for PUT by 117 runs.
Bulls’ veteran Wayne Snooks captured 5/36 for his victorious side.
A draw resulted in the match between Lang Lang and Gembrook after the ground was deemed to be unsuitable for play.
F GRADE
Clyde bowler Mick Bishop and Pakenham’s S. Bell were Fgrade’s bowlers of the day with their impressive respective figures of 4/9 from six overs and 4/7 from four overs.
Bishop’s teammate Darren Tanner blazed five sixes and five fours when he passed the 50 retirement score, while Nyora’s Jim Watts, who is a former Clyde player, clouted a six and six fours in his halfcentury knock.
Other Fgrade players who reached the retirement score of 50 were Ben Eden (KilcundaBass), Dan Crowley, Mal Carson and A. Voss (all from Kooweerup), Jamie Lehman (Catani) and Glen Fairbrother (Devon Meadows).
JUNIOR GRADES
Gus Patti from the Beacy Tigers under17 team was the star bowler at this grade level.
Patti, who also opens the bowling for the Beaconsfield A grade team, captured the superb figures of 5/3 from 6.1 overs against Clyde.
Many players scored significant runs in under17 ranks.
Tim Holt (Pakenham), R. Wynne (Emerald Black), Dylan Mitchell and Travis Kitchin (both of Cardinia) all scored halfcenturies, while Sean Wilson (Tooradin) and Daniel Glen (Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll) reached 45 not out and 40 respectively.
The Beacy Eagles Jordan Andrews top scored in under15 ranks with his score of 51 against Emerald Red. He also captured 2/5 from five overs in the same match.
PUT’s James Parnell scored an unbeaten 41, while B. Colling and H. Mitchell (Beaconsfield), Jack Barker, Matt Thompson and Jaedyn Thompson (Tooradin), W. Evans, T. Bullman and J. Murphy (Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll), B. Tanner, T. Welsh and G. Eastern (Cardinia) all retired after scoring in the 30s.