EMERALD’S A-grade team fell just 24 runs short in its run chase of Pakenham’s 238 on Saturday.
The Bombers didn’t get off to a good start and were 2/19 off 18 overs.
Quenten Lucas and John Noonan started to tick the runs over, but Noonan went for 21.
Brodie Lucas joined his brother and looked in form and the two batted until the 56th over when Quenten was out for 43.
Brodie was joined by Wes Wright and with the two needing quick runs to keep the Bombers in the game, put on 60.
After Lucas was out for 55, the Bombers needed 80 runs off nine overs and despite good hitting from Clinton Marsh 33 and Mark Wheatley weren’t able to reach the total.
A respectable 214 was reached, but just wasn’t enough for the Bombers.
B GRADE
Playing Cranbourne Meadows at home, Emerald was chasing 265 and resumed at 1/30.
Geoff Worrell and David Allenson resumed and looked solid before Worrell was out for 33.
Allenson was then out in the 25th over for 19 when Andrew Morris and James Litterbach both batted patiently to bring the score to 4/108 and looked to have put the Bombers into a good position.
Then it all went wrong, as Litterbach and Morris went for 24 and 23 respectively and Emerald collapsed to be all out for 132 after 51 overs.
Sent back in, the Bombers tried to avoid the outright as David Cox and Cameron Williams brought the score to 0/62 before Cox was out for 14.
Another quick wicket was lost Litterbach came in and again batted well to make another 24. He was out with the score on 3/102.
Williams was out for 61 as he regained some form, but like the first innings Emerald collapsed to be 8/128 before Worrell and Allenson again steadied the ship to see the Bombers out 8/150 avoiding the outright.
D GRADE
Emerald travelled to Nar Nar Goon to chase the modest total of 110.
Resuming at 1/21 the Bombers got off to a bad start with only Yo Roelink’s 11 the only positive in a score that fell to 7/44.
Andrew Rolfs and Jay Kleinsmit helped steady the ship as they bought the score to 64 before Rolfs was out in the 47th over.
Mark Hamilton came in and attacked the bowling and with Kleinsmit took the score to 91 before Hamilton was out for 17.
With 20 runs still needed for victory, Robert Wynne joined Kleinsmit and the two young Bombers batted very well to take them to victory by seven runs.
Wynne made 14 and Kleinsmit, who batted for 40 overs, made a match-winning 30 not out.
E GRADE
Playing at home against Pakenham, the Bombers were chasing 122 for victory.
Resuming at 3/18 the Bombers got off to a bad start to be in the dodgy position of 8/43.
Jesse Mather was the only batsman to reach double figures with 15.
Then Daniel Carlton and Callum Benoiton batted well and made 16 and 17 respectively, but the Bombers were out for 76.
Emerald had a second bowl and did well to have Pakenham 4/43 after 19 overs. Benoiton claimed 3/8 off four overs.
F GRADE
The Emerald one-day team played a home game against Clyde.
Batting first Emerald made a respectable 7/111.
For the Bombers Kevin Stapleton and Jim Burke batted well up the top of the order, Neil Gillespie got 24 and Paul Dodd 28.
In reply Brad Wynd got the Bombers off to a great start taking 2/7 off six overs.
Gary Santini 3/11 and Paul Dodd 2/11 bowled well as the Bombers fell just short of victory as Clyde made 113 off its overs.
