IT’S a fierce struggle in the Bgrade clash as the wandering Upper Beaconsfield Maroons Bgrade team strives for an advantage over the equally determined Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll.
The Maroons are playing all their home matches at various locations in the West Gippsland Cricket Association because the Upper Beaconsfield oval is being upgraded and drained.
The Maroons agreed to play the home match at Nar Nar Goon on Saturday, so far the other major challenger for top spot.
Having won the toss and elected to bat all seemed to be proceeding smoothly as David Taylor and Daniel Brennan began to build a solid opening partnership of 43.
However then there was a middleorder and Upper Beaconsfield tumbled to be 6/115 soon after tea.
Essexbased recruit Richard Goodenough managed to score 33 before he chased a wide ball and tickled it to the keeper and this was followed by Taylor who flicked at a legside ball and was stumped.
David Taylor reached 21 and Dan Brennan 28.
After tea no bat was able to dominate the bowling and the team was all out for 144.
The Maroons bowled two overs and Nar Nar Goon Maryknoll is 0/1 needing a further 143 to win.
C GRADE
Electing to bat after winning the toss, Marygoon openers Geoff Ball and Geoff Pymm carved their way to a 50run partnership and enjoyed a certain amount of fortune as each benefitted from spilled chances.
However, the introduction of medium pacers Luke Sorati and Shawn Hassall spun a web of deft skill around the remainder of the batsmen.
The Marygoons slumped from 1/62 to be all out for 132 as each bowler had the batters defending their territory.
Shawn Hassall managed to claim 5/42 from 17 intelligent overs while the athletic Sorati plucked four wickets with his gentle awayswingers and bagged a magnificent slips catch from Hassall’s bowling flinging himself to his right.
In response Upper Beaconsfield is 2/29 from 14 overs needing a further 104 to pull off its second win in a row.
