MERINDA Park compiled a good A-grade total against Nar Nar Goon and hit back against Clyde in B grade after a poor start on Saturday.
A GRADE
After winning the toss and batting, Merinda Park got a watchful start against Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll.
When Lester Betreen was out for nine the home side was 2/33 in the 35th over, but coach Brett Armitage and captain Gary Davidson joined forces to lift the run rate and took the score to 2/61 at tea.
After the break the pair flayed the Goon attack and took the score to 3/143, when Armitage was out for 57. Davidson was out after the addition of 21 runs and after that Michael Quieros and Rick Dennerley remained 29 and 25 not out respectively.
The Cobras finished with the competitive total of 4/201.
B GRADE
The Cobras had a small total of 87 to defend, but skipper Marty Donaldson had Clyde in early trouble with a fiery opening spell and when Shannon Mathers ran out Peter O’Hare with a direct hit the score was 4/0.
Johnnie Cuthbertson then removed the opener Sullivan and the score was 5/14 with the Cougars in all sorts of trouble before they finished the day 5/32 with the game in the balance.
C GRADE
After captain Graeme Moss won the toss at home against Gembrook the Merinda Park openers Scott Edwards and Shane Dalton took the score to 27 before the first wicket fell.
Three more quick wickets put the Cobras in trouble at 4/35 and when Ron Hughes fell 19 runs later for 12 the score was 5/54 and looking dire.
Timely lower-order batting from Brendan Fairlam (20) along with Moss’s 22 and a well made 33 by McCutcheon got the score to 131. The Gembrook score was 1/3 at stumps.
D GRADE
Merinda Park was asked to bat by Lang Lang and Russell Dunne partnered the promoted Jason Edwards and took the score to 70 before Edwards was out for 40.
Dunne had a few partners after that, moving the score along to 215 when he was dismissed for a fine 106 with five fours and one six. Wayne Bruce made 47 and with Tony Clarke’s 17 the Cobras finished 6/236.
E GRADE
Quick wickets were required when the Cobra Reds won the toss and bowled and the in-form Pat Graham picked up a wicket with his fourth ball.
Graham and opening partner Gordon Lewis then went wicket for wicket and Officer was dismissed after drinks for 46. Graham finished with 5/31 off nine overs and Lewis with 4/13.
The last wicket fell when Tivendale tried to take on the arm of under-14 player Jarrod Armitage and lost through a direct hit. Armitage joined skipper Tim Inglis and added 47 with the bat before he was bowled around his legs for 12. Graham and Inglis then added 65 before Inglis was caught in the deep for 88, sparking a mini-collapse to 6/156 at stumps.
The Whites, newcomers to E grade, won the toss against Tooradin and had the home side in early trouble at 3/16.
Matt Pongracic enjoyed his first game with the magnificent figures of 4/16 while Gillespie kept chipping away at the other end to finish with 5/39. Merinda Park was 1/11 at stumps.
F GRADE
Craig Glassborrow and Matt Harper smashed their way to 51 and 53 respectively as Merinda Park got to 177 off 35 overs. Able support came from Ben Pobjie (21), Matt Cuthbertson (18) and Andy Hathaway (14). But the rain came and the Officer batsmen took to the soapy ball, posting 4/212 to win by 34 runs.
UNDER 16
Defending 143 against Clyde at the Cobra pit, Merinda Park was never troubled and the visitors were 8/19 at one stage.
The powerful Cobra bowling attack eventually bowled the Cougars out for 36 in the 35th over, the main wicket takers being Nathan Beaver (3/4 off seven overs), Andy Martin (2/2 off five overs) and Michael Theodoridis (2/1 off three). Steve Tobin took two second innings wickets.
UNDER 14 RED
Starting the day 3/46 chasing Devon Meadows White’s 68, Jarrod Armitage and Jamie Fox continued and Merinda Park was able to pass the required score without further loss.
Both retired on 31 and Jason Pongracic made a whirlwind 21 off 19 balls to allow the Cobras to declare at 4/146. Devon Meadows made 4/96 in the second innings. Matt Pongracic finished with four wickets for the game.
UNDER 12 RED
The match against Clyde Cougars finished in a tie. Reed Allan top-scored with 14 (retiring to give another player a bat) and Dylan Cuthbertson and Sakila Tennakoon both scored 10. Ramith Satherasinghe made his first runs, scoring eight with one boundary.
UNDER 12 WHITE
The Whites brought up their first win of the year by 17 runs after dismissing Kilcunda-Bass for 92. Kiah Laughlin-Glen was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2/8 off four overs.
