By Ian Ferguson
FOR the first time in many weeks, the dominant Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll team appeared vulnerable against Pakenham UpperToomuc (PUT) on Saturday.
The Marygoons reached the reasonable total of 194 against the Yabbies, due largely to valuable respective innings of 57 and 34 from Craig Lewis and Neil Rankin.
The wickets were evenly shared among the visiting team that will need to bat well this week to match the top team’s total.
Richie Goodenough lived up to his name again after posting an impressive 103 for Upper Beaconsfield at the Pakenham ground.
David Ardley and Scott Pitcher provided useful assistance by adding 66 and 38 respectively, while Dennis Porter collected the telling figures of 5/10 from ten overs for the host team.
The Maroons’ tally of 9/277 should prove to be a matchwinning effort this week.
KilcundaBass returned to form by totalling 230 at Tooradin.
An opening partnership of 90 between David Hunt and Paul Mohascy provide the platform for a large score and Hunt went on to amass 72 while Hunt remained 52 notout.
Seagull spinner Rory Alder bowled exceptionally well to snare 7/89 from 25 overs.
Nyora is in a strong position after scoring 248 at Emerald.
Captaincoach Mark Pearse top scored with 69, A. Tagluferro reached 51 and Brenton Hackett contributed 32. Bombers’ spinner Tim Sproule persisted well and was rewarded with the best bowling analysis of 4/83 from 30 overs, while Ewen Thoms snared 3/75 off 20 overs.
Neighbouring teams Cranbourne Meadows and Merinda Park shared openingday honours on day one.
The host Rebels resisted the Cobras’ attack reasonably well and totalled 190, while Merinda Park reached 1/20 at stumps. Grant Pearson bowled impressively for the Cobras to collect 4/51 from 12 overs in his Bgrade debut game.
Cardinia performed well to score 233 against Beaconsfield. Ryan Kitchin top scored with 49, R. Allen reached 47 and B. Welsh contributed 34.
Travis Turnbull and Troy McDermott each captured three wickets for the visiting Tigers.
C GRADE
Fifteenyearold Bradman Pitcher registered his first club century when he scored a fine 101 against the top team Lang Lang.
Andrew Mercier added 65 and Dave Lennon 36 when Beaconsfield amassed a formidable 6/333.
Clyde recovered well from its perilous position of 7/117 to total 258 against Officer.
Clayton Blair top scored with 59 (three sixes and seven fours), Nathan Lillee reached 53 (six fours) and Ben Ferrari (37) in the Cougar’s fine recovery, while the Bullants’ Liam Main bowled superbly to snare 6/36 from 15 overs.
Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll reached an imposing 308 at Devon Meadows with Bob Simpson top scoring with 98, D. Oldmeadow reaching 64 and Scott Musgrove contributing 50.
Luke Wishart bowled well in the Panther attack, taking 5/75 from 17 overs.
Lyndhurst Vikings also excelled with the bat, blasting 8/335 against Upper Beaconsfield. Paul Gray (82), Andy Myers (66), and Chris Hasselberger (58) all scored heavily for the Vikings.
Pakenham holds a slight edge over the Blues in a lowscoring encounter at Catani.
The visiting Lions reached a moderate total of 151 with Daryl Williams and Mick Chilcott both scoring 40s, but Catani has slumped to 7/127 in reply.
Clint Fulton enjoyed an excellent allround day for the host team, collecting 3/17 from 7.2 overs and later scoring 34, while Tim Miller remains 29 notout.
Demon junior Ryan Wilby scored an excellent 100, Duncan Caig 70 and Rick Light 67 when Kooweerup scored a formidable 396 against Gembrook. Terry Kendall was the pick of the Brooker bowlers, snaring 5/103 from 25 overs.
D GRADE
Two teams have already gained firstinnings results.
Nyora declared its innings closed after scoring 2/128 in reply to Clyde’s small total of 81 and the Cougars are now 3/35 in their second dig.
Jim Watts top scored for Nyora with 67, while his teammate C. Leith currently has the impressive match figures of 5/22 from 14 overs.
Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll declared its innings closed after racing to 5/227 in reply to Cardinia’s score of 111. Goon allrounder S. Sweeney was in top form capturing 5/39 and scoring 52 notout, while his teammates Simon Lewis and Chase Saunders both scored 40s.
Beaconsfield has the upper hand in a lowscoring match against Pakenham. Rob Young top scored with 31 when the Tigers totalled 140 and Pakenham has slumped to 6/36 in reply.
PUT is poised to inflict defeat over Cranbourne Meadows. The Rebels were scattered for 132 and the Yabbies are currently 4/111 in reply.
G. Bradshaw top scored with 33 for the Rebels, while Chris Gunton was dismissed for 41 in the Yabbies’ reply.
Shane Dalton retired to attend a wedding after scoring 55 notout for Merinda Park that totalled 253 against Tooradin.
Cobra teammate Mark Dipilla reached 43, while the Seagulls’ Darren Mantel captured 4/75 from 16 overs.
KilcundaBass totalled 236 against Emerald. Scott Tapscott top scored with 75 while Lee Ligtermoet captured 4/46 from 13 overs in the Bomber attack.
E GRADE
PUT has already comprehensively accounted for Lang Lang on the first innings.
The Swamp Tigers wilted against quality bowling from Tyson Carey (4/11 from nine overs) and Ben Clough (2/17 from eight overs) and were shot out for 37 and the Yabbies clawed themselves to 9/130 in reply by stumps.
Lang Lang bowler Sean Lambie currently enjoys figures of 5/30 from 14 overs.
A fine innings of 108 from Ross Simpson, together with useful hands of 57 and 41 from Michael Ralph and Brad Richmond respectively, enabled Tooradin to total a mammoth 9/355 against Kooweerup.
Sixth change Demon bowler Damian Barker snared 2/36 from eight overs for the host team.
Merinda Park scored a competitive 220 against Devon Meadows. D. McCalman top scored with 62 while veteran Panther Ian Hopper snared 4/51 from 17 overs.
Beaconsfield is well positioned in its games against Officer.
The Bullants crumbled for a 100run total due to excellent bowling from the Tigers’ Ben Martin who took 4/20 from 10.3 overs. William Carlyle then struck four boundaries in his score of 33 when Beaconsfield reached 3/81 at stumps.
Gembrook appears to have the upper hand against Emerald. Clint Osseweyer, D. Osseweyer and A. Escamp all scored 30s when the Brookers scored 222, while the Bombers’ Tom Baldock captured 4/40 from 15.1 overs.
The Lyndhurst Vikings and Cardinia are engaged in an interesting battle.
Matt Ryan scored 80 and Jeff Bailey 78 when the Bulls’ totalled 210 and the Vikings have advanced to 1/60 in reply. Damien Higgins captured 4/57 from 15 overs in the Vikings’ attack.
F GRADE
Catani’s masterblaster Jamie Lehman showed his allround ability when he captured 4/6 from six overs against Kooweerup.
Many players reached the retirement score of 50 on Saturday.
These included Peter Thompson (Kooweerup), G. Healy (Merinda Park), Paul Ladiges and Glenn Fairbrother (Devon Meadows), C. Alger and D. Briffa (Upper Beaconsfield) and D. Kerrison (Nyora).
Pakenham forfeited its Fgrade fixture against Beaconsfield.
