By Ian Ferguson
TOORADIN, that was well and truly out at 4/36 last week, was ignited in the hot and smoky conditions on Saturday by a blazing century from newcomer Andrew Sparks, firing the Seagulls to an unexpected 79run victory against ladder leaders Officer.
In other roundfive senior games in the West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA), the Bteam upset the A’s after last season’s Bgrade premiers Kooweerup defeated the 200506 senior premiers Beaconsfield by more than 60 runs.
A superb innings of 141 from Devon Meadows coach Darren O’Brien set up a decisive 159run victory over Clyde and Catani accounted for Emerald by 44 runs.
In the final Agrade game, a powerful batting display at Cardinia saw the Bulls trample over Pakenham by 153 runs.
It was the relatively unknown Andrew Sparks who fired Tooradin to an unlikely victory against the undefeated Officer team after he blazed 15 boundaries in his superb innings of 109.
Earlier in the day Tooradin slumped to 6/71 after run machine Trevor Johnston and the consistent Grant Kernot both fell cheaply.
However a fighting innings of 40 from Sean Baker and an equally defiant halfcentury from his under17 teammate Sean Wilson, supported Sparks so well that the home side passed Officer’s total of 200 and gained a moraleboosting victory.
Bullant bowlers Ben Tivendale (3/38 from 16 overs) and Andrew Tucker (2/50 from 18 overs) both performed well, but the visitor’s tally of five dropped catches cost them dearly.
This was an outstanding victory by Tooradin and the hopes of all finals’ aspirants have been boosted by the Seagulls’ unexpected defeat of the top team.
Kooweerup made a shaky start on day two at Beaconsfield.
After resuming on 0/31 the Demons suddenly slumped to 2/46, with Matt Bright falling to a diving slips catch for ten, while Carl McGregor was adjudged lbw for a duck.
Chris McConnell also failed, but a 75run partnership for the fourth wicket between Chris O’Hara and Steve Johnson fired the Demons’ response.
Newcomer Greg Eddy and captain Matt Davey then successfully carried Kooweerup past Beaconsfield’s total of 196 before the Demons comfortably prevailed by 69 runs.
Kooweerup’s competent opener Chris O’Hara top scored with 81, while 40s from Johnson and Eddy, along with handy 20s from Davey and Ben Miller, helped the Demons achieve a vital victory.
Beaconsfield’s assistant coach Jason Dodd, who collected 3/98 from 24 overs, was the host’s leading bowler, while Gus Patti and Don Kerslake each collected two wickets.
Steve Paterson fell early to Pakenham’s Dale McCraw in Cardinia’s challenging run chase of 261, but a strong secondwicket partnership between Bulls’ skipper Mark Cooper and Daniel Strahan soon placed the host team in a commanding position on the lightningfast ground.
Cooper caressed three boundaries in his halfcentury and the Bulls’ run magnet continued on to score a commanding 157.
Strahan added 59, while Ben Da Rose and Justin Berry also joined in the run orgy by contributing 79 and 62 when Cardinia amassed the imposing score of 7/424 that provided it with a massive victory.
It was anticipated that PUT would struggle to match Merinda Park’s mammoth total of 470 and this proved to be the case. The Yabbies were scattered for 218 with wicketkeeper Luke Willis scoring a defiant 52, while the former Berwick player Richard Fromhold added a useful 41.
The Cobras’ emerging offspinner Shannon Mathers took the bowling honours with his 3/59 from 14 overs, while his younger sibling Jess Mathers and team veteran Rick Dennerley both captured two wickets.
A highlight of the afternoon was the excellent outfield catch taken at fine leg by Merinda Park’s coach Craig Boswell to dismiss Willis.
Emerald persevered well at Catani, but the Blues always appeared to have the match in hand.
Catani was best served by its two accomplished opening bowlers Paul Govaars and Lionel Sexton, who captured the excellent respective figures of 5/61 from 17 overs and 4/55 from 18 overs. Reliable Bombers’ skipper Quenten Lucas top scored for the visiting team with 37.
An outstanding innings of 141 from the Devon Meadows’ coach Darren O’Brien provided the Panthers with a strong opportunity to pounce on a victory against Clyde on the turf wicket at Cranbourne.
O’Brien was given strong support by David Carson and captain Travis Canavan, who scored 72 and 62 respectively, while Doug Louden contributed 47 not out.
On Sunday the opposition’s massive tally of 6/366 proved beyond the reach of Clyde that only managed to total 207.
The consistent Jared Leontini notched 46 and Shayne Jack top scored with a determined 68, but few other Cougars challenged the Panthers’ supremacy.
Doug Louden completed a pleasing match by taking 4/51 from 19 overs, while club veteran Peter Zauner collected 2/43 off 11 overs.
