By David Nagel
PAKENHAM’s (7/415) classy number three Jason Williams (139) has been threatening to make a big score all season and it finally happened for the elegant right-hander as the Lions made a difficult run-chase look easy against Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (255) on Saturday.
The Lions passed the Yabbies -more than reasonable total – for the loss of just two wickets before a hungry mid-to-lower-order feasted on a tiring carcass. Right from the start the runs flowed freely.
Ben Maroney (30) welcomed back Russell Lehman (50) as his opening partner and the pair put on 57 before Maroney was caught in two minds and gave a simple leg side chance. Williams joined Lehman and the pair went head-to-head in a battle of great shots.
Lehman was forceful through the off-side and worked well to the leg-side while the timing of Williams’ driving was something to behold. He mixed graceful drives with the occasional loft over mid-wicket as the run-rate hovered between five and six runs per over.
Lehman departed shortly after chalking up his 50, which brought Sugeesha Dinushan (56) to the synthetic pitch and he and Williams put on 127 for the third wicket to steer the Lions to victory. Williams soldiered on after Dinushan’s dismissal to record a well deserved and brilliant ton.
Dom Paynter (38), Jack Anning (39 not out) and Jesse Hayhow (25 not out) all cashed in against a tiring attack, which ended up with nine bowlers having a trundle. The Yabbies bowlers were plundered all day with Tyson Carey (4/84 off 18) toiling hardest and longest for his four wickets.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Beaconsfield v Tooradin
TOORADIN (198) all-rounder Callum O’Hare (6/37 off 23) turned the Beaconsfield Tigers (111 and 77) into lost little kittens on Saturday when he led the Seagulls to outright victory at Beaconsfield.
The Seagulls win made it the third team to confirm a finals booking and brought an end to the Tigers’ premiership defence.
O’Hare’s output in recent times has been sensational. In his past five games the blonde-bomber has scored a century, two half centuries, taken three wickets twice, a bag of five wickets once and Saturday’s 6/37 gave him nine wickets for the match in a consistent display of brilliant cricket.
Tooradin resumed overnight on 7/151 and added 47-runs to its total with Brad Sauer (66) and Jay Wilson (44) the stand-out contributors. Beaconsfield all-rounder Jordy Andrews (6/67) can hold his head up high after returning career best bowling figures in a defiant one-man stand against the Seagulls. Madison Andrews took five catches behind the wicket with three coming from brother Jordy.
Beaconsfield’s second innings started badly at 2/5, recovered somewhat to 2/40 before the explosive O’Hare went “BOOOM”, and the Tigers season was left in ruins.
From 2/40 the home side lost 5/9 and eventually 8/37 in an innings that ended in its 55th over. Andrews (26) was the only batsman to reach double figures as he capped off a fine performance that deserved better from his team mates. Skipper Aaron Avery (1/16 off 13) and Lukas Hoogenboom (1/15 off 13) were miserly in support of O’Hare.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Upper Beaconsfield v Officer
OFFICER (84 and 52) has a percentage of .33 at the moment, which says its opposition has been three times better than it over the course of the season.
That figure would actually flatter the Bullants on Saturday after it was squished and crushed in its outright defeat against Upper Beaconsfield (4/156cc).
The Maroons declared overnight with a 72-run lead with John Simpson (61 not out) and Julian Bayard (16 not out) the red-inkers. An outright win was a must for the home side’s finals hopes and it didn’t have to wait long to find out Officer was going to show little resistance.
The first two wickets of the day fell to skied top edges from shots that had no sign of resolve and were meant to hit the boundary. In just the second over Ollie Brown (0) went for an expansive pull-shot off Tommy Tyrrell (1/6 off 5) but skied to Daniel Brennan (3/12 off seven) at square-leg and then Adam Reid (1) tried to flick a good length ball off Chris Pentland (2/10 off seven) and skied straight back to the bowler.
Brett Reid (20) played a beautiful pull shot a couple of balls into his innings but the mindset was there for all to see. It was no surprise to see the visitors not last 29 overs in their second innings.
Xavier Gargan (3/16 off six) took bowling honours for the Maroons who didn’t even bother to warm up their two best bowlers, Shawn Flegler and Scott Pitcher.
The win keeps the Maroons’ March aspirations very much alive.
