By Jarrod Potter
RESCUE workers seemed to bat in the tail this round as Dale McCraw, Nick Sadler, Michael McMahon and Amran Tabassum all managed to save their sides from potential defeat and move onto the last round of the season.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:B GRADE
The best efforts of captain Corey Leslie (56) weren’t enough to get Devon Meadows (171) into the final after getting rolled by Beaconsfield (7/173). Two early wickets fell at the hands of Jarrod Williams (4/35) and while steadying knocks from the middle order helped stop the rot, but no one else kicked on to give Leslie enough help. Leslie fell at 6/115 and the tail managed to add another 56 to the cause. Ray Cook (3/37) was the other multiple wicket taker.
The response from Beaconsfield was well judged and methodical, as Brad Eagleton (43), Jesse Douma (34) and Kieran Rogers (23) stopped any thoughts of revival from Nathan Worsteling (4/24) or Luke Howard (2/40).
Hats off to Dale McCraw (78 not out) and Terry Smith (33 not out), who rescued Pakenham (8/241cc) from 8/132 after Merinda Park quick Dylan Cuthbertson (4/61) sent the first four men packing. Pakenham’s openers Scott Webster (33) and Richard North (32) started with a 57-run partnership, but from there the collapse began in earnest. It was left to McCraw and Smith to save face for the Lions, with the tail-end pair adding 109 for the tenth wicket to see off the Cobras’ challenge. Merinda Park’s chase never kicked into second gear, with Peter Jessop (27) top scoring in a disappointing total of 105 all out. Duane Lucas (4/17), Zac Chaplin (2/17) and to cap off an amazing match McCraw (2/27) were the multiple wicket takers for Pakenham.
The grand final will be played at Toomuc Reserve 2 between Beaconsfield and Pakenham.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:C GRADE
Staring down the barrel of a cheap defeat, Clyde (9/183cc) tailenders Nick Sadler (53 not out) and Liam Bennett (16 not out) saw off danger from Cardinia (130) to add 67 for the ninth wicket. The pair was brought together at 8/116 after the middle order failed to go on with their starts. Chris Remy (3/65), Josh Brown (2/22) and Trent Wheller (2/35) claimed the scalps for Cardinia. The Bulls didn’t get out of the gates promisingly in reply, with three ducks and only a spattering of runs from the first seven bats. The revival was put on Matt Ryan (34), Brown (23) and Remy (15), but they couldn’t hold out the likes of Sadler (2/26) and Daniel Waite (2/33) and were bowled out after 52 overs.
Pakenham Upper Toomuc (167) couldn’t find the early wickets as Tooradin (9/211cc) went on a hitting spree. Andrew Proctor (70), Adam Galea (34) and the rest of the recognised batsmen all got started, but once they fell the tail didn’t wag long, as Tooradin fell from 4/191 to nine down for 211. David Merrigan (3/69) was the best of the Yabbies’ attack. Justin Harris (64) was left to burden most of the scoring for PUT, with help from Nick Kyval (26) and Ian Mortimer (22). When Harris fell at 5/120, the tail fell off, losing the next five wickets for 47 with Darren Mantel (4/23) the chief destroyer.
The grand final will be played at Officer Recreation Reserve between Clyde and Tooradin.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:D GRADE
Despite Emerald (157) bowling out Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll (90) cheaply, the match, and by extension the grand final appearance, goes to the Marygoons after the result was disputed and the WGCA awarded them the match on account of Emerald fielding an unqualified player.
In the match itself, all of Emerald’s recognised batsmen got starts, but no one made the most of their opportunity as Matt Langley (4/36) and Jason Campbell (3/19) were miserly with the ball. The wickets also fell rapidly for the Marygoons, with Geoff Ball (35) top scoring in a lacklustre batting effort. Jake Rosen (4/29) and Tristan Fraser (4/31) were the most effective for the Bombers.
A 120 run partnership between Michael McMahon (67) and Amran Tabassum (62 not out) put all hope out of reach for Merinda Park (165) as Beconsfield (7/239cc) pulled them out of trouble. McMahon and Tabassum set their foundations from 5/82 and built from there as the Tigers kept griding away run-by-run. McMahon fell, but John Scale (21 not out) saw to it that Tabassum had someone to hold the fort at the other end. Scott Kunziak (3/51), John Cuthbertson (2/53) and Ash Baker (2/74) did the damage with the ball, albeit too late to stop the carnage. Merinda Park failed in the top order, slumping to 8/78 before Jace Field (38) and Darren Smith (29) attempted to drag the limp recognised batsmen along with them. The pair made 80 for the ninth wicket, but when Field was caught and Smith run out, the Lions deservingly booked their spot in the final.
The grand final will be played at Perc Allison Oval between Beaconsfield and Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:E GRADE
Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (7/121) got the job done against Emerald (119), securing their only senior grand final appearance this season in spite of a top order batting collapse.
Emerald struggled to find rhythm, with Kieran Burns (34) top scoring but falling early when his pegs were rearranged. From there, four more Bombers reached double figures but none reached 20 in a disappointing batting effort, with the last nine wickets falling for 61 runs. Kieren Blake (4/35) bowled well for PUT as did John Barrow (2/23) and Brett Carey (2/30). Drew Clarke (33 not out), Kieran Blake (25) and Gerard McKee (23) lifted the rate for the Yabbies after a total collapse from the big men at 4/28. Ryan Appleby (3/17) tore through the top order for Emerald.
Greg Interlandi (52) played a dab hand while men much older failed to fire for Pakenham (119), and Tooradin (5/120) cantered home to the final. Interlandi is the only batsmen in the Lions’ order who gets to hold his head up after the rest collapsed miserably under the scrutiny of Dale Bethune (4/41), Brendan Jones (2/19) and Greg Bethune (2/29). The response was lively from Tooradin, smashing the chase home in 42.2 overs with Brett Murray (51). Michael Freeman (31) and Ross Simpson (22) doing the majority of the work from the first three. Despite Paul Hart (3/21) making a late show of the match, the damage was already done.
The grand final will be played at Lakeside Oval between Pakenham Upper-Toomuc and Tooradin.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:F GRADE
Despite the best efforts of Mark Shelton (97), Pakenham (178) narrowly missed out on chasing the Devon Meadows (8/180cc) total after Luke Daniels (5/6) skittled the tail in an amazing seven-over spell. Mark Hosking (77) set the tally for the Panthers, with help from tailenders Lincoln Hepburn (29) and Paul Borg (21 not out). Peter Shea (4/57) was the best of the Lions’ bowlers. In response, Shelton played a lone hand as wickets fell around him. Shelton bludgeoned eight fours and six sixes in a rampaging knock before Daniels knocked him over three short of his maiden century. Daniels from that point on played the rampage role, getting three LBWs and another bowled to run through Pakenham like a knife through warm butter.
The best efforts of Jeff Gillespie (62) and Scott Strang (41) pulled Merinda Park (220) up by the coat-tails, but it wasn’t enough to win their spot in the grand final as Gembrook (6/224) chased down the sizeable total with ease. From 5/81, the tail rallied with Gillespie, Strang and Gerard Healy (23) to post the respectable score. Jeff Waddell (3/5) and Roger Armstrong (3/15) were miserly for the Brookers.
Dean Allcott (91) guided Gembrook to victory with Anthony Williams (28) and Armstrong (25) setting up the innings with a 55 run opening stand. Jack Clarke (3/33) and David Field (2/49) were the best of the Cobras’ bowlers.
The grand final will be played at Junction Village Reserve between Devon Meadows and Gembrook.
