Justin Stanton (5) was one of the few Berwick batsmen to fail as his team annihilated St Mary’s at Arch Brown Reserve on Saturday.By Marc McGowan
THE tight race for Turf One finals spots is well and truly alive with one round to go in the Dandenong District Cricket Association, while only one position is available to Turf Two aspirants.
Maranatha Methodist is currently clinging to fourth, but will need to beat HSD this weekend to ensure its finals place.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF ONE
Buckley Ridges d Narre Warren
NARRE Warren’s chances of tasting its first Turf One finals action suffered a severe blow after a three-wicket loss to Buckley Ridges at Park Oval on Saturday.
The Magpies must now defeat Cranbourne outright in the final round or rely on Doveton to upset Springvale South to have any shot at the premiership. Resuming at 5/72 and chasing 145, the Ridges lost all-rounder Shane D’Rozario (29) to slump to 6/97, but Paul and Glen Rudd guided their side to the brink of victory. David Wheeler helped the latter clean up the final few runs for the win.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick d St Mary’s
BERWICK smacked St Mary’s by eight wickets on the back of another stellar Alecs Roberts performance at Arch Brown Reserve on the weekend.
The English import has slaughtered attacks since Christmas, averaging 129.33 this year. Roberts cracked 132 and Gavan Wills (110 not out) scored his first ton of the season on their way to a 173-run partnership. Berwick finally finished on 4/321 as the Bears easily passed St Mary’s meagre total of 8/200.
@BT Sub Sport News:Doveton d Parkfield
DOVETON produced the upset of the round to topple Parkfield by three wickets at Robinson Reserve on Saturday.
The loss removed the Bears from the top four and they will need to defeat Berwick and rely on other results going their way to make the finals. The Doves began the day with a 254-run winning target and fell to 2/39.
From there, Doveton assumed control with a host of contributors, including Ryan McMurray (75 with five fours and four sixes) and Ryan Hendy (47).
Shane Doig was the pick of the bowlers with 6/93, but the Doves proved too good.
@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South d Cranbourne
CRANBOURNE received a 145-run spanking at the hands of Springvale South at Casey Fields on the weekend.
The Eagles began their pursuit of the Bloods’ 337 well with a 75-run opening wicket stand, but disaster struck from then on.
Six batsmen combined for just two runs as Cranbourne fell to 6/118 before eventually being bowled out for 192. Bobby Gray was the chief destroyer with 3/22, ahead of two others with multiple wickets.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF TWO
Fountain Gate d Berwick
FOUNTAIN Gate maintained its stellar form to beat Berwick by 37 runs at Max Pawsey Reserve on Saturday.
Berwick felt the wrath of Fountain Gate’s opening bowlers to slump to 3/5 and then 4/28 in response to the latter’s 215.
The Bears began to show more fight from then on, but were never a realistic chance as Fountain Gate continually took timely wickets.
Nick Scanlon took the outstanding figures of 4/26 to seal his team’s finals position.
@BT Sub Sport News:St Brigids-St Louis d Hampton Park
HAMPTON Park sustained a disappointing 11-run loss to St Brigids-St Louis at Booth Reserve on the weekend.
The team began the day at 8/104 with St Brigids-St Louis’ 124 within sight.
The result did not take long to wrap up as Hampton Park lost Stephen Boltong (26) on 105 before Lachlan McLean (4) succumbed to hand victory to its opponents.
Tom Stillman, with bowling figures of 4/47, was the match-winner for St Brigids-St Louis after top-scoring with 38 the previous weekend.
@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South d Doveton North
DOVETON North’s winless season continued with a five-wicket loss to Springvale South at Alex Nelson Reserve on Saturday.
The Bloods stormed past Doveton North’s miserable 171 and finished up scoring 6/287. Billy Layug (112) top-scored and Ben Goodey (106 not out) joined him above the century mark to pace their side.
Batting again, Doveton North crumbled to 4/42 before managing to just avoid an outright defeat and finishing on 6/101.
@BT Sub Sport News:Coomoora d Maranatha Methodist
MARANATHA Methodist endured a heartbreaking one-wicket loss to Coomoora at Strathaird Reserve on the weekend.
It took it right up to the ladder-leaders, but Coomoora opener Andrew King’s unbeaten 122 carried his team over the line.
Maranatha Methodist set a challenging target of 8/256 the previous weekend and had its opponents 5/106 before Rizan Mowzoon (78) joined King to change the direction of the match.
Mowzoon’s dismissal with the score on 218 opened the contest up again and Maranatha Methodist managed to claim the ninth wicket at 252. Number 11 Jamie Saleem (8 not out) proved more than capable to help his side to the win.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hallam Kalora Park d Lyndale
HALLAM Kalora Park thumped Lyndale by 227 runs at Barry Powell Reserve on Saturday.
The target of 365 was always going to be formidable for lowly Lyndale, and so it proved as Mark Houeix (4/27) ran through the batting line-up.
Lyndale collapsed to 7/79 before a mini-recovery from Matt Gallagher (28 not out) and Keith Ash (15), but it was never going to be enough.
The team was eventually all out for 138.
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD d North Dandenong
HSD scrambled to a one-wicket victory over North Dandenong to give its finals chances a pulse at Lois Twohig Reserve on the weekend.
At 4/131, HSD was cruising towards North Dandenong’s 167 before Wayne Taylor (6/91) exploded into action.
Taylor snared the next three wickets and HSD was suddenly 9/162.
Fortunately, HSD had a solid pair together for the 10th wicket and managed to eek out the final few runs.
