Doveton recruit Nick Marshall, who belted three fours in his 12-run innings, hit out once too often (Pic1) and was caught by Springvale South’s Peter Ryan (Pic2) at Robinson Reserve on Saturday. Pictures: Stewart Chambers.By Marc McGowan and Paul Pickering
ANOTHER sun-drenched weekend greeted the Dandenong District Cricket Association and the action was just as hot on the field.
In Turf One, Parkfield and Cranbourne pipped Berwick and Coomoora respectively, Narre Warren fell way short of St Mary’s and reigning premier Springvale South massacred Doveton.
Turf Two was packed with huge successes and disappointing defeats, with the victors being Maranatha Methodist (St Brigid’s-St Louis), Hallam-Kalora Park (Lyndale), HSD (Fountain Gate) and Berwick (Hampton Park).
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF ONE
St Mary’s d Narre Warren
Having grafted out a handy total of 228 and secured two Narre Warren wickets before stumps the previous weekend, St Mary’s was poised to strike on Saturday morning.
But the Magpies mounted a rear-guard action through skipper Wendell Perumal (42), Duane Hughes (46) and Matt Darvell (21) on the second morning, taking the total to 4/112.
As stout as Perumal and Hughes had been in combining for 86 in some 281 balls, the mid-to-lower order provided little resistance – capitulating to be all out for 170.
Emmanuel Coomaraswamy (4/42) – who had picked up the vital two wickets the previous week – added another pair of scalps, while Jake Needham took 2/28 from his 15 overs.
@BT Sub Sport News:Parkfield d Berwick
Parkfield produced the first upset of the season on Saturday by rolling Berwick by 13 runs at Arch Brown Reserve.
After posting 7/250 in its innings, Parkfield was confident of defending its total.
In response, Berwick was cruising at 1/72 before losing three wickets for just three runs.
But it battled on, with captain Ash Henry (44) and Gavan Wills (34) providing typical fight and leadership.
They forged a 78-run alliance and Brad Molineux (36) and Ryan Crawford (31) also contributed to take the Bears to the brink of victory.
It was not to be, however, as the one-two bowling punch of Hemantha Alles (3/54) and Shane Doig (3/72) combined to dismiss Berwick for 237.
@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South d Doveton
Springvale South followed up last week’s imperial batting display with an impressive team bowling performance on Saturday, dismantling Doveton to win by 157 runs.
Defending 8/305, Springvale South’s frontline attack of Gavin Fewkes (3/32), Nick Bole-Brown (2/22), Danny Law (1/15) and Brad Sessler (1/23) ensured that there was no respite for the struggling Doves batsman.
But it was Andrew Sharp who again stole the show, taking 3/21 from five overs to add to his unbeaten 75 with the bat.
Sharp has now taken 6/41 and scored 122 runs without being dismissed in his two matches.
For the hapless Doves, only Daniel Raines (54) was willing and able to take-on the Springvale South attack.
@BT Sub Sport News:Cranbourne d Coomoora
Cranbourne consigned turf-one newcomer Coomoora to its second straight defeat in a thriller at Coomoora Reserve on Saturday.
The 10-run victory kicked off what is expected to be an improved season for the Eagles.
There were worrying times in the fixture for Cranbourne, however, particularly after struggling to 228 and watching as the Roos went to stumps 22 runs without loss.
But it was a far more hostile environment for Coomoora’s batsmen on the weekend, with the Eagles pouring on the pressure.
Man-of-the-match Shane Murdoch followed up his team – leading 69 with the willow to record the best figures of 3/49.
Despite Murdoch’s performance, the Roos were solid all day and looked to have done enough when they crept to 8/218.
Unfortunately, they failed to add another run as Robert Johnston was run out and then Matt Moore (2/33) uprooted the stumps of Carlos Hereford to seal the result.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF TWO
Maranatha Methodist d St Brigid’s-St Louis
A stunning batting collapse by St Brigid’s-St Louis handed Maranatha Methodist its first triumph of 2007-08 at Bondi Oval on the weekend.
Looking to trump Maranatha Methodist’s 7/228, St Brigid’s-St Louis made an encouraging start courtesy of Adrian Cole (32) and Mark Jamieson (28).
But when Jamieson departed with the score on 62, the Cave’s chances went with him.
In the blink of an eye, St Brigid’s-St Louis was 7/84 and Liam Toole had four wickets.
Tom Stillman (32) tried to lift his side, but the Toole show carried on and he finished with six scalps for just 19 runs.
Michael McKay (2/32) was the other multiple wicket taker as the Cave was bowled out for 129.
St Brigid’s-St Louis reached 6/126 in its second dig.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hallam-Kalora Park d Lyndale
In what is shaping as the first of several lopsided matches involving Hallam-Kalora Park, last season’s runner-up crushed Lyndale by 244 runs at Hallam Recreation Reserve.
The contest was an embarrassing mismatch from the outset.
English star Steve Chapman (147) led Hallam-Kalora Park to a mammoth total of 6/370 on day one and, in response, Lyndale was never in the hunt.
Mark Houeix (3/19) took three early wickets to have Lyndale 5/37 and it rarely got better for the visitors.
Captain Rory Ingram (52) was the only Lyndale batsman to top 15 and only three reached double digits.
Andrew Lee (4/36) claimed two of the last three victims to steal the bowling honours as Lyndale was dismissed for 126.
Hallam-Kalora Park was 2/58 when the game was called to an early close.
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD d Fountain Gate
HSD confirmed it will be a big danger to opposition teams this season with a dominant outright thrashing of Fountain Gate at Reedy Reserve on the weekend.
It declared its first innings at 8/236 after bowling the Gators out for a measly 93.
Adam Semmens (102) and Scott Brandon (72) did the bulk of the damage with the bat, while Daniel Bartlett (5/94) was the lone bright spot for Fountain Gate.
Only Robert Mullen (41) provided any resistance in the Gators’ second appearance at the crease and they were similarly disgraced in falling for 130.
Paul Stockdale snared 3/42 to give him match figures of 5/53.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick d Hampton Park
A daunting run chase proved too much for Hampton Park as it succumbed by 89 runs to Berwick at Booth Reserve on Saturday.
The Bears’ batsmen slapped the Redbacks’ attack all over the field on day one of the encounter on their way to an imposing 5/332.
Plenty of Hampton Park’s bladesmen then made starts, but none could go on with the job as the run rate continued to rise.
Daniel Langley (53 not out) was a surprise down the order, but it came too late, with captain Clinton Gilpin the next best with 35 from the opening slot.
Adam Watson managed several crucial wickets on his way to a team-best 3/92 to help restrict the Redbacks to 7/243.
