By RUSSELL BENNETT
WEST GIPPSLAND CRICKET ASSOCIATION
IF the best leaders are those who lead by example, then Tooradin captain Aaron Avery is surely in the elite group of Premier skippers.
He led from the front on Saturday with a pair of brilliant individual contributions – 100 and 6/32 – to steer Tooradin to an emphatic win over fellow title hopefuls, Kooweerup.
The Seagulls started nervously with openers Sean Wilson (4) and Tom Hussey (20) falling early, but Avery steadied in a 68-run stand with big Cal O’Hare (40).
The visitors ultimately reached 5/213 from their 40 overs before skittling the Demons for just 118.
Avery (6/32) quickly converted his imposing form with the bat into a starring performance with the cherry, tearing through the Demons’ batting line-up in eight brutal overs.
But Avery was a little too modest in summing up his own performance. Of course, he had made the most of some good luck when Scott Clark dropped a caught-and-bowled chance when Avery was yet to score.
“It was just one of those days, I suppose,” Avery said.
“I guess I felt pretty good in the nets this week.
“But the overall result was really pleasing – we put a big emphasis on beating Kooweerup.”
Avery praised teenage quick Luke Adams, who was elevated into the side from Sub-District to take the new ball following a hamstring injury to Steve Hamill. The youngster finished with 1/20 from his eight overs and looked at ease out in the middle.
“I’ve always said that we’re only as good as our second XI,” Avery said.
“We’ve got boys coming up and earning their spot and I thought Lukey was super impressive.
“I thought we bowled and fielded pretty well overall, actually.
“We were 2/30-odd with the bat and had a heap of work to do at one stage.
“Doley (Shane Dole) ran Cal out with a brilliant direct hit from a straight-ish cover when he only really had one stump to aim at and that hurt because Cal has been hitting the ball beautifully lately.”
With Pakenham knocking off Merinda Park on Saturday, Tooradin now moves two games clear on top of the Premier ladder.
The Lions began day two of their clash with the Cobras in search of quick runs – a chance to make an indelible mark on the contest and put their hands up as legitimate premiership threats.
Starting Saturday’s play on 7/168 from 53 overs, Pakenham wasted no time getting to work.
“We had (Jack) Anning and (Brody) Pearse at the crease to start the day,” skipper Dom Paynter said.
“I asked them to get us to 200 and they did that on the dot.
“I guess it’s a bit of a mental edge – 200 looks a lot better than 199.
“Those two scored at about a run a ball and I couldn’t have asked for any more than that.
“They were just positive between the wickets and they played their shots.”
Pakenham reached 9/200 (cc) in 60 overs, taking the fight right up to the Cobras at Donnelly Reserve.
Despite a shaky start, Merinda Park was well in the contest at 3/130, thanks to a 113-run stand between opener Matt Grayson (65) and Glen Ward (57).
But Russ Lehman (5/44) stepped up with a clutch bowling effort, finishing with a five-wicket haul and demoralising the Cobras’ middle and lower orders as the home side fell for 178 in its reply.
“Any time you beat Merinda Park, especially at home, it’s something to feel pretty good about,” Paynter explained.
“We got a couple of quick wickets before drinks, but Grayson and Ward really stood up.
“It’s probably the biggest partnership scored against us all season so far.
“We probably bowled one bad ball per over and that helped them really solidify things.
“They made the most of the bad balls and we just didn’t nip it in the bud.”
The skipper reserved special praise for Lehman’s bowling effort, saying: “Russ was just awesome.
“He bowled uphill into the breeze and I thought he lifted a few of his team mates up with him.
“It was a really good spell.”
The Lions return to Toomuc Reserve this week for just their second home game of the season so far – a blockbuster against Kooweerup.
DISTRICTNNG/Maryknoll 149 (S. Lewis 47, J. Lownds 36, G. Bradshaw 6/20) d Cranbourne Meadows 8/132(cc) (L. Murdoch 51*, B. Guinane 29, S. Somers 4/22, V. Van Strijp 3/22).
Beaconsfield 4/177 (B. Johnson 74*, B. Miles 41, R. O’Connor 27, L. Otten 2/50) d SFX Old Collegians 82 (S. Shepherdson 30, R. O’Connor 4/20, M. Meehan 3/19, G. Scales 2/22). Devon Meadows 7/220 (D. O’Brien 55, L. Carroll 51*, A. Travaglia 26, K. Brooke 3/58, A. Buller 2/42) d Clyde 7/211(cc) (G. Adams 101*, S. Webster 28, M. Davidson 3/28, P. Zauner 2/101).
Lyndhurst Vikings 172 (A. Straughair 49, J. Fitzgerald 37, T. Keily 6/81, D. Brown 2/43) d Catani 147 (G. Zekic 34, R. Kortholt 28, L. Keily 25, H. Straughair 4/38, N. Macdonald 3/16).
SUB-DISTRICT
Cardinia 6/178(cc) (P. Nolen 49, B. Darose 44*, D. Salvato 36, C. Fulton 3/32, R. Caddell 2/22) d Lang Lang 166 (B. Christensen 37, S. Cole 31, S. Baker 27, J. Grima 25, T. Wheller 3/33, B. Darose 2/16, L. Plozza 2/22, J. Browne 2/35).
Tooradin 5/221(cc) (M. Ralph 85, S. Clarke 73, C. Smith 2/17, L. Harrison 2/44) d Upper Beaconsfield 7/97 (A. Adams 3/29, S. Birtchnell 2/19).
Officer 5/201(cc) (B. McHugh 65*, J. Longmuir 55*, P. Singh 49, T. Lehman 2/41, D. Lucas 2/52) d Pakenham 188 (S. Webster 62, B. Irvine 27, J. Quinn 6/41).
Nyora 189 (A. Tagliaferro 62, J. Dixon 33, P. Hendry 31*, D. Waite 4/20, N. Powell 3/9) d Clyde 125 (N. O’Brien 39*, G. Hackett 4/34, G. Easton 2/3).
