By Jonty Ralphsmith and Marcus Uhe
Everywhere you looked in Casey Cardinia Cricket Association lower grades on the weekend, there were highlights.
There were five centuries, multiple scores in the 90s, and a seven-wicket haul, as players from across the league stood up on day one of the last home-and-away fixture of the season.
A GRADE
Paul Bright has continued his fantastic season for Kooweerup, helping the Demons to set an excellent day-one score against Officer.
Bright hit 131, his second hundred for the campaign, as his side scored 7/273 from their 70 overs.
The Demons now need to defend their day-one total to remove the Bullants from the top-four and take their part in the finals series.
Bright – a multiple first XI premiership player with the Demons – has now scored 600 runs across the Premier (96) and A Grade (504) competitions this season at the fantastic average of 66.
With the Demons’ Premier Division side having not made 200 in their last four hits, Bright would be almost a certainty to gain a promotion for week one of finals.
Daniel Irvine was the pick of the Officer bowlers with 3/74.
At Donnelly Recreation Reserve, Sony Bhullar’s excellent form with the ball for Merinda Park continued as he claimed a seven-wicket haul against Pakenham.
He’s now taken 20 wickets for the Cobras in their last four games and has 26 scalps for the year at an average of 11.
His exploits assisted in rolling Pakenham for 210, as four batters scored in single figures.
Cardinia can push for an outright victory this week against Carlisle Park after eclipsing the Vikings’ first innings total on day one.
Carlisle Park lasted 36 overs before being dismissed for 84, thanks in large part to Brayden Browne’s 5/33, which Cardinia openers Travis Welsh and Tyson Browne reached without losing a wicket.
Clyde, meanwhile, are on the verge of an upset win over ladder-leaders, Tooradin.
The Cougars require another 55 runs with eight wickets in hand to win and guarantee their finals position.
B GRADE
A 181-run third-wicket partnership between Thomas Rudeforth (97) and Wayne Mannix has lifted Tooradin to 4/342 in the final round of the home-and-away season.
Just 50 overs were possible due to rain, with Mannix finishing unbeaten on 149 with 23 boundaries.
His hits over cow, and drives through mid-off in particular, helped the Seagulls motor at a run-rate of nearly seven.
No bowler was able to control the partnership, with Harry Tivendale in particular hammered for 54 off his three overs.
Rudeforth and Mannix came together with the score at 2/103, Peter Stone having set it up with 59 opening the batting.
“I was hitting the ball well and batting with the young fella, Tommy, I was trying to teach him a few things which took my game out of my head to a degree,” Mannix said.
“At the start, we put the bad ones away and then the game plan was to get as many runs in 50 overs as possible and then the rain came.”
“Batting with Tommy freed up my mindset.
“The innings taught me a little bit about my batting, too, I had never been a big thinker, I’m usually more of a hit-the-ball style, but speaking to him made me think about my game.
“I was explaining to him why I hit that shot which kept me in check.
“In the last 10 or 12 overs, we upped the run-rate to about 10.”
The Gulls will this week be seeking to twice bowl out the bottom placed Pakenham Upper Toomuc to jump into the four and qualify for finals.
“It’s definitely the best I’ve ever batted, I’m getting better with age,” Mannix quipped.
Adrian Buller was similarly dominant for Clyde in its clash with Upper Beaconsfield.
The Cougars senior coach set a fine example for his club, scoring 159 off 181 and spending four hours at the crease, accelerating the run-rate, having come in after a cautious start.
His innings was crucial in Clyde having the momentum, for Ben Knowles’ 34 was the second highest score and it came at a strike rate of 33.
Meanwhile, Devon Meadows reached 7/108 in 44 overs against Emerald.
C GRADE
Pakenham has made a statement against Officer in the clash between first and second, establishing a commanding position after the first day.
Officer’s top order failed to fire as they were reduced to 4/10, before reaching 8/95 at the close of play.
Cooper Newnham took three, and Zac Downes and Anthony Ponweera two each for the Lions.
Cardinia openers Kobe Boswell and Jye Remy will be wondering what happened to the rest of their side after an incredible collapse at Toomuc Reserve against Devon Meadows.
Boswell (40) and Remy (38) were the only batters to score in double figures, putting on 68, but their team could manage just 112.
Shane Fisher (4/15) was the main destroyer for the Panthers.
The fixture between NNG/Maryknoll and Lang Lang did not go ahead at James Bathe Reserve and the sides will play a one-day contest this week.
D GRADE
Emerald pair Ian Crosher and Noah Van Haren both registered centuries to put their side on the front foot against Clyde.
Crosher came to the crease at 2/25 and steadied, before accelerating as he and Van Haren came together.
Crosher finished on 113 off 147 and Van Haren on 125 off 131, each managing 12 boundaries as their innings were built on productive strike rotation.
All 11 Cougars were given a trundle to try and break the 214-run partnership, with the eleventh option, Blake Russell, being the man who got the breakthrough.
He claimed Crosher caught and bowled with the score at 285.
Jack Raukola and Alex Barbour came to the crease once the pair were dismissed and continued the run-fest, with 38 off 31 and 19 off 11 respectively.
An unbeaten 96 to Steve Pursell continued his strong season and helped Officer to 7/203 against Kooweerup.
And there was several cameos, but only David Auld was able to pass 50 as Pakenham set a target of 236 for Cardinia next week.
E GRADE
A 184-run partnership between Tooradin’s Chase Harris (98) and Noah Langham (82) resurrected the Gulls innings against Pakenham.
Sitting at 3/36, the pair came together and scored briskly to help Tooradin reach 8/250, despite a Darcy Jones (5/73) five-wicket haul.
Officer was sent in by Lang Lang and reached 5/100 before rain intervened in the 45th over.
And Nar Nar Goon Maryknoll bowled 40 overs at Pakenham Upper Toomuc, which scored 3/89, with Matt Southwell (46) the key contributor.
F GRADE
A sparkling 94 from Leigh Smith has Merinda Park (5/209) in a strong position after day one of their contest with Devon Meadows.
The Cobras take a 84-run lead in to day two after Devon Meadows managed 5/125.
Upper Beaconsfield and Pakenham’s clash will be one to watch next week, with fourth place on the line.
The Maroons made 5/125 while the Lions managed 0/16 off four overs in reply.
Kooweerup had the bye.
ONE-DAY COMP
Devon Meadows (3/110) and Carlisle Park (7/120) will meet in Saturday’s One-Day grand final after respective victories over Tooradin (109) and Emerald (9/106) in semi-finals on the weekend.
At the time of going to press – a venue was yet to be determined.
