By Justin Schwarze
For the final time this season, the format of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association switched to two-day matches with the finals well and truly in sight.
First day action in A Grade saw wonderful knocks from Kooweerup opener Cullen Anderson and Brannon Harrison, as Cullen brought up a ton and Harrison notched 64 to lift the Demons to a commanding score of 330.
Clyde came out to bat the final six overs of the day, and a late wicket has the Cougars at 1/11 overnight.
A nice half century from Majinder Singh guided Cranbourne Meadows to post 261 with Pakenham 0/15 in the chase.
Tooradin will look to defend 174 after Tom Rodgers posted 50 for the Seagulls.
They began their defence by taking two Merinda Park wickets, as the Cobras sit at 2/38 at stumps.
Mick Floyd’s three-wicket haul for Devon Meadows helped hold Cardinia to 147 before the Bulls responded with three poles, leaving the Panthers at 3/58 at the end of the day.
Officer put themselves in the driver’s seat in B Grade as they bowled out Pakenham Upper Toomuc for 93, thanks to four wickets from Stefan De Silva and three from Lachie James.
The Bullants lost two wickets in the 19 overs they had to bat, settling for 2/26 at stumps.
Raj Singh posted 55 for Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll, but his side has a lot of work to do defending 120 and Pakenham being 0/56 in the chase.
A grinded out half century from Steven Russell aided Clyde to post 161, before Tooradin was able to make 48 runs in the remaining 18 overs in the day.
Emerald trails by 96 runs with eight wickets in hand against Upper Beaconsfield after Anthony Cobban took 5/28 for the Bombers.
It was runs galore on day one of the C Grade matchup of Melbourne Sixers and Merinda Park, with Chris Smith notching a half century and Leigh Smith bringing up 90 on the Cobras’ way to 8/277.
Melbourne Sixers will take the bat to open day two.
Kooweerup put on a show against Kerala Strikers, placing 8/380 on the board as Andrew McInnes and Mathew Bright combined for 290.
McInnes scored a stellar 183 not out, blasting it off 150 deliveries, including 19 fours.
Bright had 107 of his own, hitting 11 fours as he blazed his way to a long-awaited first century of his career.
Bright has won an incredible eight Premier Division flags for the Demons!
Carlisle Park trails Cardinia by just 14 runs with five wickets in hand, as Dylan Anderson took 5/27 despite 51 from Bulls batter Jye Shaw-Remy and Lachie Boswell taking all five wickets in defence.
David Fisher claimed five scalps for Devon Meadows, which was retaliated by Darren Kneebone’s valiant 60 for Officer.
The innings from Kneebone brought the Bullants’ total to 203, as the Bulls look to chase on day two.
In D Grade, Russell Little’s 52 for Pakenham was the only resistance against a six-wicket bag from Andrew Ferrier for Emerald.
Emerald will resume at the crease at 2/52 chasing 130.
Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll held Merinda Park to 116 due to the dominant 6/15 off 11.2 overs from Nick Mueller.
Nar Nar-Goon Maryknoll is 1/50 overnight.
Addison Tucker’s 4/18 ripped through Kooweerup, as Pakenham Upper Toomuc chases 107, being 1/51 at stumps.
In bizarre scenes, Officer reached 9/315 as Oseem Dhawan scored a wonderful 128 and Musashi Guruswamy added 52.
Kerala Strikers desperately tried to get the pair out, bowling 11 total bowlers for the innings.
A late wicket for Officer in E Grade left Melbourne Sixers at 1/7 when play resumes.
The hosts chase 194 after Shannon Marum notched a half century for the Bullants.
Pakenham Upper Toomuc are 0/8 as they look to reach the target of 157 set by Devon Meadows.
Nital Tawde’s four wickets set the tone for Carlisle Park’s current pursuit of 166 set by Cardinia.
Ray Perkins made things interesting, claiming two wickets before the end of the day’s play, meaning the Vikings are 2/26.
Half centuries to Adam Roseby, Sam Crotty and Robert Blackwell was enough for Pakenham to cruise to 9/312 before Clyde takes the bat on day two.
