Berwick remains undefeated after five rounds in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 1 competition after the Bears took the six points from Dandenong West with an impressive run chase.
The five-wicket win showed why Berwick is one of the most feared teams in the competition, chasing down the target of 296 with nine balls to spare.
Number three batsman Jake Hancock (109 not out) and skipper Michael Wallace (99) were clinical in the victory, batting time and scoring the bulk of the runs.
Wallace praised Hancock for his brilliant performance and couldn’t be happier with the mature way in which his team attacked the run chase.
“Chasing close to 300 is always a good task, so it was good to get it done after it came down to the very end – we kept wickets in hand which was good,” Wallace said.
“I told the boys that if we bat out the overs, we would be there at the end.
“No matter how slow we batted or how well they bowled, it would open up at some point.”
After a strong showing from Riley Siwes and his team last week, the pressure was on Berwick to bat well.
Opener Jarryd Wills (8) was the first to depart after popping one up to mid-on off the consistent bowling of Dinesh Kulasekara, while teammate Lachlan Brown pushed on.
Brown had scored a well-made 38 when he snicked off to a nice ball from Dandenong West fast bowler Joel Zietsman.
It was make or break as captain Wallace joined Hancock at the crease with the score sitting a 2/55.
What followed was the best and most important partnership of Berwick’s season so far, as the pair combined for 181 runs.
They defended when they had to and saw off some good overs from Zietsman and Kulasekara.
Hancock’s temperament was all class as he patiently occupied the crease, while Wallace matched him at the other end.
“It was about putting value on our wicket and when we did get that partnership going, it was about extending that for as long as we can and then it generally gets easier,” he said.
“It was really enjoyable, we enjoy being able to work through different phases of the game together.”
With wickets in hand heading into the final 10 overs and a required run rate of about five per over, the Bears were in a good spot.
Wallace was dismissed on 99 after Malinga Bandara trapped him LBW, but most of the damage had been done.
Bandara then removed Vinuda Liyanage (13) and Jordan Cleland (22), but not before Cleland hit a six to bring the equation down to just four runs required from nine balls.
Hancock remained the anchor throughout the innings, reaching 109 not out and finishing the match with a flick off the pads for four in the 79th over to score the winning runs.
The reliable opener now brings his season tally to 232 runs at an average of 116, which means he is the most prolific run scorer in Turf 1.
The win moves Berwick to a perfect 4–0 start and sets up a blockbuster top-of-the-table clash with Buckley Ridges this weekend – a match that looks like a potential grand final preview.
“They are obviously last year’s premiers and they are on top of the ladder for a reason, we think our skillset is up to beating anyone,” Wallace said.
“We have them in the two-dayer and then the one-dayer, so it will be good to see how the two level up against each other.”
