Just like a teenager with pimples; a first blemish has appeared on the skin of Merinda Park (7/226) after a rejuvenated Pakenham (8/230) produced a perfectly-timed run chase at Lochaven Reserve on Saturday.
The undefeated Cobras were expected to handle the visiting Lions with ease, but Pakenham prevailed on a day where only one team inside the top four – Carlisle Park – celebrated the overwhelming joy of success.
The Cobras appeared well in control after the toss of the coin and the first 40 overs of the match, after skipper Leigh Paterson elected to set a target.
Paterson’s top-order guns fired as they have done all season, with Jordan King (72) and Cambell Bryan (65) sharing a 109-run stand for the second wicket.
King and Cambell cashed in on anything loose, cracking nine and 10 boundaries respectively throughout their innings.
The Lions fought back well through the middle stages of their bowling effort, claiming 3/44 to turn a 1/127 scoreline into 4/171; with King and Cambell both back in the sheds and unstrapping their pads.
But the Cobras lost little in regards to momentum, with Ash Slater (35) and Paterson (24 not out) finishing off the ‘target setting’ at a lot better than a run a ball.
Ken McLeod (3/20) was the pick of the bowlers for the Lions, while Lachlan Taylor (2/22) took the crucial wicket of King to lead the Lions’ fightback.
Despite the Lions brave effort in the field…Merinda Park was still well in front at half time.
Pakenham then timed its run-chase to perfection; anchored by the innings of left-handed opener Steve Insall (70 off 90 balls); propelled by Jackson Myers (49 off 41) through the middle overs and tipped over the line by handy contributions from many.
The Lions only lost two wickets in the opening 20 overs of their innings, with Glenn Perera (16) and Mitchell Varty (13) both being run out in the search for much needed runs.
Insall and Myers were the not out batters at the drinks break, the Lions 2/94 and still requiring 133 runs at 6.7 per over.
The Lions were terrific in the third quarter of their innings, striking 2/74; with Myers particularly damaging, taking 14 and 12 from the overs of King and Paterson respectively.
Josh Murray (28) then took over from where Insall and Myers left off, keeping the Lions on target with some very impressive hitting.
The Lions cruised to victory in the end, needing just seven runs from the last three overs of the match.
McLeod (4 not out) nudged a single from the first ball of the 40th over, before the experienced Rob Elston (7 not out) caressed a boundary from the next ball to get the Lions across the line with four balls to spare.
Sasindu Perera (2/35) and Paterson (2/51) were the multiple wicket-takers for the Cobras, who failed to stem the flow when the Lions went on the attack.
The Lions host third-placed Tooradin this week, while the Cobras will look to rebound on their away trip to Emerald.
At Carlisle Park, second and third on the ladder – Carlisle Park (9/117) and Tooradin (116) – played out a thrilling low-scoring contest that lasted just 60 overs.
Tooradin batted first and lost Cooper Shipp (0) first ball, before Thomas Rudeforth (31), Liam Simpson (27) and Luke Adams (24) repelled the best of a very strong bowling line up.
Adam Hollingworth (4/11 off 7) had a huge impact for the Vikings, while Jaan Balasuriya (2/19) and Rob Fuller (2/20) also contributed well to a brilliant effort in the field.
Chasing just 117 for victory, the Vikings were in the box seat.
But the Seagulls would not give up without a fight, with the combined efforts of Cody Mannix (2/16), Simpson (2/23), Adams (2/26) and Tom Rodgers (2/29) putting their team in a winning position.
The longest the Seagulls went was five overs without a wicket.
When Mannix removed Fuller for a duck, the Vikings were 8/92 and staring down the barrel of defeat.
But some lusty hitting from Hollingworth (18 not out) broke the back of the Seagulls and saw the Vikings home with just one wicket left in the sheds.
In other games this week, Kooweerup (9/190) produced somewhat of a surprise with a 19-run victory over fourth-placed Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (171) at Denhams Road.
Matt Davey (38), Paul Bright (35), Josh Hobson (24) and Ethan McDonald (23) helped the Demons to a competitive score, before McDonald (4/28) completed a brilliant all-round performance by bowling his team to success.
Sohail Sadiq (3/25), Lachlan De Zilwa (37) and Allan Collins (30 were best for the boiled Yabbies.
Emerald (7/166), meanwhile, kept its faint finals hopes alive with a run-chase victory over Nar Nar Goon (163) at Spencer Street.
Skipper Troy Ferguson (70) batted well for the Goon, against some solid sets sent down by James Sherrin (3/26), Ethan Crosher (2/13) and veteran Clinton Marsh (2/31).
Wil Taylor (3/19), Will Selleck (2/20) and Ketan Bakshi (2/28) then put the Goon in a winning position, the visiting Bombers sitting precariously placed at 7/108.
But the Goon struck a drought, with unbeaten knocks from Sheerin (38 not out) and Marsh (21 not out) leading to a match-winning 58-run stand.
And finally, Cardinia (4/187) finds itself just one game outside the top four after a well-timed chase against Clyde (184) at Clyde.
The Cougars had seven players reach double figures before tea, with only Nuwan Kariyawasam (43) and skipper John Simpson (28) having anything resembling major impact.
Sahin Ayres (3/29), Trent Wheller (3/30) and Raj Khatusuria (2/49) troubled the Cougars at times, providing the Bulls with a chance to hunt down a moderate score.
And hunt they did, with Brad Reiner (76 not out) playing a perfectly-placed captain’s innings, while Justin Berry (34), Brad Remy (27) and Wheller (27 not out) helped Reiner achieve the target with 15 balls to spare.
Looking ahead, the best match up of round 10 sees fourth-placed Pakenham Upper/Toomuc host second-placed Carlisle Park.
