By Gavin Staindl
THE final round of the Dandenong and District Cricket Association season kicked of on Saturday and while the top four remains settled, the race to avoid relegation is anything but.
St Mary’s, Keysborough and Narre Warren are all playing for their Turf One lives as each is in jeopardy of dropping down a grade.
Excluding a minor miracle, Buckley Ridges, Springvale South, Parkfield and Berwick will qualify for finals.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE WARREN v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
Springvale South’s Tim Ford has single-handedly ripped the heart out of Narre Warren’s first innings at Sweeney Reserve.
Ford (8/37) took seven wickets in just over an hour as the Magpies fell from 1/80 to 9/98.
Sitting only half a game from relegation, Narre Warren’s Dwayne Scott (38 not out) and Jamie Croon (31) consolidated for a 63-run last wicket stand as the Magpies finished on 161 from 63 overs.
Springvale South is 3/33 at stumps and looking for the win to secure second place.
@BT Sub Sport News:DANDENONG WEST v DOVETON
A ton to Dandenong West’s David Weerden has all but ended Doveton’s hope of sneaking into the finals at Greaves Reserve.
Doveton needed to win outright to qualify for finals, but Weerden’s (105) knock has led his team to 207 and given it the upper hand on day one.
At stumps Doveton was in peril at 4/27.
@BT Sub Sport News:BERWICK v KEYSBOROUGH
Keysborough has timely saved its best for last, notching up 204 against finals-bound Berwick at Arch Brown Reserve.
Faced with a win-or-be-relegated situation, Keysborough’s batting line-up combined to record its highest score of the season, giving itself a fighting chance to jump off the bottom of the ladder.
Shiran Rajakaruna (37) top scored for Keysborough, while Berwick reached 13 without loss at the end of the day’s play.
@BT Sub Sport News:BUCKLEY RIDGES v HALLAM KALORA PARK
Hallam-Kalora Park has held up in the face of strong resistance to register 190 from its 80 overs at Park Oval. Facing one of the most dangerous bowling attacks in Turf One, Hallam, led by Cory (70) and Leigh Booth (36), bounced back from its poor total of 61 last week to register its third highest score for the season.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:FOUNTAIN GATE v COOMOORA
It was certainly a day for the bowlers as Fountain Gate snuck in a first innings victory after only making 77 at Max Pawsey Reserve.
Coomoora’s Robert Johnston (5/18) snatched up five wickets as Fountain Gate were bowled out for 77, only to have the Gators’ Tim McLaren (5/5) wrap up Coomoora’s innings for 65.
In the second innings Johnston (2/0) had Fountain Gate 2/1 at stumps.
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE NORTH v LYNDALE
Narre North’s chances of making finals are quickly slipping after it lost three early wickets in reply to Lyndale’s 178 at Narre North Reserve.
Narre North’s Shane Luck took four wickets but his team-mates will be looking for him to rectify the performance he had with the bat three weeks ago where he made 114 against Coomoora.
At stumps Narre North is 3/28.
@BT Sub Sport News:SOUTHERN PIRATES v HSD
The Southern Pirates appear destined for relegation as HSD need only 28 runs to condemn the Pirates to Turf Three.
The Pirates need to win to advance from the bottom of the ladder but HSD still has eight wickets in the shed as it chases down the Southern Pirates’ total of 105 at Wachter Reserve.
@BT Sub Sport News:MARANATHA v CRANBOURNE
Cranbourne is eyeing off first place after nearly claiming an outright win over Maranatha in the first day’s play at Strathaird Reserve.
Cranbourne’s Kyle Brooke (5/23) took five wickets to help dismiss Maranatha for 42 and later chipped in with 21 not out as Cranbourne declared for 7/129 with first innings points intact.
In response, Cranbourne’s Jason Toan already had four wickets to his name as Maranatha stumbled to 7/55, still 32 runs behind.
@BT Sub Sport News:HAMPTON PARK v BUCKLEY RIDGES
Hampton Park is only two runs away from taking the first innings at Booth Reserve.
Hampton Park’s Chris Bateman (5/26) led the bowling attack that skittled Buckley for 91 runs and later contributed with the bat making 18 runs as Hampton Park finished the day at 7/90.
