By Gavin Staindl
WITH only four rounds until the Dandenong and District Cricket Association Turf One finals, Berwick and Hallam-Kalora Park remain in charge of the competition after the round eight one-dayers.
But as five teams remain within a game of third position and teams are moving up and down the ladder like yo-yos, the race for the final two spots will go right to the line.
Turf One
@BT Sub Sport News:Doveton d St Mary’s
Doveton has jumped four spots up the ladder and now sits in sixth place after thoroughly beating St Mary’s by 103 runs at Carroll Reserve.
On a slow pitch, Doveton’s man-of-the-match Ryan Hendy (42) and Ryan Pearson (35) put on 74 for the first wicket to kick start the innings, and only four wickets from Druvie Lorenz Daniel (4/25) kept the eventual Doveton score to 178.
Hendy backed up his batting performance by taking four of the remaining six St Mary’s wickets for only 31 runs as Doveton bowled the home side out for 75.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick d Keysborough
At 1/80, Keysborough was in line to force the greatest upset in Turf One this season, but a batting collapse followed by strong Berwick batting left Keysborough seven wickets short of a victory at Arch Brown Reserve.
Shiran Rajakaruna (49) and Jacob Hennigan (40) both did well in the middle, but Cameron McDonnell (3/19) sparked the batting collapse that reduced Keysborough from 1/80 to all out for 140.
Meanwhile, the Berwick offence that has been so destructive this year again showed their depth with youngster Josh Holden (62*) and captain Paul Evans (62) combining to reach 142 with seven wickets in hand.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hallam-Kalora Park d Narre Warren
Narre Warren’s recent run of form has been emphatically shut down by a nine-wicket belting at the hands of Hallam-Kalora Park at Sweeney Reserve.
Narre Warren has won three of the past four games but were undone firstly by the Hallam Kalora Park bowling line up and then a hundred-run second-wicket partnership. Steven Chapman (3/16) and Martin Jakins (2/24) tore apart the Narre Warren top order as the home side was bowled out for 115.In reply, Hallam-Kalora Park’s Leigh Booth (43 not out) and Cory Booth (60 not out) blasted a 105-run partnership to secure the victory with nine wickets in reserve.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:Heinz Southern Districts d Fountain Gate
HSD is the only team outside the top four with any realistic chance of making finals and although the narrow one-wicket victory over Fountain Gate at Hallam Rec Reserve was not convincing, it still equates to six points on the ladder.
Tight bowling early on by HSD’s Paul Stockdale (3/11) and Noel Davis (3/10) later on in the innings restricted Fountain Gate to 85 runs. HSD opener Adam Semmens (33) took the attack to Fountain Gate but when he was run out, HSD found itself struggling at 8/72.
The ninth wicket fell four runs later and the HSD clubhouse waited nervously as 11th batter Davis (11) held his nerve to see out the final few runs.
@BT Sub Sport News:Dandenong West d Cranbourne
The undefeated Dandenong West continued to trail blaze in first position of the Turf Two ladder after they defeated second-placed Cranbourne by 38 runs at Casey Fields. Anthony Brannan (41) and Chandana Surige Don (38) helped Dandenong West on the way to 8/178.
Soon after, Dandenong West all-rounder Udesha Suraweera (5/29) took five of the six Cranbourne wickets, including the wickets of dangerous pair Jason Hameeteman (43) and Robert Cleland (41).
Cranbourne never recovered and fell to 6/138.
@BT Sub Sport News:Southern Pirates d Maranatha Methodist
Southern Pirates have put themselves in a strong position to avoid relegation after they beat Maranatha by 60 runs at Strathaird Reserve.
With Maranatha sitting third last and Southern Pirates sitting second last on the Turf Two table last week, both teams knew this week would give them the upper hand in the battle to avoid relegation.
Shane Ramage (37) and Chris Perry (39) set up the Southern Pirate win with an 87-opening wicket partnership that led to a team total of 163 while in reply, Peter Atkinson (2/13) finished off Maranatha by restricting them to 103 despite an unbeaten half-century from Jeff Thom.
@BT Sub Sport News:Lyndale d Berwick
Berwick is now in desperate need of a win if it wishes to remain in Turf Two next season after losing to Lyndale at Barry Powell Reserve. Berwick reached 8/128 on the back of Adam Watson (38) and Shaun Butler (36) but could not defend the total with the ball.
Lyndale cruised past the total with four overs and four wickets to spare.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hampton Park d St Brigid’s/St Louis
Hampton Park has beaten St Brigid’s/St Louis by five wickets at Booth Reserve.
Jonathan Rudge (4/19) took the opening four wickets to have St Brigid’s/St Louis in trouble at 4/34 and Matthew Bartlett (3/21) cleaned the up the tail to restrict the visitors to 111.
Hampton Park’s Travis Lacey (30*) came to the crease under duress, but managed to glide his team from a dangerous 4/31 to a winning 5/116 after 24 overs.
