By Jonty Ralphsmith
Upper Beaconsfield is peaking at the right time in the CCCA District competition, playing close to a complete game to win its way through to the decider against Officer.
Forced to absorb a series of partnerships from Cranbourne Meadows, skipper Will Haines was pleased with the bowling performance, Nick Pastras, Kyle Gibbs, and Andrew McDonald all picking up multiple wickets to bowl Cranbourne out for 172.
Star number three batter Imesh Jayasekara led the way with the bat, scoring an enterprising unbeaten 113, after Josh Westra survived a tricky period late on day one.
Pastras also contributed a punchy 38 with the bat.
“It was really pleasing from a bowling perspective that the boys ground it out all day,” Haines said.
“I think everyone contributed in one way or another and we fielded well so it was good to keep them to 170 on a ground that is fairly small and quick.”
The skipper was particularly full of praise for Jayasekara, who has now scored two centuries and two half-centuries for the season, though most of the damage came before Christmas, highlighting the significance of Sunday’s innings.
“It was a classy innings,” Haines said.
“He was very patient and waited for the bad balls to cash in on.
“He kept them out when he needed to because there were several periods where they bowled a few maidens in a row bowling tight to a good field but he stuck it out through that.
“It was the perfect innings really.”
Despite coming into the game having lost the two games between themselves and Officer, Haines is confident.
“It’s completely different this time around,” Haines said.
“You just have to put those games behind you and know we played poorly in those games so we’ll approach it as a new game where everyone is in the same boat feeling the same amount of pressure.
“We’re basically back at square one so we’ll approach it from that angle I think.
“We picked up a few things about a few of their batters and ways to approach them – we’ve got some tactics in mind for a few of their guys and we’ll approach our bowling innings a bit better too.
“The batting we didn’t make many runs but it was just one of those days where it all goes wrong so I don’t think you take too much out of it.”
