Doveton star Brad Downe enjoyed a successful weekend, snaring 4/22 with the ball and remaining six not-out at stumps against Coomoora at Coomoora Reserve.By Marc McGowan and Paul Pickering
THE Dandenong District Cricket Association’s penultimate round began on the weekend.
With next month’s finals approaching rapidly, Turf One and Two ladder leaders Berwick and HSD suffered early stumbles on the weekend.
Both recovered to put themselves in decent position for day two, but showed their first signs of vulnerability.
Most other results from the top two turf grades went according to the script, however Hallam-Kalora Park was surprisingly challenged for the second consecutive round.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF ONE
St Mary’s v Berwick
After losing three early wickets, Berwick’s stars took over to move their club into a good position against St Mary’s at Carroll Reserve on Saturday.
But, for once, Alex Roberts (1) was not among the runs, with Gavan Wills (119) and Ash Henry (111) stealing the show.
Their centuries were much needed, after the Saints restricted the Bears to 3/15.
Last year’s leading Turf One wicket-taker Emmanuel Coomaraswamy (2/72) had two of the victims and St Mary’s was threatening to produce a boilover.
Wills and Henry stepped in to clobber an innings-saving 214-run partnership before Andrew Haining (3/82) claimed both their scalps.
Some further hitting from Berwick’s middle order pushed the score to 6/285 from its 80 overs.
@BT Sub Sport News:Cranbourne v Buckley Ridges
Cranbourne was unable to hold off a spirited Buckley Ridges attack at Casey Fields on the weekend.
The Eagles made a solid enough start before regular wickets resulted in them being bowled out short of stumps for 193.
The struggling Daniel Diwell (48) top-scored for Cranbourne, while Dean McDonell was next best with 30.
Daniel Watson (4/45) was the pick of the Ridges bowlers, but there were three other multiple wicket takers. The Buckley Ridges opening batsmen chose safety over a few extra runs in the four overs before the end of play, eventually finishing 0/3.
@BT Sub Sport News:Coomoora v Doveton
Coomoora’s finals hopes are hanging by a thread after posting a mediocre total of 134 against lowly Doveton at Coomoora Reserve on Saturday.
The Turf Two premier ’Roos have battled admirably after being promoted this summer, but will need their bowlers to jump all over the Doves next Saturday if they are to remain within striking distance of an unlikely top-four berth.
Doveton pair Brad Downe (4/22) and Corrie Wilson (3/34) ensured a steady fall of wickets throughout the afternoon, while ’Roos skipper Rohan Paulpillai (27) top-scored for the home side.
In reply, the Doves meandered to 1/33 from 24 overs before stumps and will be out to claim a late-season consolation victory this weekend.
@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South v Narre Warren
Springvale South made a solid – if unspectacular – attempt to halt its late-season form slump against an equally downbeat Narre Warren at Alex Nelson Reserve on Saturday.
While there was no sign of the batting exhibitions the reigning Turf One premiers put on earlier in the summer, useful contributions from Andrew Sharp (49 not-out), Danny Law (44), Lance MacDougall (33) and Sam Delaney (28) guided their team to a total of 204.
For the Magpies, Chris Jarrett (3/40) and Dave Wheeler (3/52) did enough give the visitors an outside chance of victory this Saturday.
With Narre Warren set to resume at 1/14, Springvale South will be fancied to cement second spot with first-innings points.
@BT Sub Sport News:TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:St Brigid’s-St Louis v Hallam-Kalora Park
Hallam-Kalora Park faces a big challenge for the second week running after St Brigid’s-St Louis threw down the gauntlet at Bondi Oval on Saturday.
St Brigid’s-St Louis’ innings was held together by three batsmen – Simon Ruthven (83), Jeremy Heys (72) and gloveman Mark Jamieson (31) – with only one other player reaching double digits.
But Ruthven’s and Heys’ 129-run alliance proved enough to guide St Brigid’s-St Louis to a competitive 242.
Four Hallam-Kalora Park bowlers snared two wickets apiece.
In reply, St Brigid’s-St Louis restricted the visitors to 2/12, including the prize scalp of captain-coach Cory Booth.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick v Fountain Gate
Fountain Gate’s horror season added another chapter on the weekend when Berwick dismissed it for 31 at Arch Brown Reserve.
The Bears batted first and slapped together a meagre 9/153 before declaring after 44 overs.
It could have been much worse after being 7/86 before captain Darren Shepherd’s unbeaten hand of 54 steered his side to some respectability.
In hindsight, Shepherd need not have worried, as Fountain Gate provided no resistance with the bat.
Nine of Fountain Gate’s batsmen combined for just six runs, with its 31 coming off a painstaking 27.4 overs.
All four of Berwick’s bowlers took wickets, with Matthew Lloyd (4/11) leading the charge.
After being forced to follow on, Fountain Gate was 1/20 in its second dig.
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD v Springvale South
The race for promotion to Turf One was in full swing at Reedy Reserve on Saturday, with third-placed Springvale South taking it up to runaway leader HSD.
The Bloods only battled with the willow, succumbing for 163, as HSD’s Doug Loudon (4/39) and Justin Davis (4/10) wreaked havoc.
But what initially appeared to be another routine HSD match was suddenly turned on its head.
Springvale South’s new ball partners Tim Kelson (2/20) and Damien Simmons (1/16) started brilliantly to have HSD at a shaky 3/16.
The home club recovered well to be 3/51 at stumps, but still with work to do to maintain its unbeaten status.
Adam Semmens (28 not-out) will be the key following his undefeated half-century the previous round.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hampton Park v Southern Pirates
Another abysmal batting effort put Hampton Park on the back foot against the Southern Pirates at Booth Reserve on the weekend.
The Redbacks compiled just 106, which was more than they looked like making after slumping to 6/46 and 8/74.
Number-nine batsman Matthew Bartlett’s unbeaten 26 was Hampton Park’s best after the top order failed dismally.
Peter Atkinson (3/21) ripped through the Redbacks, receiving strong support from Leigh Taylor (2/13), Stuart Dalton (2/15) and Jay Kanahara (2/18).
The Pirates were hardly convincing with the willow, either, but at 4/60 should pass Hampton Park’s total.
@BT Sub Sport News:North Dandenong v Maranatha Methodist
Maranatha Methodist and North Dandenong locked horns in the battle of the cellar dwellers at Lois Twohig Reserve on Saturday.
It was Maranatha Methodist that walked away with day-one honours after accumulating 223.
The visitors were bowled out just before the end of play, but Jeff Thom (74), number-11 Rohan Graham (44 not-out) and Gary Plunkett (42) ensured their squad reached a good score.With just four overs left to be bowled, North Dandenong emerged unscathed and with 14 runs in the bank.
