By Stuart Teather
UPSETS were the order of the day in Round 8 of the Dandenong District Cricket Association on Saturday.
In Turf 1, newly promoted Hallam-Kalora Park knocked off reigning premier Berwick, while in Turf 2 Mordialloc beat the previously undefeated HSD.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:Parkfield v Cranbourne
Parkfield knocked off Cranbourne in a nailbiter at Parkfield Reserve on Saturday, holding on for a memorable win.
The home side batted first and posted 151 off 39.1 overs, with Brad Houghton top-scoring with 43.
Cranbourne’s Shane Murdoch stifled the batsmen with his bowling, picking up 3/35 off eight overs.
Cranbourne’s run-chase got off to a shaky start, with both openers posting just four runs each.
But captain Ross Woodall (33) and Daniel Diwell (29) steadied the ship and kept the runs ticking over.
Cranbourne closed in on Parkfield’s total, but the wickets kept tumbling and when Lucas Ligt fell as the ninth wicket, still six runs short of the total, the warning signs were there.
In the end the visitors ran out of overs ending the day on 9/149 – two runs short.
@BT Sub Sport News:Keysborough v Doveton
Doveton cleaned up Keysborough in a low-scoring affair at Keysborough Reserve, with the Doves’ bowlers deciding the day.
Keysborough batted first, but was dismal at the crease, with only three players reaching double figures.
Captain Paul McDonald top-scored with 22 and his 31-run partnership with Michael Downie (19) the only significant pairing of the innings, which ended all out for 92.
For the Doves, it was Ryan Hendy (4/24), Corrie Wilson (2/19) and the efficient Nathan Wilson (1/11 off eight) who did the damage with the ball.
Doveton took just 24 overs to chase down the total for the loss of three wickets.
@BT Sub Sport News:Buckley Ridges v Narre Warren
Buckley Ridges fell out of the top four after going down to Narre Warren at Buckley Ridges’ Park Oval.
The two teams fought out an even battle all day and Buckley Ridges posted a healthy 183 in its innings.
There were no standout batsmen, rather everyone contributed towards the total, while for Narre Warren Wendell Perumal continued his good form with the ball, picking up season-best figures of 4/31.
When Narre Warren took its turn at the crease, Shean Vanderwert carried his bat in an impressive knock, scoring 69 off 91 balls.
Vanderwert was the dominant hand in a perfectly timed innings from the visitors that overran Buckley Ridges’ score with six balls remaining.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hallam-Kalora Park v Berwick
The reigning Turf 1 (Berwick) and Turf 2 (Hallam-Kalora Park) premiers faced off at Arch Brown Reserve on Saturday and it was the Turf 2 champions who came out on top.
Hallam-Kalora Park picked up its sixth win of the season after batting first and successfully defending its 7/162.
Berwick opened the run-chase with import Alecs Roberts (33) at the top of the order, but the in-form batsman had little support early.
Ashley Henry (37) picked up the chase mid-order, but when he fell at 6/149, the side had little in reserve and fell all out for 159, handing Hallam-Kalora Park a big win.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:Southern Pirates v Maranatha Methodist
Maranatha Methodist scraped a one-run victory against the charging Southern Pirates at Wachter Reserve on Saturday.
Maranatha batted first and led by in-form captain Brett Ernst (65), the side posted 182 from its innings.
In reply, the Pirates went on the attack with Damien Lacy (88) proving a rock at the top of the order.
Leigh Taylor (32) and captain Martyn Cull (22) kept the runs ticking over, but the chase came down to Matthew Perry and Rodney Helyard in the dying overs.
The pair pushed, but fell a solitary run short of the chase, handing Maranatha a hard-fought win.
@BT Sub Sport News:Fountain Gate v Springvale South
An unbeaten century from John Mirranay helped Fountain Gate to victory over Springvale South at Max Pawsey Reserve.
Mirranay carried his bat from the top of the order, helping his side to 7/208 off 40 overs.
When Springvale South’s batsmen made their way to the crease, Fountain Gate bowler David Lucas stepped up and took 4/16 off seven overs, including the wickets of top-scoring batsmen Christos Pasnin (46) and Peter Ryan (22).
Springvale South eventually fell all out for 138.
@BT Sub Sport News:Hampton Park v Dandenong West
Hampton Park upset Dandenong West in a low-scoring match at Hampton Park’s Booth Reserve.
The home side hit 140 from its innings, suffering at the hands of Dandenong West bowler Mark Winter, who pulled out season-best figures of 5/6 off eight overs to decimate the batting roster.
Winter collected two caught-and-bowled, one caught, one lbw and one stumped in an incredible spell.
But life was not any easier for Dandenong West’s batsmen, with Hampton Park bowler Luke March collecting 4/38 off 7.5 overs and in-form captain Daniel Redfern picking up 1/8 off eight.
Eventually Dandenong West fell eight runs short of the chase, all out for 132.
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD v Mordialloc
Mordialloc provided one of the upsets of the season, knocking off the previously undefeated HSD side at Reedy Reserve. First, Mordialloc stifled HSD’s star-studded batting line-up with the home side posting 9/153 off its 40 overs.
Then, Mordialloc came to the crease and weathered HSD’s bowling storm, chasing down the total with seven overs and six wickets to spare.
While the result has little impact on HSD’s season – it’s still 11 points clear on top – for Mordialloc, the win keeps the side within reach of finals, just a game behind in sixth.
