By Stuart Teather
PRE-SEASON favourite Berwick is out of contention for the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s turf-one finals after going down to North Dandenong on Saturday.
The reigning premiers were widely touted for back-to-back titles this season, but have managed only two wins from nine rounds so far.
Meanwhile Springvale South has secured top spot with another commanding win, this time against Narre Warren.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:Doveton v Buckley Ridges
Doveton backed up its strong day-one bowling performance with an impressive innings with the bat on Saturday, scoring 245 to sink Buckley Ridges at Robinson Reserve.
Captain Bradley Downe provided the start his side needed, scoring 70 at the top of the order to see his side to victory.
Nathan Wilson (50) and Ryan Pearson (34) also had solid knocks, while for the bowlers Westley Nicholas stood tall with figures of 4/69 off 21 overs.
With two games to go, Doveton is fifth, one game out of the top four, while Buckley Ridges is a further half-a-game behind in sixth.
@BT Sub Sport News:Cranbourne v Hallam-Kalora Park
Hallam-Kalora Park managed to defend 121 against Cranbourne at Casey Fields, completing a remarkable match where the bowlers dictated play from the first ball.
Cranbourne resumed at 5/29 after struggling at the end of day one and the wickets continued to tumble on Saturday.
Some resilience from the tail, including Paul Ferrari-Mela (21 not-out) and Jason Toan (19), helped keep Cranbourne in the hunt.
But the 10th-wicket pairing could not hold out and Steven Chapman trapped Toan in front, handing Hallam-Kalora Park a first-innings victory.
Cory Booth put in his best performance of the season with the ball, picking up 5/9 off 16 remarkable overs.
@BT Sub Sport News:Narre Warren v Springvale South
After taking first-innings points on day one, Springvale South used the second part of its clash with Narre Warren as batting practice.
Openers Steven Masterson (114 not-out) and Rory Ingram (142) put on a master-class at the crease and when Ingram fell Lance MacDougall (56) stepped in and continued the rout.
The win has all but secured Springvale South top spot on the ladder, with the team 12 points clear of second-placed Hallam-Kalora Park with two games to go.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick v North Dandenong
Berwick slipped further on Saturday after going down to North Dandenong at Arch Brown Reserve.
Frustratingly for Berwick, it was another close finish and the side fell just two runs short of victory.
Chasing 207, Alecs Roberts got the runs ticking over with 52 at the top of the order, but he had little support throughout the innings.
It came down to the tail-enders to perform with the bat, and they did, with James Prendergast (38) and Adam Watson (20) leading the way.
But it was not enough and the final wicket fell with Berwick just shy of the total at 205, resigning the side to its sixth loss of the season.
The win keeps North Dandenong in the four and on track for finals, while Berwick drops to 10th.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:Dandenong West v HSD
HSD has now lost two on the trot after going down to Dandenong West on Saturday at Greaves Reserve in Dandenong.
It was always going to be a tough ask for the visitors after Dandenong West posted 9/302 on day one of the clash, but HSD will still be disappointed with its performance at the crease.
The visitors could only manage 105 off 46 overs as Dandenong West cruised to victory on the back of some impressive bowling from Andrew Harry (4/22) and Nathan Goodes (4/26).
@BT Sub Sport News:Maranatha Methodist v Fountain Gate
Fountain Gate coasted to a first-innings victory over Maranatha Methodist at Maranatha’s Strathaird Reserve.
Chasing 141 and resuming at 2/112, the visitors passed the target with ease and pushed on to be all out for 236 off 58 overs.
Captain Bruce Mullen was the standout with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 48 to give his side a crack at an outright win.
Maranatha returned to the crease with 45 overs remaining in the day and had another difficult innings, falling to 9/123 at the close of play.
The side did enough, however, to ensure Fountain Gate would not secure an outright win, despite James Haupt’s best efforts, with the bowler collecting 6/43 off 16 overs.
@BT Sub Sport News:St Brigid’s-St Louis v Hampton Park
Danny Cortese guided Hampton Park to a first-innings victory over St Brigid’s-St Louis at the latter’s Bondi Oval on Saturday.
Cortese posted 102 at the top of the order as Hampton Park comfortably chased down the required 132 runs.
Cortese’s side reached 223 off 67 overs, in the face of some inspired bowling from Mitch Elms (6/56 off 19.3) and Simon Ruthven (4/65 off 27).
St Brigid’s-St Louis returned to the crease for a second knock and reached 2/92 at the close of play.
