By Gavin Staindl
OF THE eight completed rounds in the Dandenong and District Cricket Association season, six have been played in the one-day format but last Saturday signalled the last of the scheduled one-dayers for 2010-11.
With three 80-over games remain-ing, the teams outside the top four will have their work cut out for them if they want to catch the front-runners by March.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:NORTH DANDENONG v NARRE WARREN
North Dandenong has won its second game in a row after embarrassing Narre Warren by 140 runs at Lois Twohig Reserve.
Behind the bat of opener Shane Leonard (54), North Dandenong kicked on to make 7/186 but it was with the ball that it was at its most destructive.
Openers Shane Smith (3/9) and Scott Neeson (2/12) were the most violent of the bowlers as Narre Warren succumbed to 46 without a batter reaching double figures.
@BT Sub Sport News:PARKFIELD v HALLAM-KALORA PARK
Hallam-Kalora Park’s slide from the top four continued on Saturday as Parkfield secured an eight-wicket win at Hallam Rec Reserve.
Last year’s grand finalists have won only one of the last five matches and dropped to eighth on the Turf One ladder with the weekend’s loss.
The Birds were competitive early, reaching 5/123 from the 40 overs but Parkfield’s batters were too good, passing the score with six overs in tact.
Steven Spoljaric was back to his pre-Christmas best with 61 not out as the fourth-placed Parkfield opened up a one-game lead over Doveton in fifth.
@BT Sub Sport News:BERWICK v DOVETON
No chase is too big for the Berwick Bears who pulled off a stunning four-wicket win over Doveton at Robinson Reserve.
Berwick was set a challenging 166 but the three amigos – Brad Francis (35), James Davies (51) and Paul Evans (34) – were at their usual best in the middle order.
At 2/38, the trio combined to take Berwick to 5/165 before Evans was removed on the stroke of victory.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
HSD has reeled in an impressive total to leapfrog Springvale South on the Turf Two ladder.
Playing for a spot in the top four, Springvale South’s 9/174 looked like a winning total, even on the quick Alex Nelson pitch.
At 3/34 HSD appeared in strife but solid scores to Adam Semmens (43), Justin Davies (40) and Navoda Ganegoda (42) led HSD to a two-wicket win with two overs remaining.
@BT Sub Sport News:FOUNTAIN GATE v HAMPTON PARK
They’re not winning pretty but right now the Gators are getting the job done, with a three-wicket win over Hampton Park at Max Pawsey Reserve, placing Fountain Gate just outside the top four.
Nick Scanlon (4/6) instigated the collapse that removed Hampton Park for 56, but the Fountain Gate batters nearly shot themselves in the foot after hitting 7/34.
Fortunately for the home side, lower-order batters Dylan Bracebridge (8) and Matt Maxwell (10) stuck around long enough to pass 56.
@BT Sub Sport News:CRANBOURNE v SOUTHERN PIRATES
Cranbourne has recovered from early jitters to lock in a four-wicket win at Casey Fields. Despite three ducks and a shaky start, finals hopeful Cranbourne never looked like dropping the game to a lowly Southern Pirates.
Cranbourne fell to 4/39 in reply to the Southern Pirates’ 132, but the Cranbourne depth that extends to number eight Cameron Dinger (28 n.o.) is one of the reasons why it will be a force in March.
@BT Sub Sport News:BUCKLEY RIDGES v NARRE NORTH
Buckley Ridges comfortably dispatched of Narre North’s first innings total of 105 on its way to a five-wicket win at Narre North Reserve.
Narre North managed only 9/105 from its 40 overs before Buckley dab-bled its way to 5/106 with 10 overs remaining.
@BT Sub Sport News:LYNDALE v MARANATHA METHODIST
Lyndale has continued its rich run of form, easily accounting for Maranatha by 32 runs at Barry Powell Reserve.
Michael Cronin (3/13) did his best to prevent Lyndale from posting a huge score and in the end, Lyndale’s 8/145 became quite gettable.
Despite 57 from Maranatha’s Nayantha Weeraman, the Lyndale bowlers overpowered Maranatha to secure second position on the Turf Two ladder.
