By Gavin Staindl
BUCKLEY Ridges will be looking to go back-to-back when it meets Springvale South in the Turf One final of the Dandenong and District Cricket Association this weekend.
Buckley advanced to the final at Keysborough Recreation Reserve after defeating Berwick by 77 runs in an interrupted game at Park Oval while Springvale South comfortably accounted for Parkfield at Alex Nelson Reserve.
In Turf Two action, HSD will meet Coomoora in the Turf Two final at Alex Nelson Reserve after the pair advanced from their respective semi-finals.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:SPRINGVALE SOUTH v PARKFIELD
Springvale South has bumped Parkfield out of the finals after it completed a four-wicket victory at Alex Nelson Reserve, but it may have been a pre-game jinx by Parkfield coach Steven Spoljaric that was to blame.
After accepting the Wookey Medal the Monday night before the finals, the prolific run scorer shocked those in attendance when he said: “I am due to fail, aren’t I? My form is too good at the moment”.
Spoljaric averaged over 100 runs with the bat this season and was the deserved winner of the Wookey Medal, but last Saturday against Springvale South he was given his marching orders after making only 14 runs.
Parkfield, who elected to bat first, slumped to 4/54 after Spoljaric’s dismissal and never recovered, making only 124.
It took only two hours on the Sunday for Springvale South to wrap up the semi-final, extracting revenge on the Parkfield side that came from behind to beat Springvale in the 2008/09 premiership.
@BT Sub Sport News:BUCKLEY RIDGES v BERWICK
Buckley continued its run of rich form, beating Berwick by 77-runs in its three-day semi-final at Park Oval.
After making scores of 308 and 246 in its last two innings, Buckley registered its highest total of the season, making 9/337.
But Buckley’s innings was not all free-flowing as Berwick’s James Davies (4/80) combined with Jarrod Goodes (2/77) to take the opening two wickets without a run on board.
Within two overs, second-drop Daniel Watson (88) found himself at the crease but between Watson and Troy Aust (81) they put on a 141-run partnership.
Davies struck again midway through the opening day, leaving the Ridges perilously placed at 7-202 but another big partnership, this time a 100-run stand between Shane D’Rozario (51) and Paul Rudd (78), saved the day for Buckley.
Berwick was given the chance to chase down the runs on Sunday but it never managed to find the game-winning combination that Buckley did.
As the Bears headed indoors for tea, still trailing by 200 runs, the heavens opened forcing the game into a third day.
When play resumed the following day, Luke Fletcher (4/65) began to find his rhythm and – though nine Berwick batters reached double figures – none of them could make a 50.
It was a controlled demolition of one of the more prominent batting line-ups in Turf One that gave Buckley the 77-run win and a spot in this week’s grand final against Springvale South.
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:HSD v HAMPTON PARK
HSD has held on to a slim first innings lead to beat Hampton Park by 49 runs and progress to Turf Two’s grand final against Coomoora.
Winning the toss and electing to bat at HSD’s Reedy Reserve, the home side would have felt its total of 119 would be vulnerable to the in-form Hampton Park bats but a strong bowling perform-ance by HSD’s bowlers gave it the unlikely win.
Redback bowlers Travis Lacey (3/20) and Kevin McLean (3/30) were instrumental for Hampton Park early on, but it was HSD’s bowling duo of Paul Stockdale and Justin Davis that proved the game winner.
Stockdale (5/34) and Davis (3/15) combined for 25 of HSD’s 32 overs to remove Hampton Park for 70 and continue to week’s grand final.
@BT Sub Sport News:CRANBOURNE v COOMOORA
The Coomoora Cricket Club has a lot owing to its number five batter, Rob Johnston, after his ton became the foundation of Coomoora’s 78-run win over Cranbourne at Wachter Reserve.
Johnston (110 not out) scored an unbeaten century to give Cranbourne a healthy day-one total of 9/252.
Along with Coomoora’s second highest scorer Liam Coates (48), the pair not only made a stand with the bat but also with the ball.
Between Johnston (3/9) and Coates (3/53), the duo claimed the final six wickets to take Cranbourne from 4/130 to all out for 174.
