By JARROD POTTER
DDCA Turf 2 Grand Final
A ONE-YEAR vacation in Turf 2 is over for Narre Warren (6/147) as it claimed first-innings points against St Brigids/St Louis (143) after clawing its way back from a collapse.
St Brigids never got out of first gear after deciding to bat first. Dean Wheeler (4/29), skipper Kaushalya Weeraratne (2/41) and John Mentiplay (2/46) struck through to force the Saints to set a minimal target.
But the Saturday gremlins at Arch Brown Reserve continued to rear their head as Narre Warren slumped – Wendell Perumal (39) was the only Magpie to soar from the top of the order as his team mates crumbled. Perumal’s dismissal was part of the procession that left Narre Warren 6/97. The revival came from Sanjeewa Weerasinghe (53) – who smacked a run-a-ball half-ton alongside Jarryd Straker (21) to take first innings points.
Weerasinghe slogged his way past St Brigids – taking one over for three fours and a whopping six at Arch Brown Reserve. Another six would ensure the Magpies swooped on the first-innings victory on the first day of the scheduled two-day grand final.
But there was still a second day and Narre Warren succumbed early to give St Brigids a sniff at a reverse outright. They would pummel 9/165 declared off 33 overs, with Wheeler (5/47) and Weeraratne (3/82) snaring the scalps, to leave some headaches for Narre Warren approaching stumps.
With 30 overs to see off, Perumal (25 not out) and Wheeler (18 not out) dug in to ensure there would be no St Brigids’ celebrations as Narre celebrated a two-fold triumph. Firstly, its Turf 2 flag – dusting off a 10-year drought for the 1st XI – and its triumphant return to Turf 1 in 2015/16, switching places with Coomoora.
In DDCA Turf 3-6 results, Aspendale (330) powered into Turf 2 ahead of North Dandenong (175) via a resounding century from Travis Campbell (135 not out), Turf 4 belonged to St Marys (7/152) after Charith Anthony (52) helped his side glide home against Lynbrook (147), Parkdale (6/135) picked up a Turf 5 flag over St Brigids/St Louis (134) and Aspendale (147) made it two-in-turf as it picked up Turf 6 triumph over Narre North (124).
