By Tyler Lewis
Upper Beaconsfield capitalised as the only side to play out the day on Saturday by posting yet another convincing total.
Despite the blustery conditions, often considered conducive with bowling, the Maroons opted to set at the toss and made great in roads with the bat.
Aside from the early wicket of Will Haines (3), the visitors never appeared troubled by the NNG/Maryknoll attack.
Daniel Brennan (99) was the pick of the batters in spite of falling agonisingly close of a deserved century.
His innings was built on the foundation of running between the wickets, with just 16 of his runs coming through boundaries.
Brennan built a formidable partnership with gloveman Imesh Jayasekara (59), who struck his second half-century of the summer.
The Maroons lost a flurry of wickets towards the end of the innings, 7/24 in fact, but with a score of 261 on the board, are in the box seat for victory.
Carter Davis toiled away for the Marygoons, collecting 3/21 from 13.1 overs.
His form should be catching the eye of Team of the Year selectors already, as he is yet to go wicket less this season and has claimed 15 victims at an average of just 13.53.
Gembrook, meanwhile, played the next-most cricket across the District competition, by seeing off just 17 overs.
The Brookers too won the toss and elected to bat, before rain settled itself in at Lang Lang Recreation Reserve.
Gembrook made a steady start, finishing the day at 1/32 from its 17 overs.
Jackson Pawsey (1/9) was the wicket-taker for the Swamp Tigers, sending opener Timmy Gray (4) back to the sheds prematurely.
Devon Meadows and Emerald followed a similar script, although with nine seven less overs.
The Panthers finished 1/31 off 9.5 overs before play was abandoned, which might have a saviour for the Bombers, as Lucas Ligt (19 not out) was starting to look ominous.
Sam Stapleton (1/10 off five) was entrenched in a brilliant battle between bat and ball, before the rain overwhelmed the entire contest.
Cranbourne Meadows and Pakenham Upper Toomuc failed to bowl a single ball over the course of the day at Lawson Poole Reserve.
