By Marcus Uhe
Pakenham Upper Toomuc is in the box seat to claim fourth place on the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association District competition ladder with one round remaining after a bowler’s day at Harry Blackman Oval on Saturday.
17 wickets fell as the Yabbies claimed first-innings points, bowling Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll out for 74 and completing the chase four wickets down in a clash between fourth and fifth.
The two sides are tied on points, but the Marygoons have a superior percentage.
Five batters made ducks for the visitors in a horror showing, only three players making a double-figure score.
Ryan Mibus and John Langley did the damage up front with the ball, taking a pair of wickets each, before spinner Brian Kulasena cleaned up the tail.
Kulasena finished with remarkable figures of 4/4 from 5.2 overs, with four maidens, Langley finishing with 3/17.
The Yabbies lost four wickets on the way to reaching the target.
Openers Matthew Zizos and Nicholas Kyval were both removed early, along with Danuka Prabath, the Yabbies reeling at 3/17.
Mitch Mibus and Brian Kulasena steadied the ship, with Devin Wilke top-scoring with an unbeaten 38.
Pakenham Upper Toomuc will begin day two at 7/117, leading by 43 runs.
Conversely, it was a batting day at Lawson Poole Recreation Reserve as Cranbourne Meadows heaped pain on Emerald.
The Rebels whacked 345 in 77.4 overs, with a run rate 4.5 in what was the highest team score for the season.
Three batters made half-centuries, led by tailender Garry Malhi’s boundary-laden 86.
Malhi hit six sixes and nine fours to score 72 of his 86 runs in boundaries from number nine.
His captain, Jass Dhaliwal, was not far behind, with 50 of his 74 coming at the boundary rope.
Karanbir Tiwana made a patient 67.
At Officer, the Bullants were well-held by Lang Lang in a lopsided contest between the top and bottom sides.
Lang Lang rolled the hosts for 235 in 64 overs, and reached 1/18 at stumps in reply, but lost captain Dale Cranston for four.
Jaswinder Gill made a typically quick 59 to continue his excellent season and Jack James 63, but there will be disappointment at Officer at wasting such a solid platform.
From 1/96, Gill’s wicket saw the Bullants lose 3/2 as Ash Smith and Will Carlyle both came and went for low scores.
Taj Beddows made 45 batting with the tail to push Officer to 235 as steady wickets fell around him.
Lachlan James then made the big breakthrough in dismissing Cranston, resulting in Jeshan Pius and William Wykes stonewalling the remainder of the day and giving Officer the upper hand.
