By Jonty Ralphsmith
Noble Park is in a perilous position overnight against Bayswater, setting the hosts a target of just 136 for victory at Marie Wallace Oval, with the 13th-placed side 1/11 at stumps.
Star batter Sahan Perera again led the way with 56, but his fellow top-order batters failed to go on with a series of starts before the tail was easily cleaned up, Noble Park slumping from 5/132 to 135 all out.
Josh Crozier and Rajapakse Rajapakse laid a foundation by absorbing the opening onslaught from Bayswater.
The breakthrough of Rajapakse brought two in two balls for Bayswater, before Perera’s arrival at the crease brought a sense of calm.
Perera took his time and rode the tidal wave of pressure well, but couldn’t establish a partnership of substance as Crozier (17 off 65) and Nilochana Perera (14 off 33) came and went.
Jaspreet Singh (17 off 33), meanwhile, looked confident alongside Matthew Pearson before being run out, Pearson left stranded on an unbeaten 16 as the tail collapsed.
Muharjithan Thedchanamoorthy got the breakthrough late on day one, putting Bayswater under some pressure as a tricky but manageable chase awaits.
Meanwhile, Endeavour Hills was no match for 12th-placed Croydon, Zac Perryman (26) and skipper Tyrell Panditharatne(23) the only batters to reach double figures as the visitors were trundled for 75.
Croydon’s first-wicket partnership got it to that total, and it sits 3/114 at stumps, Panditharatne, Blaize Bainbridge and Lachlan De Zilwa getting the breakthroughs – the latter on the last ball of the day.
