By Marcus Uhe
Buckley Ridges and Springvale South will do battle in the first week of Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 finals for a second consecutive year following the completion of the home and away season on Saturday.
Buckley Ridges secured second place on the table and thus the double chance thanks to a five-wicket win over Narre South at home.
Lions captain Kyle Hardy’s hundred was a lone a hand with the bat as the visitors failed to bat-out their 45 overs, dismissed for 215 in the 42nd over.
Hardy’s 107, his second hundred of the season, included eight sixes and seven fours, with one six into the Pultney Street trees ensuring he reached the coveted milestone, but his nearest contemporary with the bat was Jeevan Mendis, who could only manage 41.
Hardy’s departure triggered a loss of 5/14 to close the innings.
Ishan Jayarathna continued his brilliant form to close the season, taking 4-52 to lead the Buckley bowling attack.
Buckley Ridges took its time with the run chase but the result was never really in doubt, reaching the target in the 42nd over.
Roshane Silva hit 55 to make it four half-centuries in a row to close the season, with Jake Cronin leading the card on 59.
Callan Tout’s excellent season for Narre South continued, the pick of its bowlers with 2/35, Hardy adding 2/37 to go with his century.
Narre South fell to fourth as a result of the loss, but will return to finals action after missing out the year before.
Hallam Kalora Park is the other team in the finals equation, finishing third, and will host Narre South in an elimination final this weekend.
The Hawks claimed their fourth consecutive win, this time over St Mary’s by 72 runs at home.
New opening pair Matthew Cox and Leigh Booth put on 175 for the first wicket, with Cox scoring at just under a run-per-ball for his 84.
His innings came to a close when he chipped a return catch back to Susantha Pradeep, and Booth departed shortly after for 74, but the two had given the Hawks the perfect platform.
Mahela Udawatte and Jordan Hammond both fell in pursuit of quick runs as the Hawks posted 4/270.
The Saints conceded a whopping 40 extras, including 24 wides, not helping their own cause in a must-win game.
St Mary’s reached 7/198 in their 45 overs in reply, the innings held together by Pradeep’s unbeaten 106.
Batting at 4, Pradeep added 67 with Wendyl Pires but lacked for other contributors.
William Whyte took 2/41 as the standout Hawks bowler.
The loss consigns St Mary’s to Turf 2, having finished last on the Turf 1 table.
Elsewhere, in a contest with no bearing on the top four, North Dandenong snapped a five-game losing streak with a six-wicket win over Beaconsfield.
Jawid Khan was the star for the Maroons, hitting an unbeaten 100 in the chase of 194.
North Dandenong held the Tigers to 7/193 batting first thanks to an excellent bowling performance.
Riley Clark hit 63 at the top of the order to top score for the home side but no other batter passed 50.
Left-arm quick Randeep Sahota took 2/27 as the pick of the North Dandenong bowling attack.
Khan’s hundred was his second of the season against Beaconsfield and his third of the campaign, the only batter to reach triple figures three times in Turf 1.
The Maroons reached the target in the 33rd over for the loss of just four wickets.
Yohan Arumadura took 3/37 for Beaconsfield.
