B GRADE
Nar Nar Goon (121) and Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (9/121) have set the scene for a thrilling finals series in CCCA B Grade after the Goon and Yabbies played an exciting tie at Nar Nar Goon on Saturday.
The top-two teams in the comp refused to concede an inch of ground all day; with both bowling attacks on top.
The Goon batted first after the coin toss fell its way, but it was the Yabbies that made the early running in the one-day contest.
Liam Cumiskey (2/6) was super-dangerous in the early overs, before Jay Riley (31) steadied the ship for the Goon in retaliation.
Mark Sandfort (3/33) and Alex Prendergast (2/24) then took up the fight for the Yabbies, trying to restrict Buddhi Heshan (24) and Ron Bright Jnr (19); a combination that propelled the Goon to a competitive score.
Addison Tucker (35) then led the chase for the Yabbies, with five other bats making their way to double figures with only one getting to 15.
The Goon just kept chipping away, with Sukhpal Singh (3/23) and skipper Kyle Williamson (2/12) continually breaking partnerships at key times.
The game down to the last ball of the match; with Yabbies bats Jonathon Rewell (3 not out) and Shaun Webster (1 not out) needing two runs to win and the Goon requiring one wicket.
Neither team could put the final nail in the coffin; the game ending in a rare tie.
All other games in B Grade saw the second day of two-dayers, with Merinda Park (2/268) making a massive statement in its run-chase against Tooradin (6/265).
The Cobras chased down the Seagulls with ease, with openers Paul Filippone (121) and Hayden Cleland (108) breaking the club record for the B Grade opening stand along the way.
The 238-run stand broke a 21-year record previously held by Chad McKie and Paul Quieros who put on 128 for the opening wicket against Clyde in 2003/04.
Filippone faced 139 balls, with 17 dispatched to the fence on his way to the first century of his 22-year career.
The Cobras still had eight overs up their sleeves when stumps were pulled.
Officer (7/188) has stayed in finals contention after an important victory over Lang Lang (9/186).
The Swamp Tigers resumed at 4/134 on day two, with Brad Savige (75) and Damien Quinlan (48) adding to their overnight scores of 67 and 19 respectively.
Kevin Baldsing (4/51) took 2/8 on day two to take his tally to four wickets for the game and keep the Bullants in the contest.
Officer then completed its chase in style, with Taj Beddows (56), Adam Reid (53 not out) and Senula Wijesekara (34) making valuable contributions with the bat.
And Emerald (200) defended its day-one total with ease, carving through Devon Meadows (98) in grand style at Booring Reserve.
The Panthers were in and out like yo-yo’s; 6/39 at one stage, before Peter O’Brien (22) and Ayden Neil (18) added 51 for the seventh wicket.
Emerald had the ‘Fab Four’ with the ball, with Rawley Van Haren (3/16), Lawson Cocks (3/18), Ollie Jessop (2/6) and Tony Flint (2/21) bowling their team to victory.
C GRADE
Clyde (7/109d and 4/75) has made a massive move on the ladder after an outright victory over Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (78 and 105) at Lakeside Oval.
The Cougars declared overnight with a 31-run lead and set about taking some early wickets on day two.
Things pretty much went according to plan, although some stern resistance from Alfie Howat (41) and Will Sharlott (28) did make life a little difficult.
Cougars skipper Jayson Dryden tossed the ball around to see who had the ‘lucky’ hand, with Ashley Embelton (2/16) the only one of nine bowlers to make multiple breakthroughs.
Set 75 runs for maximum points, Clyde openers Chris Jones (32) and Dryden (17) then put on 35 for the first wicket to lay the platform for victory.
Bailey Smith (3/24) was once again supreme for the Yabbies, making it 9/77 for the match after his first-innings haul of 6/53.
A five-wicket effort from Yuvraj Singh (5/28) has seen Pakenham (7/309) win with a leg in the air against Melbourne Sixers (154).
The Sixers looked a rough chance early, with Gayan Ekanayake (57) and Brendon Ashton (42) compiling a fine partnership for the second wicket…but things fell apart fast.
Singh and Anthony Ponweera (3/27) cut through the Sixers like a hot knife through butter; dismantling the mid-to-lower order and leading the Lions to a massive victory.
Kooweerup (64 and 9/246) has shown some second-innings backbone, denying Kerala Strikers (7/282d) the sniff of an outright victory at Ramlegh Reserve.
Facing such a huge deficit, only a long batting performance would suffice for the Demons; and that’s what they delivered.
Lachlan Wasley (75), Gerrad Gilmour (50) chalked up fighting half centuries while Curtis Eddington (29 off 107 balls) also soaked up some valuable time at the crease.
Benoy Unnikrishnan (3/42) tried his best for the Strikers.
And Carlisle Park (2/123) has made light work of Upper Beaconsfield (118) in the only one-dayer in C Grade.
Dylan Anderson (3/14), Kye Prior (2/10) and Sean Hinkley (2/25) set up the win for the Vikings before Hinkley (47 not out) and Prior (28 not out) put on an undefeated 78-run stand in reply.
D GRADE
Hard-hitting Nar Nar Goon (5/351) number-three Darcy Taylor (122) has smashed an impressive century in the Goons’ thumping one-day win over Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (9/194).
Taylor crunched four boundaries and 13 sixes, joining forces with Seamus Hill (48), Brett Jackson (45 not out), Alan Downes (38 not out) and Russell Jackson (38) to put together a 10-run-per-over run rate.
Issam Kamal (58 not out), Ashikul Haque (53) and Adnan Al Moshi (42) replied with a bang for the Yabbies; but the massive target was always going to be too big.
Pakenham (1/80) has grabbed hold of fourth spot after a nine-wicket win over Devon Meadows (78).
Veteran Peter Zauner (36) was the only Panther to fire as Lions David Sollberger (3/18), Steven Kidd (2/11), John Hutchinson (2/17) and David Searle (2/21) went to work.
Brett Oldfield (60 not out) then guided the Lions to a very-soft win indeed.
Kerala Strikers (6/246) did exactly that; striking the ball to all parts of the Rythdale Rec Reserve on Saturday in an 89-run win over Cardinia (6/157).
The Strikers had four key components to their innings with Marc Shrestha (63), Jismon Joseph (58), Sukhraj Aujla (45 not out) and Kumar Mukherjee (35 not out) taking the game out of reach.
Chris Remy (63) was typically brave for the Bulls…but the Strikers had way too many on the board.
And a five-wicket haul from Brent Pullen (5/61) has seen Officer (165) defend its modest day-one total against Merinda Park (153).
Pullen was superb, bowling 24.5 overs and taking wickets at critical times.
He removed Chris Smith (18) at the top, Martin Jones (29) in the middle, before taking the last three wickets to fall as things got a little tense.
Josh Beddows (2/24) and James Quinn (2/31) were also important for the Bullants, while Cobras’ skipper Leigh Smith (41 not out) was left stranded at the non-strikers’ end…his team 12 runs short of its ground.
E GRADE WEST
A trio of half centuries from Blake Tongue (63), Ashley Newman (54 not out) and Shaun Tongue (51) has piloted Tooradin (4/233) to first-innings points over Clyde (232).
The Seagulls now join the Cougars on equal points at the top of the table after a perfectly executed run-chase.
The father-son-combo of Damian (18 not out) and Axel Whitnell (13) put the icing on the cake for the Seagulls.
Carlisle Park (215) has held off a determined Devon Meadows (206) in a thriller at the Hunt Club.
Sourav Paul (59), Shane Simpson (48) and Dexter Hobbs (29) had the Panthers on the right track early, but the Vikings had two bowlers that would make all the difference in the end.
Madhu D (5/29 off 21) was both economical and dangerous for the Vikings, while Dilan Dandeniya (4/45) offered a great amount of support.
The Panthers had 10 balls left to make the 10 runs required for victory; before Madhu made the final breakthrough.
And Officer (6/157) defended well in the field after tea; shaking down Merinda Park (112) at Rob Porter Reserve.
David Rea (39) and Sukhwinder Singh (29 not out) set up the win for the Bullants, despite a fine spell of bowling from Thomas Hodge (3/35).
The Cobras had a steady start from their top order; Chad Bertrand (48 not out) leading the way, before Heath Scott (5/25) found his rhythm and bowled the Bullants to victory.
Singh (2/14) backed up his 29 not out with a handy spell with the ball.
E GRADE EAST
A magnificent century from opening bat Michael McGuigan (139) has lifted Officer (3/214) to a one-day win over Clyde (7/173).
McGuigan carted the Cougars to all parts of the ground, cracking 24 fours and one almighty six.
David Green (45) had the best seat in the house as McGuigan flicked the switch into action.
Clyde made a good fist of its reply, with Shane Jack (55) and Aum Patel (51) making half-centuries; but 214 was always going to be a big ask.
In other games, strong performances from Ranjith Vadakkumthanni (71), Sateesh Kulkarni (3/29) and Vikas Choudhary (3/37) have led Avengers (5/149) to a five-wicket win over Emerald (148), while Pakenham (5/157) secured first0innings points in its two-day clash against Kerala Strikers (155).
Sahilpreet Singh (50), Kennath Liyanage (29 not out) and Brendan Watson (20) were clear top picks for the Lions, who won with five wickets in hand after starting the day at 1/27 in reply.
ONE DAY
Avengers 1/72 def Merinda Park 71, Kooweerup 9/258 def Carlisle Park 9/136, Pak. Upper/Toomuc 99 def by Emerald 1/103, Upper Beaconsfield (Forfeit) def by Melbourne Sixers and Lang Lang def Clyde Green (Forfeit).
