Narre Warren managed to win a thriller against North Dandenong in the DDCA Turf 2 competition, holding onto victory by one wicket.
The Maroons posted a healthy score of 223 on day one as Syed Masood Mehmood (55) led the way at the top, with his team determined to upset the fourth-placed Magpies.
Amila Ratnaike (68) led the Narre Warren batting, with assistance from Dulanja Silva and Ben Swift (both 34).
But wickets continued to fall and the game got tighter and tighter, with the Magpies’ winning chances getting more desperate with every departing batter.
A clutch final-wicket partnership from John Mentiplay (10 not out) and Jaxon Knight (20 not out) helped the Magpies chase down the total.
Silverton’s total of 232 on day one proved to be too many runs for ladder-leader Parkfield, who fell 51 runs short.
The Bandits couldn’t have started day two any worse as they lost opening batter Zaron Chanel for a royal duck, on the first ball of the day and innings as Harkanwal Singh struck early.
Soon, Singh had another and Parkfield was 2/25, needing somebody to steady the ship and that somebody turned out to be Sam Beadsworth.
Beadsworth was coming off a recent half century, but upstaged that outing as he scored his best knock of the season, with 71 from 168 deliveries.
And when Nigel van der Wert (36) contributed down the order, the team was at one point 5/173 and looking good to chase the remaining 60 runs to win, before they lost 4/2 as Varinder Virk (4/27 off 17.4 overs) picked up two late ones to seal the deal and secure a win for the Bakers, bowling out the Bandits for 181.
Cranbourne had a dismal start to day one and was bowled out for 93 in the first innings against Lyndale, who replied with 7/237 before declaring.
It was Usman Ali who led the way for Lyndale, belting his third half century this season to finish with 83 not out, while Rajika Fernando also contributed 56.
The Eagles were sent back into bat, but showed a lot more fight this time as they finished the match at 9/250 in the second innings.
It was Lyndale’s third win of the season after defeating North Dandenong and Silverton in earlier rounds.
At 4/77 chasing 118 against HSD, most eyes were on Coomoora’s Krishan Alang, who is the leading run scorer in the Turf 2 competition.
The star batter had been pushed down the order after his team lost some top-order guns late on day one, including Jarrod Munday.
The focus was on Alang, but another Roos batter took it upon himself to go big for his team in an innings which showed great temperament.
Liam Hard finished day one on 10 not out off 82 balls after digging in to survive for Coomoora, but he accelerated on day two and became the player of the match.
He batted well alongside Joel Robertson (38) and Alang (24) and reached the special milestone of 100 not out before his side declared on 6/241.
HSD batted once again and the Cobras lost 6/78 as Malan Madusanka took 3/29 from 12.5 overs to take his match tally to six wickets as Coomoora won by four wickets.
