For the record, Noble Park’s a winner

IT was a game for the records books as Noble Park amassed a club record total of 4/394 against Altona in their Victorian Sub District Cricket Association (VSDCA) match on Saturday.
Starting at 1/79 in reply to Altona’s 124, Noble Park lost Paul Hill (6) and Karl Brown (60) to be 3/89 after four overs of play.
Rod Douthie and Dean Edmunds ensured victory, reaching 125 without loss and taking the total to 158 when Douthie was caught for 30.
That was the last wicket to fall as Edmunds and Andrew O’Meara combined for a club record partnership of 236, with Edmunds continuing his good form to make 144 and O’Meara finding touch making his second first XI century.
The unbeaten stand fell 13 runs short of the VSDCA’s fifth-wicket record.
Meanwhile, an unbeaten 95 by captain Geoff Richardson was not enough for Noble Park’s second XI to avoid outright defeat against Altona.
With Altona declaring at the first day’s total of 1/191, Noble Park slumped to 3/14.
But 51-year-old veteran Richardson walked to the wicket and proceeded to hold the innings together, nearly getting the side through to 161, with the last wicket falling with 18 minutes of play remaining.
With Altona needing 32 runs off three overs, the team got there off the last ball.
Noble Park’s third XI had a scare defending its score of 257 as Brighton reached 100 without loss before Johann Wise was introduced into the attack and took two quick wickets.
The 16-year-old leg spinner bowled unchanged for 16.5 overs and finishing with 6/59 as the side dismissed Brighton for 217.
With Noble Park’s ones back on the winners list, more good news came as star import Karl Brown was this week named in the 12-man VSDCA representative side to take on the Victorian Country Cricket League at Seymour this Sunday.