Noble Park captain Gavin Hurley taps one down the leg side, sparking an excited reaction from the Endeavour Hills slip cordon. Right: Noble Park coach Rod Douthie waits patiently for his chance to bat at number four on Saturday. BETTER than a run a ball 94 not out from captain Gavin Hurley saw Noble Park comfortably defeat Endeavour Hills in its rain-affected Victorian Sub District Cricket Association match on Saturday.
Winning the toss and batting, Noble’s opening pair of Andrew Brown and Andrew O’Meara got the side off to a bright start, reaching 30 when the latter was out caught for 10.
Hurley and Brown then shared in a 79-run stand, taking the score to 109 in the 26th over before Brown was dismissed for a well-made 53.
New coach Rod Douthie and Hurley then set about mauling the Endeavour Hills’ attack adding an even 100 off 67 balls. Douthie reached 44 off only 37 before being caught in the 37th over.
Rain forced the players from the field for a short time after Douthie’s dismissal, causing a loss of one over.
Star recruit Damien Fleming (10 not out) and Hurley added a further 20 off the remaining two overs, taking the total to 3/229 and giving Endeavour Hills a target of 230 for victory off 39 overs.
Hurley’s 94 came off 93 deliveries and included eight fours and two sixes.
Endeavour Hills’ innings was interrupted early with rain forcing the players from the ground for 25 minutes.
When play resumed Endeavour Hills had a reduced target of 223 off 34 overs.
Fleming got the breakthrough in the first over after the rain delay with the visitors’ total on 11. When Ash Perera chimed in with his first wicket the score was 2/19 after 10 overs. With threatening weather, Hurley and Douthie then took to the bowling crease to ensure 25 overs were reached to enable a result. Douthie picked up a wicket on the way.
At 3/59 off 24 overs, the game was out of Endeavour Hills’ reach with a further 39 runs added in the last 10 overs, leaving the visitors well short at 4/98 at the close of their innings.
Fleming took 1/6 off five overs, Perera 1/9 off five, Douthie 1/17 off seven and off-spinner Paul McDonald 1/9 off five.
SECONDS
The second XI got its season off to a bright start defeating Endeavour Hills by 77 runs. Asked to bat, Noble Park reached 6/160 off its allocation of 40 overs with Matt Crozier 44 off 27 balls, opener Sean Muller 30 and late inclusion Warren Dickman 27 leading the way. In reply Endeavour Hills was dismissed for 83. Dickman took 3/10 off five overs, Sean Schubert 3/17 off eight and Jamie Saleem 2/32.
THIRDS
The third XI was lucky to come out with a draw after Endeavour Hills had amassed 165. Andrew Parker took 4/33, Andrew Murray 2/21 and Aaron Appleby 2/36.
Heavy rain at the tea break saw the game abandoned before the side could start its innings.
FOURTHS
The fourth XI made it three wins for the club, making 8/130 and dismissing Endeavour Hills for 98.
Co-captain David Parker top scored with 43 with support from Mark Jacotine who made 31. Andrew Dennis was the chief destroyer with the ball, picking up 4/11. This week the first XI travels to Mount Waverley in the first two-day match of the season.
