By Gavin Staindl
WITH only four rounds until the Dandenong and District Cricket Association Turf One finals, Berwick and Hallam-Kalora Park remain in charge of the competition after the round eight one-dayers.
But as five teams remain within a game of third position and teams are moving up and down the ladder like yo-yos, the race for the final two spots will come right down to the line.
@BT Sub Sport News:North Dandenong d Coomoora
North Dandenong strolled to a comfortable eight-wicket win over cellar-dwellers Coomoora at Coomoora Reserve.
Tight bowling by North Dandenong’s Carman Mapatuna (2/19) and David Bell (1/7 off eight overs) restricted the scoring but a solid innings by Coomoora’s opener Manoj Hettjarachchi (43) pushed the score to 9/126 off the 40 overs.
North Dandenong’s Adrian Baltruschaitis (62) scored his first 50 of the season as his team reached the required 127 with eight wickets in hand.
@BT Sub Sport News:Doveton d St Mary’s
Doveton jumped four spots up the ladder and now sits in sixth place after thoroughly beating St Mary’s by 103 runs at Carroll Reserve.
On a slow pitch, Doveton’s man-of-the-match Ryan Hendy (42) and Ryan Pearson (35) put on 74 for the first wicket to kick start the innings, and only four wickets from Druvie Lorenz Daniel (4/25) restrained the Doveton score to 178.
Hendy backed up his batting performance by taking four of the remaining six St Mary’s wickets for only 31 runs as Doveton bowled the home side out for 75.
@BT Sub Sport News:Parkfield d Mordialloc
Tony Payne’s batting effort was the deciding factor in Parkfield’s 41-run win over Mordialloc at Ben Kavanagh Reserve.
Payne (70) steadied his team at 3/18 and along with Brad Baptist (26), helped his team to a respectable 171 on a damp pitch.
Mordialloc’s Aaron Martello (35) and Travis Campbell (39) brought hope to the chase but when Campbell was caught off the bowling of Hemantha Alles (5/28), Mordialloc quickly lost the remaining two wickets and was bowled out for 130.
@BT Sub Sport News:Berwick d Keysborough
At 1/80, Keysborough was in line to force the greatest upset in Turf One this season, but a batting collapse followed by strong Berwick batting left Keysborough seven wickets short of a victory at Arch Brown Reserve.
Shiran Rajakaruna (49) and Jacob Hennigan (40) both did well in the middle, but Cameron McDonnell (3/19) sparked the batting collapse that reduced Keysborough from 1/80 to all out for 140.
Meanwhile, the Berwick offence that has been so destructive this year again showed its depth with youngster Josh Holden (62 not out) and captain Paul Evans (62) combining to reach 142 with seven wickets in hand.
@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South d Buckley Ridges
A half-century by Ben Watson was not enough for Buckley Ridges as Springvale South continued its post-Christmas form, this time beating the Ridges by six wickets at Alex Nelson Reserve.
Ridge’s Watson (51) and Paul Franks (34) were solid in the middle order but came unstuck when Springvale South’s Michael Davies (3/23) came into bowl.
Needing to score 165 to pass the visitors, Davies (29*) hit the winning runs in the last over after Rory Ingram (47) and Alex Roberts (38*) set up the innings.
