By Gavin Staindl
AFTER three days of swashbuckling and running to and from the shelter of the club rooms, the Dandenong and District Cricket Association semi-finals have finally been decided with upsets in both the Turf One and Turf Two grades.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:Hallam-Kalora Park d Doveton
Hallam-Kalora Park has advanced to the Turf One grand final on the back of a topsy-turvy 20-run win at Hallam Recreation Reserve.
Hallam-Kalora Park elected to bat and made the most of the quick outfield by reaching 100 with the loss of only two wickets.
Steve Chapman (86) and Leigh Booth (37) were both handy in utilising the good conditions to make a solid 77-run partnership.
After rain washed out the remainder of the day with the home side at 2/79, Hallam-Kalora Park resumed the following day only to lose 8/54 and give Doveton a sniff.
Doveton’s Corrie Wilson took 7/75 but had his good work undone when he found himself at the crease with his side flailing at 5/58.
However, a steadying partnership by Wilson (11) and Madura Weerasinghe Silva (58) ensured the game would go to a third day to determine a result.
Trying to find runs on a rain soaked outfield proved difficult for Doveton and Hallam-Kalora Park’s Paul McDonald thrived taking three wickets on the third day.
Fittingly, the man who had set up the win with his 86 came on to remove to final two batters to secure the win.
Man-of-the-match Steven Chapman took 2/7 in his four overs that sparked jubilation across the ground.
@BT Sub Sport News:Buckley Ridges d Berwick
What a month it has been for Buckley Ridges!
Firstly they play on the MCG in the state Twenty20 final, then they scrape into the Turf One finals on the back of a last ball victory against Parkfield and now they have upset the red-hot Berwick team to advance to the grand final.
Winning the toss at Arch Brown Reserve was the key for Buckley Ridges as they went onto make 8/317 and pull away with a 157 run victory.
Buckley Ridges jumped on their chance to bat first before the rain set in and raced to 4/151 before the inevitable rain put an end to the day.
Suren Ekanayake made 57 but it was Paul Franks’ (75) and Ruwan Jayadeva (67) who played the pivotal part in scoring on a ground not ideal for batting.
By the end of the 90 overs the explosive Ridges’ outfit had posted a formidable target of 317. Batting second on a soaked wicket put Berwick on the back foot from the start as could be seen by openers Rowan Purkiss and Josh Holden who combined to make seven runs off 67 balls.
After Berwick lost run machine Brad Francis at 3/15 the run chase looked as ominous as the clouds threatening to further dampen Berwick’s chances.
Captain Paul Evans (33) dug in and James Davies (32) backed up his captain but when Shane D’Rozario (5/43) dismissed both the Ridges knew they were on the way to a grand final.
Turf Two
@BT Sub Sport News:Cranbourne d Buckley Ridges
After losing to the Ridges’ last week to give up a home final, Cranbourne has bitten back by taking out the match that really matters.
Cranbourne advanced to the Turf Two grand final by five runs at Park Oval after Matt Moore dismissed Ridges captain Ian West for the final wicket.
With rain clouds quickly approaching and the runs required quickly falling, the signs were not good for Cranbourne.
As a draw would hand the higher-placed Ridges direct entry into the grand final, Moore, in only his third Turf Two match this season, was handed the ball in desperation of a wicket and the experienced veteran came up trumps.
After successive in-swingers, Moore had West edging at an out-swinger that was sensationally caught by wicket-keeper Steve Hall.
Hall had one stumping and took five catches for the day but according to Cranbourne president Glen Weir, the final catch was the best of them. “It was spectacular,” Weir recalls.
Earlier, Cranbourne had made 194 on the back of Daniel Diwell’s 45.
In response Buckley Ridges made 189 after passing 100 for the loss of only four wickets.
Cranbourne’s Rob Cleland (3/49), who bowled 36 overs for the match, including 20 in one spell, was one of the main reasons behind the victory. “He bowled his heart out. It was an absolute cracker of a game. The tension was there and it was such a high standard,” said Weir.
Cranbourne now meet Dandenong West in the grand final and for the right to be elevated into Turf One.
@BT Sub Sport News:Dandenong West d Lyndale
Dandenong West has been the benchmark for Turf Two all year and it proved why by cruising to a 108-run victory at Greaves Reserve.
Dandenong West’s Anthony Brannan smashed 156 in wet conditions to lift his team to a formidable total of 290.
His ton is the third for the season and could not have come at a better time as his team now prepares to play Cranbourne in next week’s grand final.
At 6/61 Lyndale never looked like giving the home side many troubles and only a 49 by Ruwan Weerawardena pushed Lyndale’s total to 172.
