By Nick Creely
DDCA TURF 2 AND TURF 3
REVIEW – ROUND 13
TURF 2
The season couldn’t be set up for a bigger grandstand finish.
In the penultimate round of the Turf 2 campaign, there is still absolutely no indication about just how this final four will end up.
Three teams – Beaconsfield (third), Cranbourne (fourth) and Parkmore Pirates (fifth) – are tied on 45 points – while Parkfield is still an outside chance of breaking in if results go its way in the final round.
But Saturday saw Narre Warren lock away a top-two spot, with the Magpies comfortably defeating finals fancy Parkmore Pirates at Sweeney Reserve.
Discipline was once again the key for the Magpies, with Josh Dinger (4/40) once again superb as the Pirates were bundled out for 128.
Dinger’s appetite for wickets has increased as the season has worn on, with the seamer now having 23 wickets at the impressive average of 10.6 on the eve of finals.
Skipper Zach Allen ensured the Pirates would be unable to mount a charge towards victory, belting 12 fours on his way to a 53-ball 79 as the Magpies won by six wickets. Allen’s knock saw him pass 300 runs for the season.
Cam Dinger contributed 32 to continue his consistent season.
At Casey Fields, a blockbuster between Cranbourne and Beaconsfield went down to the wire, with the Eagles banking arguably its most vital win of 2020/21.
The Tigers were once again led superbly by top-order pair Michael Vandort (46) and Tyler Clark (52), who each contributed strongly with the bat to lift the visitors to 6/159 from its 45 overs.
The two recruits came to Perc Allison Oval with plenty of expectation, and have delivered in spades as the Tigers look to qualify for a finals appearance.
As he has done several times this season, Eagles opener Dean McDonell (67) anchored the chase superbly, but aside from skipper Mick Sweeney (35), a steady flow of wickets kept the visitors well and truly in a position to pounce.
But Tim Fathers’ gem of a cameo, an unbeaten 20, ensured that the home team could recover from 7/131 to find the remaining runs with two wickets to spare.
Callan Tout (2/23) and Brad Miles (2/29) were excellent with the ball for the Tigers.
A blistering century from Lyndale opener Brendan Ash, meanwhile has guided the Dales to a crushing win against Narre North.
The bottom-two sides battled it out at Barry Powell Reserve, and the home team almost instantly made it tough work for the visitors.
Ash – combined with Girish Chopra (51) – combined for a fluent 102-run opening stand, setting up an imposing 5/218.
But it was Ash that stole the show in a flamboyant century, blasting an unbeaten 113 to bat through the innings.
His innings was laced with 10 fours and four sixes to completely flatten the opposition.
Harish Rao then backed up his teammate’s efforts with the bat with a scintillating effort with ball in hand, snaring 6/33 from 10.5 overs as the visitors were tumbled out for 125.
Backing up his four wicket haul last weekend, Rao was virtually unplayable with only really skipper James Webb (34) able to get going with the bat.
In the final game of the round, Dandenong West was another side to bank a huge win, doing enough to snare the points against Parkfield.
It was a vitally important contest for both sides, who were looking for a victory in their respective finals push, but the Westers clawed its way to the win.
Batting first, the Bandits were restricted to 146, but some handy late runs from Alistair Read (26) and Sheron Cooray (25) saw the home team recover nicely from 7/91.
Veteran Pete Atkinson (3/38) did plenty of damage, while spinner Shaun Weir’s (4/24) incredible individual season continued with another bundle of wickets.
Greg Siwes (42) led the charge with the bat for the Westers as the visitors got the job done with four wickets in hand.
But the stage is set for a monster finish to the home-and-away season, with Beaconsfield taking on Narre Warren, Cranbourne playing Dandenong West, Narre North hosting Parkfield and Parkmore Pirates welcoming Lyndale.
TURF 3
While the top-three sides – Springvale, Keysborough and Coomoora – are locked away in Turf 3, there is still so many unanswered questions after a fascinating round of cricket.
But despite a round of cricket left to play, it would appear that Fountain Gate or Lynbrook are in the box seat for finals cricket.
Lynbrook, needing a win to stay in touch with the finals race, produced a remarkable performance on Saturday, absolutely dismantling ladder-leaders Springvale.
The Lakers – off the back of Shane D’Rozario (43) batted solidly enough to post 8/145 from its 40 overs.
But it was with the ball that the visitors weaved some magic in quite stunning scenes.
The usually fluent home team have been incredible with bat in hand this season, but remarkably were rolled for just 52 in the space of 21.3 overs.
Completely flattening a stable batting line-up, courtesy of Jesse Walia (3/7) and Jack Lucas (3/15), the Lakers had the home team 7/25 at one point before an aggressive cameo from Aaron Pereira (23) put some respectability on the scoreboard.
Coomoora also enjoyed a barnstorming weekend, dominating Berwick Springs at home.
Despite a fighting 35 from Stephen Brooks, the Titans were rolled for 91 with Michael Klonaridis (3/31) and Abhinav Bhatia (3/19) industrious with ball in hand.
The Roos chased the total down seamlessly, with Bhatia crunching an unbeaten 53 not out as the home team won with the loss of just one wicket.
There was a thriller at Max Pawsey Reserve, with Keysborough just holding on against Fountain Gate.
It was a largely tough day for batsmen, with the Knights clawing its way to 132 off the back of vital cameos from Paul McDonald (35) and Marko Otto (27), who came together at 7/60 and ensured the bowlers would have plenty to work with.
Skipper Stephen White battled hard to compile a classy 43, but it was McDonald who claimed the final wicket with a ball left to spare and six runs required to win.
In the final game of the round, Silverton (9/144) brushed aside Doveton (94), with Sachin Noragal (55), Simon Beshara (5/14) and Selva Tharaka (4/14) starring for the Bakers.
