Noble O’Meara ton has team on top

A CENTURY to 20-year-old Andrew O’Meara was the catalyst to Noble Park reaching 6/319 at stumps on Saturday in the first day of its Victorian Sub District Cricket Association game against Mt Waverley.
With captain Gavin Hurley winning the toss and batting on a good Mt Waverley wicket, openers O’Meara and Andrew Brown took full advantage of the conditions posting a 72-run opening stand before Brown was bowled for 34.
Hurley joined O’Meara at the crease and the pair added 26 before Hurley was caught for 14.
Coach Rod Douthie and O’Meara then saw the side through to tea with the score 2/130 off 43 overs. After the break the score kept on ticking at four runs an over until the total reached 171 when a full-blooded drive from O’Meara was ricocheted off the bowler onto the stumps to see Douthie cruelly run out for 42.
Paul Hill and O’Meara added 48 for the fourth wicket until Hill departed for 19.
A 64-run partnership off 59 deliveries between O’Meara and Damien Fleming ended when O’Meara was out in the 74th over for 116, his innings lasting 261 minutes and 225 deliveries.
Jon Stones and Fleming kept the score ticking over until Fleming was out with one ball to go in the innings for a cavalier 64 off 54 balls.
Stones finishing the day unbeaten on 7 and Mark Rendle scored two off the last ball to take the total to 6/319 at stumps.
The second XI match is evenly poised after Noble Park dismissed Mt Waverley for 155, Sean Schubert taking 4/29, Kim Fitzpatrick 3/25 and David Kennedy 2/31.
In reply Noble Park was 2/14 at stumps.
The third XI recovered from 3/24 to reach 286 in its innings against Mt Waverley.
Captain Darren Wilcox led the way with 106, with support from Andrew Parker (60) and opener Michael Todd (45).
The fourth XI needs to make 202 this week after dismissing Mt Waverley for 201.
Captain Asha Ganser took 5/67 off 21.2 overs with Andrew Dennis chiming in with 3/36 and 15-year-old Jake D’Atri bowling 1/32 off 17 overs with his off-spinners.