Noble effort for VSDCA champions

By Glen Atwell
NOBLE Park Cricket Club is champion of the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association after defeating Balwyn in the association grand final.
After Gavin Hurley won the toss and elected to bat, Noble Park openers Andrew Brown and Andrew O’Meara got their side off to a flying start with a 78-run opening stand, which ended when Brown (40) chopped a ball onto his stumps.
Rod Douthie joined O’Meara and scored 19 before he was caught behind in the 34th over with the total on 103.
Hurley and O’Meara survived a further three overs to reach the tea break at 2/108 off 37 overs.
It was the first time this season the side had reached the break less than four wickets down.
Balwyn fought back after the break, taking the wickets of O’Meara (45) and Damien Fleming (0), both caught behind.
The game was in the balance as Noble Park was reduced to 4/126.
Jon Stones joined Hurley and the pair added 41, taking the total to 167 before Hurley, who had already made two half-centuries in the finals series, fell just seven runs short of a third when he was out lbw for 43.
Sharni Perera and Stones then swung the game back in Noble Park’s favour, sharing a 100-run stand off only 113 balls, before Stones was out caught in the 78th over for an entertaining 81, his innings coming off 110 deliveries and including two fours and five sixes.
Perera and Mark Rendle took the total to 6/281 declared at stumps.
In reply, Balwyn was dismissed for 227.
James Lowrie and Benn Gordon both scored half-centuries as Fleming struggled to bowl the line and length that resulted in the fall of multiple wickets against Malvern the week before.
But Ash Perera was unstoppable, taking 6/61 from 25 overs and sealing a championship victory for the Noble Park side.
In his first season for Noble Park, Fleming bowled 192 overs, taking 39/395, with an average of 10.13 runs per wicket.
With the bat he scored 441 from 14 innings – an average 36.75.