Another tough road for Noble Park

NOBLE Park Cricket Club’s first XI has, for the second game in a row, a big target to chase after Caulfield amassed 7/242 off its 80 overs in their Victorian Sub District Cricket Association match on Saturday.
Winning the toss and sending Caulfield into bat, Noble Park got off to the perfect start with Damien Fleming and Ash Perera bowling a tight opening spell, and when Perera hit the stumps in the fourth over the home side was 1/5.
Caulfield then limped along to the 20th over when Paul McDonald got the vital wicket of Shaun Richardson with the score on 19.
A 50-run partnership saw Caulfield reach 71 before McDonald broke through again, taking two wickets but to be denied a hat-trick.
Caulfield moved cautiously until the last over before the tea break, when McDonald picked up his fourth wicket with Caulfield on 5/93.
After tea it was Caulfield’s turn to dominate the game, a 90-run sixth-wicket partnership ending when Mark Rendle broke through in the 67th over.
Rendle got his second wicket soon after with the total on 195.
The last nine overs saw the home side add 47 valuable runs without loss to finish 7/242 at stumps.
McDonald finished with 4/84 off 21 overs, Rendle 2/36 off 15 and Perera 1/73 off 23.
The second XI require a Herculean bowling effort to avoid defeat after being dismissed for 124, and a 48-run sixth-wicket stand between Warren Dickman (48) and Sean Schubert (28) avoided a total decimation.
In reply Caulfield reached 2/38 at stumps with Matt Crozier picking up both wickets to have 2/7 off four overs.
The third XI has given the bowlers a sizeable total to defend after reaching 9/264 in its innings.
Nirosh Fonseka (89) and Darren Wilcox (70) shared their second century stand, adding 134 for the sixth wicket.
Lamith Paranapalliyage’s 23 set the scene early with Andy Parker smashing 32 quick runs at the end.
Noble Park’s fourth XI’s match is evenly poised after Noble dismissed Caulfield for 168.
Asha Ganser’s 4/31 led the way with Andrew Dennis finishing with 2/23.
With 13 overs to bat the side slumped to 4/20 at stumps