Noble Park’s season in the balance

NOBLE Park’s finals aspirations suffered a major blow when it fell 24 runs short against ladder leader Elsternwick in their Victorian Sub District Cricket Association match on Saturday.
Chasing Elsternwick’s total of 9/247, Noble Park was quickly on the back foot with openers Andrew Brown and Andrew O’Meara back in the sheds with only 19 on the board.
Captain Gavin Hurley and Rod Douthie then added an even 50 runs before Douthie was out lbw for 34.
When Damien Fleming had his stumps rattled Noble Park was a shaky 4/80.
Jon Stones joined Hurley and they took the score to 4/122 off 37 overs at tea.
Upon resumption, Noble Park lost Hurley (43) without adding to the total, and when Stones was dismissed shortly after for 18 the score read 6/136. Sharni Perera and Mark Rendle got Noble Park back in the game with a 72-run partnership, taking the total to 208 before Rendle was caught on 35.
Perera followed shortly after for 37 with the total 8/220. Unfortunately the tail couldn’t hang around long enough to get the runs and the side was dismissed for 223.
The loss puts Noble Park outside the top six, three points behind sixth-placed Oakleigh, which meets Noble Park next week in the game that will decide the teams’ fate.
Noble Park’s second XI was always going to struggle to defend its score of 160, but its bowlers toiled manfully in the 41-degree heat to fall two wickets short of victory with Elsternwick passing the score in the 83rd over. Sean Schubert took 2/27 off 18 overs, David Harper 2/28 off 14 and Kim Fitzpatrick 2/43 off a marathon 27 overs.
The third XI kept its finals hopes alive with victory against Elsternwick.
Defending 262, the side dismissed the visitors for 199.
Nirosh Fonseka took 4/18, Matt Ferguson 3/48 and Andrew Borovac 2/30.
The fourth XI was dismissed for 169 well short of Elsternwick’s total of 216. Justin Hart top scored with 47, with Dave Jones and Steven Limbrick each making 24.