Above: Noble Park paceman Damien Fleming delivers a lightningfast delivery to a Kingston Saints batsman at Pat Wright Senior oval on Saturday.THE Noble Park Cricket Club needs 253 to record its second win in the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association season after Kingston Saints amassed 8/252 on a hard Pat Wright Senior oval wicket on Saturday.
With Kingston captain Dean Edmonds winning the toss the visitors got off to a steady start, reaching 14 in the ninth over before losing their first wicket after a nifty piece of Andrew Berman fielding resulted in a run-out.
Things got tough for Noble Park after that with the next wicket falling at 93 after off-spinner Paul McDonald had an lbw decision go in his favour.
With McDonald and coach Rod Douthie bowling in tandem Kingston reached 2/129 off 50 overs at the break.
Upon the resumption Kingston continued to proceed cautiously, adding a further 20 runs in seven overs before Douthie picked up the vital wicket of Edmonds, caught by Fleming for 64.
With 7 wickets in hand and 23 overs remaining things looked grim for Noble but when McDonald picked up his second wicket Kingston were 4/184 in the 70th over.
Opening bowlers Ash Perera and Damien Fleming were reintroduced into the attack and picked up two wickets apiece to restrict the visitors to 8/252 at stumps. Fleming finishing with 2/25 off 13 overs, Perera with 2/40 off 14, McDonald with 2/94 in a mammoth 28-over spell.
The second XI is primed for its second victory after dismissing Kingston Saints for 107.
Off-spinner Dave Harper was the best of the bowlers taking 3/22 off 20 tight overs with support from Sean Schubert (2/27) and David Kennedy (2/31). In reply, Noble Park lost Sean Muller (6) on the last ball of the day to be 1/26 at stumps.
A century to captain Darren Wilcox saw Noble Park’s third XI amass a competitive 253 in its match against Kingston Saints.
The veteran smashed 117 on his way to creating club history with his last three innings for |the club being centuries, including 107 in the |previous game against Mt Waverley and a century last season in the second XI match against Endeavour Hills. Nirosh Fonseka (43) and Andrew |Love (24) provided support.
Kingston Saints defeated Noble Park’s fourth XI in their one-day match, Noble Park dismissed for 115 in reply to the Saints’ 7/231 at the tiny St Bede’s school oval.
Kasun Fernando was the best of the bowlers with 2/7 off his one over, and Thomas Smith bowled seven overs for figures of 2/51.
Only Andrew Dennis (34) and Mark Jacotine (25) kept the Saints’ bowlers honest.
