Coomoora seamer Rizan Mawzoon prepares to unleash a delivery against Berwick at Arch Brown Reserve on Saturday. By Paul Pickering and Marc McGowan
THE Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf One competition will reach a regular season crescendo this weekend, with seven sides fighting over four finals berths on the second day of their final-round fixtures.
Almost inconceivably, reigning premier Springvale South – which won its first five games – will have its finals hopes on the line against Buckley Ridges at Park Oval this weekend after conceding 284 runs on Saturday.
Meanwhile, any thoughts St Mary’s had of lunging into the finals were dashed by North Dandenong; Parkfield and Cranbourne are evenly poised; Keysborough started well at Narre Warren; Dandenong West struggled with the bat against Doveton; and Berwick all but clinched top spot against Coomoora.
Buckley Ridges v Springvale South
After cruising through the first half of the season undefeated, second-placed Springvale South now faces a tough run chase if it is to lock in a finals spot.
The out-of-form Bloods watched Buckley Ridges’ Daniel Watson (124) carve out a damaging century at Park Oval on Saturday, with the home side declaring at 9/284.
Watson was ably supported by David Irvine (55) as the Ridges launched an impressive attempt to leap from fifth spot into the finals fray.
The Bloods pace attack was led by all-rounders Danny Law (3/43) and Gavin Fewkes (3/48), but it was Nick Bole-Brown (2/52) who claimed the vital wicket in dislodging Watson.
In reply, the visitors slumped to 2/15 at stumps after a menacing twilight spell from Ridges’ Aaron Clarke-Bruce (2/5 from two overs).North Dandenong v St Mary’s
North Dandenong will be pressing for outright victory this weekend after paceman Chris Clarke rattled through the St Mary’s at Lois Twohig Reserve on Saturday.
Clarke’s 5/32 put paid to the Saints’ unlikely finals tilt, with the visitors toppling to a dismal total of 93 from 43 overs.
North Dandenong will resume at 2/111 this Saturday after swiftly eclipsing the Saints score to take first-innings points at stumps on day one.
With a sniff of outright victory, fourth-placed North Dandenong could potentially seize top spot if both Berwick and Springvale South were to falter.
Narre Warren v Keysborough
Needing an outright victory to vault into the top four, Narre Warren’s hopes were all but crushed by a 120-run third-wicket stand between Keysborough’s Shiran Rajukarana (81) and Nalin Wijesinghe (53) at Sweeney Reserve on Saturday.
The partnership guided Keysborough to a total of 253, while Magpies seamer John Simpson claimed 4/56 with the ball.
Keysborough – sitting in second-last place – can now fight off relegation by claiming the points on Saturday, while only a miracle could see the Magpies ascend into the four from seventh place.
Parkfield v Cranbourne
A two-man pace assault from Cranbourne’s Shane Murdoch and Matt Moore reduced Parkfield to a mediocre total of 153 on Saturday.
The pair combined to dismiss all 10 Bears batsmen, bowling 67 of the Eagles’ 79 overs for the innings.
Murdoch churned out career-best figures of 6/77 from an astonishing 32 overs, while Moore claimed 4/35 from his 25.
For the Bears, only an 87-run fifth-wicket stand from Tony Payne (50) and Dale Harris (34) gave the home side some sort of total to bowl at.
In reply, the Eagles quickly fell to 3/15 at stumps, with Hemantha Alles claiming 2/8 from five dangerous overs to set up an exciting second day.
Berwick v Coomoora
Berwick looks set to enter the finals on a high after smacking a big total against Coomoora at Arch Brown Reserve on Saturday.
The brilliant Gavan Wills (86) sparkled again, but was overshadowed by a great knock from Paul Evans (93) as the Bears posted 6/301.
Star all-rounder Alex Roberts (13) missed out for the second week running and when fellow opener Justin Stanton joined him in the pavilion, Berwick was wobbling at 2/61.
But Wills and Evans compiled a magnificent 156-run third-wicket partnership that was only ruined by the fact neither batsman managed to reach triple figures.
From there handy contributions from Ryan Crawford (35) and Brad Molineux (25 not out) capped the Bears’ effort.
David Nutting (3/58) was the pick of Coomoora’s bowlers.
Doveton v Dandenong West
With both sides fighting to avoid relegation, Doveton and Dandenong West produced an ugly encounter at Robinson Reserve on the weekend.
The bottom-placed Bulls won the toss and batted, but only David Dryden (30), captain Alan Campbell (29) and Anthony Brannan (18) reached double digits.
Ultimately the Doves dismissed Dandenong West for a dismal 127 after the Bulls lost a steady stream of wickets.
Gun Doveton all-rounder Ryan Hendy (4/25) shared the wickets with Corrie Wilson (3/50) and Brad Downe (2/23).
In response, the Doves were not much better, losing Garrick Wiramanaden and Robert Turner before stumps.
But at 2/33 and with Downe still at the crease, Doveton looks likely to send Dandenong West down to Turf Two.
