Six in fight for four places

By Glen Atwell and Marc McGowan
AS the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) entered the first day of its last home and away season match, six sides are vying for an all-important finals position.

@BT Sub Sport News:North Dandenong v Buckley Ridges

Stand-out batting performances from Daniel Watson (87) and Shane D’Rozario (97) saved the day for Buckley Ridges in its first innings against North Dandenong at Lois Twohig Reserve.
It was second versus third on the DDCA ladder and Buckley Ridges amassed 228 with the bat after winning the toss and sending North Dandenong into the field.
But the innings got off to the worst start possible when opener Basil Hobkirk was dismissed for a duck, bowled by Stuart Mack.
Ruwan Jayadeva was soon out for 1 and when Paul Rudd walked back to the pavilion with a single run to his name, the score was 3/9 and Buckley Ridges was feeling the sting of the North Dandenong pace attack.
Enter Watson and D’Rozario, who blasted their side back into the game.
Both players have yet to score a century this season, but it was D’Rozario who would be ruing the missed opportunity after being run out just three runs short of the magical 100.
Amazingly, and despite concluding the innings with a respectable total, eight Buckley batsmen failed to score in the double figures.
With the ball, it was North Dandenong paceman Paul Court who did the bulk of the damage, snaring 4/36 from his 16 overs.
In a sign that finals are not too far away, the North Dandenong bowling attack did not concede a wide delivery or no ball in its 72-over stint.
North Dandenong was forced to face eight overs to end the day’s play, and finished in the precarious position of 1/11.
Shane Leonard was the only batsman dismissed, out lbw for 1.

@BT Sub Sport News:St Mary’s v Southern Pirates

As six sides battle it out for a top four position, St Mary’s and Southern Pirates locked horns in a match to decide this year’s wooden spoon winner.
The cellar-dwellers have won two games each this season and were intent on adding a third and final victory, and taking some much-needed winning momentum into the winter break.
After winning the toss and batting on its home strip, St Mary’s smashed its way to a seemingly insurmountable total of 5/323.
Saints opener Troy Cashman was in electrifying form, blasting 103 in an innings that included 10 fours and one six.
Jamie McDonnell soon trumped Cashman as the innings high-scorer, adding an unbeaten 114 runs of his own and belting 15 fours along the way.
With the ball, the Pirates could hardly make an impact, Leigh Taylor netting the best figures of 1/47.

@BT Sub Sport News:Keysborough v Dandenong West

Despite sitting in seventh position on the ladder, Keysborough is only one win away from cracking into the top four.
Playing 10th-placed Dandenong West, the Burra will have its work cut out chasing 276 when play resumes at Keysborough Reserve on Saturday.
Dandenong West opener Matthew Sofoulis (54) launched his side’s innings in the best way possible and added a third half-century to his already impressive season record.
Greg Siwes (18) and David Dryden (33) each made positive contributions before Shane Larner made his way to the crease and did the bulk of the damage.
Larner scored 72 runs, including nine fours and one six, in an innings that turned the game in Dandenong West’s favour.
In reply, Keysborough lost opener Channa Gunawardana for a duck before carefully advancing to 1/26 before the end of the day.

@BT Sub Sport News:Narre Warren v Cranbourne

Narre Warren’s hopes of playing in the Turf One finals for the first time became even more unlikely after a forgettable day against Cranbourne at Sweeney Reserve on Saturday.
Despite bowling Cranbourne out inside the first day, the Magpies still conceded 237 runs and then fell to 2/33 by stumps.
It could have been more promising for Narre Warren after it restricted the Eagles to 6/94 before Daniel Diwell (45) was joined by Shane Murdoch (91 not out) to energise the Cranbourne innings.
In reply, Jonathan West (1/13) snared the early wicket of Dimitri Dimakopoulos (4) when the score was on 9 before Dwayne Thompson (14) had his stumps uprooted by Andrew Toan (1/4) to make it 2/29.

@BT Sub Sport News:Springvale South v Doveton

Doveton put in a good day one performance against Springvale South at Alex Nelson Reserve.
Coming up against the fourth-placed Bloods, the Doves quickly slumped to 2/15 before Ryan Hendy (114) belted his first ton of the season.
He combined firstly with Robert Turner (20) for 102 runs then added 80 with Corrie Wilson (38) to launch his side to 245.
Springvale South flew to 1/37 in the nine overs before the end of play with captain Craig Slocombe (20) making the bulk of the total.

@BT Sub Sport News:Parkfield v Berwick

Parkfield will be bowling for its life this weekend after scoring 7/259 against Berwick at Parkfield Reserve on Saturday.
Berwick poured on the pressure from the start and restricted its opposition to 4/36.
Parkfield is a good side, however, and fought its way back into the contest courtesy of a quality 155-run partnership between captain Dale Harris (98) and Tony Payne (57).
The team stumbled twice more on 191, but John O’Hare (32 not out) and Daniel Ferguson (28 not out) collated a 68-run stand to give their side’s finals chances a heartbeat.
Simon Cornell (2/35) and Ash Henry (2/70) were the multiple wicket-takers for Berwick.