Above: Noble Park batsman Rod Douthie had something to prove against his former club Moorabbin on Saturday, but the bowler is doing all the talking, forcing Douthie to crouch as a ball whizzes past his head.Left: A textbook lesson in bat-pad defence, proudly presented by Noble Park batsman Gavin Hurley. By Glen Atwell
A CLUB record ninth-wicket partnership of 95 between Paul McDonald and Andrew Berman got Noble Park to 319 against Moorabbin.
After winning the toss and batting, Noble Park got a bright start with openers Andrew Brown and Andrew O’Meara reaching 32 before Brown was sensationally caught in the gully for 18.
Gavin Hurley joined O’Meara but was soon back in the shed when he got an edge to the keeper for four.
O’Meara and Rod Douthie added a further 36, taking the score to 76 off 21 overs, when O’Meara was adjudged lbw for 37.
Paul Hill and Douthie kept the score moving, sharing a 50-run partnership before Noble Park’s innings ran off the rails.
With the score on 126 Hill was stumped for 11 and, next over, Douthie, playing against his former club, was caught behind for 54. Jon Stones was back in the pavilion the next ball and suddenly Noble Park was 6/126.
Damien Fleming and Mark Rendle had the task of rescuing the innings and made it through to tea with the total 6/156 off 41 overs.
After tea they added another 30 when Rendle glided a ball to point to be caught for 17.
Fleming (46) fell three overs later and Noble Park was again in a precarious position at 8/196 with 28 overs still to bat.
McDonald and Berman then got together for their record stand with Berman out in the 72nd over for 50. McDonald was last man out, caught behind for 59 with Ash Perera not out 10. Moorabbin had to then survive three overs but suffered an early setback when Ash Perera broke through to have the visitors 1/6 at stumps.
The second XI also had a day out with the bat reaching 5/280 at Bignell Road. Kynan Ford in his first game for the club in five seasons, top-scoring with 71 not out with Sharni Perera (70), Chris Lee (40) and Paul O’Meara (38) getting among the runs.
The third XI made its fourth consecutive 250-plus total, being dismissed for 269.
Michael Todd (55) and Lamith Paranapalliyage (52) set the tone early with juniors Dane Rogers and Jake D’Atri both making 33 keeping the momentum going late in the innings.
The fourth XI had registered a win after dismissing Moorabbin for 67 and declaring at 6/117.
Andrew Dennis did the damage with the ball, taking 4/22, and Tom Smith (2/3), Ash Ganser (2/10) and Stephen Limbrick (2/29) were the other wicket takers.
Limbrick and Jason Bradshaw top-scored with 21 as Moorabbin’s total was passed with four wickets down.
In its second innings Moorabbin was 1/15, Dennis getting the breakthrough.
