Berwick fast bowler Will Carr was at his devastating best against Narre Warren, snaring season-best figures of 4/24.Narre Warren batsman Dwayne Scott slashed his way to a team-high 31 runs against Berwick in Turf 1 action.
By Glen Atwell and Marc McGowan
IT was the battle of the undefeated when Springvale South hosted North Dandenong in Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 action at Alex Nelson Reserve on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting first, North Dandenong escaped with a great chance to remain unbeaten.
After 80 overs, North Dandenong finished its innings 8/265 – but it probably should have been more.
Fine knocks to Shane Clark (73) and Scott Neeson (77 not out) saw the score read 3/162 and Dandenong was poised to score 350-plus.
But Springvale bowlers Craig Slocombe (3/64) and Andrew Sharp (2/66) clawed their side back into the game.
Bobby Gray (2/57) took two important wickets late in the day to keep Springvale’s chase below 300.
AFTER a less than impressive batting performance, St Mary’s is on track to defeat Buckley Ridges when its match at Park Oval resumes on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting, the Saints crumbled to be all out for 152.
Luke Byron (40) and Jamie McDonnell (50) were the saving grace, determined not to let the Buckley bowlers dictate all the play.
McDonnell smashed seven fours and one six in his innings, but after his dismissal the Saints’ wheels began to fall off.
Seven of the St Mary’s batsmen were dismissed for less than 10 and only two players made it past 20.
Buckley Ridges bowler Shane D’Rozario did most of the damage with the red leather taking 4/31, including the prized wickets of Byron and McDonnell, in an impressive 15-over spell.
D’Rozario has taken 19 wickets from 113 overs and is averaging less than 13 runs per wicket.
Westley Nicholas also bowled well, snaring 3/50 from 14 overs.
In reply, and after a solid start, Buckley Ridges collapsed to be 4/55 at the close of play.
THE winless Parkfield is on track to register its first victory of the season after amassing 9/261 against Keysborough on Saturday.
Parkfield captain Dale Harris led his side with distinction, scoring 80 runs before being run out by Keysborough fielder Buddhika Abayasiriwardana.
John O’Hare (49) also batted well, but fell one agonising run short of his half-century.
With the ball, Channa Gunawardana stamped his authority on the game, collecting 4/72 from 22 overs.
Hemantha Alles snared 2/64.
In reply, Keysborough will have its work cut out when play resumes at 12.30pm on Saturday.
CRANBOURNE continued its solid form of recent weeks, producing an imposing total of 8/362 against Dandenong West at Casey Fields on the weekend.
Despite Dandenong West sitting inside the four and Cranbourne languishing near the bottom of the standings, it is the latter team that has been in better form in recent weeks.
A host of Cranbourne batsmen put Dandenong West to the sword, with captain Ross Woodall (95) finally shaking off the cobwebs, and Dieter Leinmueller (70 in his Turf 1 debut), Daniel Diwell (55), and Shane Murdoch (53) providing strong support.
It was one-way traffic all day, barring a minor hiccup before Cranbourne had any runs on the board, when Brad Angus was out off the bowling of Glen Scales (1/31).
Angus has now made 10 runs in his past three innings.
Leinmueller and Woodall then put on a 158-run partnership to help put Cranbourne well and truly in charge of the contest.
DOVETON is in a solid position to gain its first points of the season against fellow cellar-dweller the Southern Pirates at Wachter Reserve this Saturday.
Captain Brad Downe (101 not out) was at it again after providing a sole hand of 57 last week against the might of Berwick.
He received more support this week, with Rhys Barker (35) and Nathan Wilson (32) accruing solid starts, and some rearguard action from youngster Jesse Ladgrove (25 not out) helping Doveton reach its highest score of the season.
It was a good performance, considering the team was 3/38, and Doveton could have crumbled as it so regularly has, but a fighting performance augurs well for the rest of the season.
Peter Atkinson was the pick of the Pirates’ bowlers and ended with the figures of 3/67 from 28 overs.
