Right:Buckley Ridges bowler Wesley Nicholas took 2/29 as he helped bowl Berwick out for 176 in the year’s first two-dayer. 59538
By Gavin Staindl
THE sun was out and tails were wagging in day one of the year’s first two-dayers in the Dandenong and District Cricket Association.
Batting first appeared to be the desired preference for teams but for sides like Narre Warren, Springvale South and North Dandenong, they owe much of their high totals to the lower-order.
TURF ONE
@BT Sub Sport News:BERWICK v BUCKLEY RIDGES
Two late wickets may have been the best thing to come out of the first day for Berwick in its pivotal clash against Buckley Ridges at Arch Brown Reserve.
Buckley Ridges bowler Matthew Goodwright (4/26) ripped through the Berwick lower order as the Bears were bowled out for 176, but the wickets of Ridges’ openers Clint Walker (2) and Suren Ekanayake (6) late in the day has evened the contest.
At stumps Buckley was 2/27 and need another 149 runs to win.
It will be the second time the two teams meet this week as Berwick and Buckley fight it out in the grand final of the DDCA Twenty20 competition.
The two teams were scheduled to play late yesterday (Wednesday) at Arch Brown Reserve – pick up next week’s News for details on the match.
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE WARREN v DOVETON
Narre Warren is heavy-favourite to blast from the bottom of the Turf One ladder after bashing its way to 9/272 against Doveton at Sweeney Reserve.
The Magpies made only one change to the team that was bowled out for 46 last week but look certain to leap-frog out of the relegation zone.
The Magpies were well positioned at 7/144 to pass their highest score of the season – 180 – but they never looked like scoring more than 200 runs.
Led by Shean Vanderwert (82) and number 10 batter Chris Jarrett (56), the Magpies added 128 runs for a loss of only two wickets.
Between Jarrett, who had not made a score higher than 14 this season, and Omar Baker (23), the pair wasted no time at the crease, belting a combined 10 fours and four sixes.
@BT Sub Sport News:SPRINGVALE SOUTH v KEYSBOROUGH
Springvale South has the upper hand thanks to the lower order after day one at Alex Nelson Reserve.
Keysborough’s Baden Saunders (4/54) influenced the collapse that left Springvale South at 8/139, but it was Springvale South’s tailenders that did the damage.
Matt Wenke (36) and Jarrod Armitage (44) put on a 68-run ninth wicket partnership while Dillon Fernandesz (10 not out) did his bit to give the home side a 232-run lead heading into Keysborough’s innings.
@BT Sub Sport News:PARKFIELD v DANDENONG WEST
Steven Spoljaric has been in fine form this summer but his weekend’s ton – his first for the season, has given Parkfield a lead of 254 runs over Dandenong West at Parkfield Reserve.
Spoljaric (124) and Hemantha Alles (45) top scored for the home side but both fell victim to Chandana Surige Don who took 6/73.
Surige Don claimed five of the opening six Parkfield batters but could not stem the run flow that has left Dandenong West with a mountain to climb.
@BT Sub Sport News:ST MARY’S v NORTH DANDENONG
After a crippling collapse North Dandenong has been given some life after its lower-order guided the team to 9/215 against St Mary’s at Carroll Reserve.
Notching up 50 runs without a loss of wicket, North Dandenong proceeded to lose seven wickets for 64 runs before eighth and ninth batters David Bell and Glen Pepper went to town.
Bell (38) and Pepper (54) contributed a 97-run partnership that swung the match in the favour of North Dandenong.
