By Gavin Staindl
BUCKLEY Ridges will be looking to go back-to-back when it meets Springvale South in the Turf One final of the Dandenong and District Cricket Association this week.
Buckley advanced to next week’s final at Keysborough Recreation Reserve after defeating Berwick by 77 runs in an interrupted game at Park Oval while Springvale South comfortably accounted for Parkfield at Alex Nelson Reserve.
@BT Sub Sport News:SPRINGVALE SOUTH v PARKFIELD
Springvale South has bumped Parkfield out of the finals after it completed a four-wicket victory at Alex Nelson Reserve.
But it may have been Parkfield coach Steven Spoljaric who jinxed his team’s chances. After accepting the Wookey Medal the Monday night before the finals, the prolific run scorer shocked those in attendance when he said “I am due to fail, aren’t I? My form is too good at the moment.”
Spoljaric averaged over 100 runs with the bat this season and was the deserved winner of the Wookey Medal, but last Saturday against Springvale South he was given his marching orders after making only 14 runs.
Parkfield, which elected to bat first, slumped to 4/54 after Spoljaric’s dismissal and never recovered, making only 124.
It took only two hours on the Sunday for Springvale South to wrap up the semi-final, exacting revenge on the Parkfield side that came from behind to beat Springvale in the 2008/09 premiership.
@BT Sub Sport News:BUCKLEY RIDGES v BERWICK
Buckley continued its run of rich form, beating Berwick by 77-runs in its three-day semi-final at Park Oval.
After making scores of 308 and 246 in its last two innings, Buckley registered its highest total of the season, making 9/337.
But Buckley’s innings was not all free-flowing as Berwick’s James Davies (4/80) combined with Jarrod Goodes (2/77) to take the opening two wickets without a run on the board.
Within two overs, second-drop Daniel Watson (88) found himself at the crease but between Watson and Troy Aust (81) they put on a 141-run partnership.
Davies struck again midway through the opening day, leaving the Ridges perilously placed at 7/202 but another big partnership – this time a 100-run stand between Shane D’Rozario (51) and Paul Rudd (78) – saved the day for Buckley.
Berwick was given the chance to chase down the runs on Sunday but it never managed to find the game-winning combination that Buckley did.
As the Bears headed indoors for tea, still trailing by 200 runs, the heavens opened forcing the game into a third day.
When play resumed the following day, Luke Fletcher (4/65) began to find his rhythm and – though nine Berwick batters reached double figures – none of them could make a 50.
It was a controlled demolition of one of the more prominent batting line-ups in Turf One that gave Buckley the 77-run win and a spot in this week’s grand final against Springvale South.
