THERE’S life yet in the DDCA Turf 1 competition from tip to toe, with Parkfield conceding a shock outright defeat on the second innings to North Dandenong.
Steve Spoljaric and crew would’ve been walking on air coming back to hunt down the remaining eight North Dandenong wickets, but life from the tail gave the northerners a fighting chance.
Alex Blake (34) and Shane Leonard bandied together a 36-run stand before the pair fell to Rod Bird (2/32) and the young spinner Travis D’Souza (4/20).
With 44 overs down in the day and a lead of only 91, most would’ve staked their houses on Spolly’s men coming home with the runs.
It wasn’t to be as Shane Clark (5/15) ripped apart the top order in tandem with Michael de Kauwe (2/20) and Yuri Ryaboshapka (1/25).
Spoljaric mustered 20 and Matt Aslett (19) and Tony Payne (13) tried to bolster ranks, but the rot set in early and severely for the Bears – slumping to 68 dismissed from only 26.3 overs.
Parkfield takes a consolation four points from the first innings victory, but the win to North Dandenong keeps their Turf 1 dreams alive, with Doveton defeating Narre Warren this round. With two rounds left and 11 points adrift of the finals, only a miracle from here will boost seventh placed Parkfield into the final four.
DANDENONG WEST v COOMOORA
Dandenong West (5/365) showed the true difference between the premiership contenders and the also-rans as it pasted Coomoora (159) to all parts of Greaves Reserve.
Missing out was the sole dominion of Adam Mason (0) – so Dave Weerden (80) and Ryan Buckley (61) made up for that with a 119-run partnership.
Then the maestro Alex Roberts (129 not out) and Matt Fielding (70) ensured a total rout was on the table.
Tim Bacic (2/51) and Luke Vincent (2/93) claimed the multiples.
Dandenong West has enshrined its spot atop the table with a six-point buffer over this week’s opponent – Buckley Ridges.
Coomoora sits in no-man’s land between finals and relegation, so should use these remaining two fixtures to blood a few kids and generate some momentum to carry over to 2013/14.
BUCKLEY RIDGES v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
Uninterested in the outright victory, Buckley Ridges (4/375) dug the knife deeper into Springvale South (131) to really signal intent heading towards finals.
Marc Calkin (94) fell agonisingly short of his first DDCA century caught by substitute keeper Tim Ford off Matheesha Perera (2/108).
Perera toiled for 35 overs in a superhuman effort of bowling.
From there, Greg Todd (158 not out) and Dan Watson (43 not out) batted on far too long.
Calkin should’ve waved the batsman back in long before stumps and at least given his bowlers another run.
Ridges sit second and face Dandenong West in a battle of the brawn.
Springvale South sits six points outside the four and will need wins against Berwick and Coomoora to stand a chance.
Fixture: Berwick v Springvale South, Dandenong West v Hallam Kalora Park, Coomoora v Parkfield, Narre Warren v North Dandenong, Heinz Southern Districts v Buckley Ridges.
