By JARROD POTTER
Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 – round 10 (week two)
LONG shots to stay alive in the final’s race is next week’s agenda for the DDCA with the top-six battling for those precious few finals placings.
NORTH DANDENONG v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
TOP of the pops again, Springvale South (8/245) found its form at the right time with a clinical bowl-out of North Dandenong (167). Jurgen Andersen (54 not out) was the Northerner to shine in tandem with Clay McCartney (36) and captain Shane Clark (23). From many places did the Bloods get their scalps as Aaron Morrison (3/29) and captain Craig Slocombe (2/9) led the way. North Dandenong would need to bowl out Berwick twice for a pittance to stand a chance to qualify for finals while Springvale South host Coomoora for the chance to book a home semi-final at Harold Road the following week.
PARKFIELD v BUCKLEY RIDGES
PARKFIELD (51 and 2/86) was finally knocked off the top of the perch as Buckley Ridges (241) devastated the home side’s batting. The Luke Fletcher (6/23) show had its primetime opening when needed most as the Englishman rattled through the Bears as if they were mere Teddy Bears. Steve Spoljaric (14) top-scored in the woeful first innings with Travis D’Souza (12 not out) holding onto his wicket as well. Wes Nicholas (3/15) spun out a trio of Bears to cap off the happy first innings hunting for Buckley Ridges. Bowling to boost percentage, Buckley Ridges snared a couple more wickets before Parkfield was allowed to exit the arena. Buckley Ridges hosts Dandenong West and Parkfield heads to Heinz Southern Districts with the Cobras’ season on the line.
COOMOORA v NARRE WARREN
BARRING a miraculous outright victory this round against Hallam Kalora Park, Narre Warren (152) will be relegated to Turf 2 following Coomoora’s (153) nervy, but successful chase. Paul Hill (43 not out) stepped up when the Roos needed him most, guiding the chase with help around him from Rahoul Pankania (30) and Luke Wenke (20). Narre defended its meagre tally admirably with Jarryd Straker (3/45) and Pramod Liyanagamage (3/40) reeling off 18 overs each while the economical workhorse was Kaushalya Weeraratne (1/30) from an impressive 21.2 overs. The Magpies chipped away at the Kangaroos’ batting attack, but couldn’t prise Hill from the crease. It boiled down to the last wicket stand between Hill and Chris Konings (12) to keep Coomoora above Narre Warren in Turf 1. The number-11 Konings held on to post a 37-run partnership that will go down in the club’s favourite lore.
DANDENONG WEST v LYNDALE
THE Bulls rattled through Lyndale (150). Walid Ghauri (5/21) secured his first five-wicket haul in the association as he worked his way through the visitors’ order. Rory Ingram (36) stood tall in a captain’s knock but the rest of his attack failed to show up. Peter Atkinson (2/49) and Andrew Harry (2/19) claimed a couple of wickets apiece to complete the rout. Lyndale needs an outright victory against Mordialloc this round and a loss for Heinz Southern Districts to qualify for finals. Dandenong West’s season is all but over with a massive outright victory required against Buckley Ridges and results to fall its way.
