By JARROD POTTER
VSDCA East/West 1st XI – Round 12 (week one)
PLAYING less like the VSDCA wooden spooners and more like premiership aspirants, Melton (236) put the sword to Noble Park’s bowling to set up a significant chase this weekend.
The Bulls made early inroads via opening quick trio Johan Vorster (3/41), Rizan Mawzoon (1/32) and Anthony Salomon (1/48) before Melton fought back.
A 133-run fifth wicket stand between Anthony Gale (75) and captain Nathan Geisler (76) turned the match on its head as the Bulls lost all initiative. The partnership was ruptured by Vorster, finding the edge of Gale to give Dirk Vandergert his third catch of the afternoon.
Geisler was next to fall at 6/210 having guided his side out of crisis. Nathan Allen (22 not out) held on as tail-end wickets started to tumble, with Mevan Fernando (4/39) spinning his way through the tail after claiming the must-have scalp of Geisler.
A win would give Noble Park much needed breathing room from the chasing pack in the VSDCA finals equation before its final match of the home and away season hosting Williamstown.
