By JARROD POTTER
DDCA Turf 1 – Round 9 (day 2)
ANOTHER outright victory, this time miraculously from a 99-run first innings tally, rocketed Cranbourne clear of the chasing pack in the race for DDCA finals.
PARKFIELD v CRANBOURNE
With two innings completed on the first day, Cranbourne (6/173dec) was able to set the pace on Saturday in the only way it knows how – through and over the boundary. The stand and deliver play from Te Ahu Davis (38) – two fours, three sixes – Ben Maroney (33) – five fours and a six – and captain Steven Spoljaric (28 not out) – six fours – left the Bears sore and sorry after the opening salvo, despite the best efforts of Nilochana Perera (3/61) and Shane Bell (2/70).
Taking only 41 overs to flog a whopping 225-run lead, Spoljaric sent his troops back in to his former clubrooms at Dunblane Reserve in order to hunt down outright win number three this season.
Despite a gallant knock from Perera (72), the rest of the Bears’ cove crumbled under pressure from Steven Miller (4/24) – promoted from Turf 3 this round – and Martin Kelly (2/23). Perera would hole out to Davis off Miller at 6/145 and from there on it was a matter of when, not if, Cranbourne would snare the maximum triumph.
The win gives the Eagles an eight-point lead atop the DDCA Turf 1 table before its first versus second showdown against Springvale South this round. Parkfield sits 10 points out of the final four and will need a miracle from here to have a chance at defending their 2013/14 premiership.
LYNDALE v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
The Bloods (7/181) did enough to knock off Lyndale (170) in a tense run-chase at Barry Powell Reserve. After the top order fell in a heap, the revival was left to Harry Staude (57) and Jackson Sketcher (27), adding 55 for the fifth wicket. Their partnership was ripped apart by Jaime Brohier (2/26) who trapped Sketcher in front and put Springvale South back on the defensive once again. Staude’s effort would be emulated by Nathan King (36) – who batted down the order and came up with the match-defining partnership. Their 78-run stand would prove enough to get past the gallant Lyndale effort, led by Ricky Foulstone (2/38) and Quyen Pham (2/51).
A tantalising top-of-the-table clash between the Bloods and Eagles is on the cards this round at Casey Fields while Lyndale heads to Parkfield.
DANDENONG WEST v NORTH DANDENONG
Arise Alex Blake (108) after a match-winning century guided North Dandenong (6/224dec) to a near outright victory over Dandenong West (143 and 7/101). Spiralling out of control at 5/58, the Northerners were in dire straits before Blake and Clay McCartney (30) seized control of the task at hand. The duo knocked in 68 for the sixth wicket before McCartney holed out, leaving Blake to guide the effort alongside Caleb Millman (31 not out). Blake would raise the bat on an emphatic inaugural DDCA century before Shane Clark called his troops back in after 46 overs.
Needing 81 to avoid outright defeat, the Bulls were charged through, but luckily had enough in the tank to push towards 7/101 by stumps. Dandenong West sits ninth and faces Buckley Ridges this week while North Dandenong is sixth and part of the five-way logjam for two spots in the finals as it faces Heinz Southern Districts this round.
HALLAM KALLORA PARK v COOMOORA
Gallant in defeat, Coomoora (166 and 1/75) didn’t just fold in the face of a whopping tally from Hallam Kalora Park (6/265). Led by Charith Fernando (48) and Saliya Saman (26), the real damage to the Hawks came from their own bowlers as they sprayed 30 extras in the 55-over innings. It would pose no real difference in the long term as Ben Hall (3/19), Will Whyte (2/19) and Amila Perera (2/41) took the visitors to task – causing a seven-wicket slump. The Kangaroos fell from 3/114 to dismissed for 166 in the blink of an eye and requiring another 99 to avoid outright defeat, were sent back in for Round 2.
This time around the Kangaroos held their own as Lance Baptist (40 not out) and Saman (25 not out) ensured the day’s play was reached without risk of another outright loss. The win has Hallam Kalora Park sitting only percentage outside the top four before its clash with Mordialloc while Coomoora’s second last chance to earn some points this season comes against Berwick at home this round.
BUCKLEY RIDGES v MORDIALLOC
The Bloodhounds (290) sniffed out a monster win over Buckley Ridges (96 and 4/76), led by a superb four-wicket haul from captain Chathura Athukorala (4/32). Buckley Ridges heads to Dandenong West while third place Mordialloc will need a win to stay in the four as it clashes with Hallam Kalora Park.
