By JARROD POTTER
DDCA – GRAND FINALS
IT WAS a match for the ages.
The only true way to finish a cricket season unfolded at Keysborough, as Springvale South (138 and 87) were beaten by Cranbourne (65 and 5/163) in a Turf 1 reverse-outright thriller.
TURF 1
Just when you think grand finals can’t get any more exciting, Springvale South and Cranbourne upped the intensity for the final salvo of 2015/16.
It started horrendously for the minor premiers, losing Nathan King (8), Harry Staude (0) and Dylan Quirk (12) for next-to-nothing. Martin Kelly (3/24) and Steve Spoljaric (2/30) chipped away at the top order before the introduction of Wookey Medallist Matt Chasemore (2/29) added more pain to the Bloods’ innings. Craig Slocombe (21) went from belting the stuffing out of the attack, to succumbing to Chasemore in a quick-fire knock that left the side spinning at 4/71. The initiative was left to Sri Lankan import Michael Vandort (58), who braced himself and held on.
In the end the Bloods managed to work their way into the clash through a remarkable lower order partnership. Mitchell Forsyth (16) played out of his skin to hold on with Vandort as the duo added 26 for the seventh stand.
Vandort raised the bat for his 50, but soon fell to young leggie Cam Dinger (3/24) after an impressive 176-ball occupation of the crease. Forsyth carried on with the tail to add the final few drips to the Bloods’ bank of runs.
The fading light only renewed Springvale South’s hopes as the openers went on the warpath. Jarrod Armitage (7/20) was beyond sensational in his first-up eight over spell – cannoning through Brayden Roscoe (1) before finding the edge of Jake Harrington (6) and Chasemore (1). Lucas Ligt (4) set himself to see out the remaining overs and held on throughout the chaos unleashed by Armitage, Tim Ford (1/4) and Nathan King (0/6). Craig Slocombe saved his ace for the last over of the day though, bringing on his young part-timer Brayden Sharp (1/0).
Sharp managed to flight a left-arm miracle, taking arguably the biggest wicket of his career to get rid of the dogged Ligt, caught brilliantly by King.
Spoljaric (20) and Stuart Plunkett (12) to see out the day, but both struggled early on day two. Armitage was electric as he seared through the Eagles to take a grand-final seven-for and give his side the first innings points.
Cranbourne, somewhat begrudgingly at first, returned to the crease to try for one last miracle. That miracle came in the form of young spinner Dinger (6/44). In tandem with Chasemore (1/21), Dinger rattled through the Bloods’ attack and set the stage for a race to the finish.
Not much hope was given for Cranbourne in the second innings, but Spoljaric (61) and Chasemore (59no) lit up Keysborough with a barrage of sixes. No one was spared in the 25.2 over rampage as the experienced tandem smashed eight sixes between them to get the side home in miraculous fashion.
TURF 2
After narrowly avoiding the noose last weekend, Keysborough (116) put its head straight back into the hangman’s way as it was rolled quickly by Dingley (6/178.
The top order imploded against Dingley’s new ball specialist Andrew Dalby (4/30). Searing through the top four for a pittance, Dalby pushed his season tally to 30 wickets and put the minor premiers right on the back foot.
The only tandem to show great resistance was Shakeel Ahmad (48) and Yoshan Kumara (19). The duo worked their way towards tea in a steady partnership for the fifth wicket. Ahmad – the only Knight to really fight back against the Dingoes – was en route to his half-century and beyond before an unbelievable passage sent him back to the Hallam sheds.
For reasons that will have to be explained in fine detail Kumara pulled off the ultimate, and potentially match-losing, brain-fade to run out Ahmad. Bunted directly to the field, Kumara set off and left Ahmad to head back as he was barely half-way down the pitch when the bails were whipped off. Dingley celebrated the must-take wicket and soon had the pair as Kumara’s stand ended after as he edged one to the cordon a few balls later.
The tail had little wag, but managed to push past triple figures and stay in the hunt … at least for the time being.
Dingley’s stop-start chase -hampered by the thunderbolts Kumara (3/27) was flinging at their heads – got most of the way to victory after captain Travis Sawers (26) saw the shine off the new rock alongside Christo Otto (18). Scott Tutton (57no) was set at stumps and finished the job to earn the Dingoes.
TURF 3
Escaping early disaster against Beaconsfield (168), Buckley Ridges (188) managed to pile on the pain late in the day at Reedy Reserve. The start was disastrous as the Tigers ripped shreds from the Ridges’ order. At 6/69 – following another barrage from Beaconsfield skipper Dylan Freitag (4/47) – Buckley would’ve been pleased with triple figures, let alone the tally it has forced upon the minor premiers.
Shane D’Rozario (74) turned back the clock and ground down the Tigers’ bowlers. The Wookey Medallist was seemingly planted in the crease as nothing fazed him en route to another half-century. He united with his son Jonathan D’Rozario (11no) to pile on a 50-run stand and give the Ridges’ something tangible to defend. The Beacy response was in fine fettle at first, but then another feat of D’Rozario brilliance, this time from Jonathan (5/56) stole the show. He rattled through Matt Golding (37) in his first senior five-for while Thomas Burke (3/12) finished off the Tigers’ tail.
TURF 4 TO TURF 7
Springvale (139 and 170) proved too much for Lynbrook (63 and 126) on a wicket-laden day. Thilanka Harsha (35) went the smack against the Lakers, but couldn’t hold on for long against the likes of Stephen Veal (4/22) and Jesse Walia (3/29). From 3/91 the wheels completely fell off as Springvale collapsed to finish at 139 after 41 overs. Springvale turned its woes onto Lynbrook as Lois Twohig Reserve bore witness to more carnage. Sachintha Rajapakse (3/12), Mark Weeding and (3/21) tore through Lynbrook’s attack, setting the stage for a second bat late on day one. Lynbrook endured the worst of Springvale’s hitting to force a second innings and a crack at the reverse, but fell short after 32 overs.
Akaati Pupuke (116) led his Berwick Springs (9/330) Turf 5 side to a virtually unassailable position against Buckley Ridges (150). Cashing his first century on the biggest day of his cricket career, Pupuke paired off with Mitchell Mason (37) and skipper Jeromy Cooray (42) to punish anything Buckley Ridges could throw at him. Like the Titans of mythology Pupuke razed his opponents at Carroll Reserve and left a Titan-ic headache for the chasers. Farhan Hussain (2/77) toiled all day for his side. Basil Hobkirk (77) endured the Titans’ attack but didn’t have enough support around him as the side fell 180 short.
Narre North (177) took Beaconsfield’s (6/178) bowling to task in Turf 6, but the Tigers response was emphatic. Samuel McDavitt (3/26) was Beaconsfield’s best with the ball while Martin Oke (2/31), Lachlan Laird (2/34) and James McLean (2/35) charged in all day. Don Kerslake (55 ret hurt) started the chase off strongly with help from McLean (38) and a late flourish from Allan Roberts (18no) to finish the day on top.
Berwick Springs (91 and 2/31) held on in a frenetic Turf 7 finish against Cranbourne (84) as neither side managed to dominate the bowling. Michael Randall (3/28) and Jason Quigley (3/3) rattled through the Titans’ top order – with the only knock of note coming from skipper Ravin Punchihewa (38). The Eagles’ response was even worse though as only Randall (24no) stood tall. Hayden Johnson (3/19) continued his all-year round sporting form with a sharp first up spell before Jason Miseski (2/17) knocked over a couple more before stumps. After 22 more overs of Titans’ batting, the Eagles shook hands and called it a day.
