By Nick Creely
DDCA TURF 1 & 2
SEMI-FINAL REVIEW
TURF 1
Right on the stroke of the Christmas break, Mordialloc weren’t even in calculations to finish inside the top-four.
It seemed the Bloodhounds would just be one of those clubs making up the numbers.
But in stunning fashion, they are now grand final bound, and after crushing the top-placed Hallam-Kalora Park away from home, the expectations are rising that a premiership at Ben Kavanagh Reserve is on its way.
When Bloodhounds skipper Stuart Squires elected to bat, the Hawks got their tail up, skittling the top-order to leave them hanging precariously at 4/51 then 5/67.
But when Chathura Athukorala entered the ground ready to bat, the game tipped on its head – in what was a match-defining and brave 112-run partnership with Damith Mapa Ralage, the Bloodhounds didn’t look back.
When Athukorala (66) was eventually out, it didn’t stop Mapa Ralage (95 not out) from playing one of the season’s special knocks, guiding his side to an imposing and match-winning 9/261 at day’s end.
Hawks’ skipper Steve Gilmour (3/87) was a shining light on day one, bowling a whopping 25-overs in warm conditions, but there was simply not enough contributors.
And it seemed that the Bloodhounds’ impenetrable momentum would not be broken when Squires broke through for two early wickets on day two, but a 125-run partnership between Jagveer Hayer (56) and Jordan Hammond (80 not out) had the Hawks in the box-seat.
The score was 2/139 – what could possibly go wrong for the Hawks?
Well Ian Daniel (5/36) took four quick wickets before anyone at the ground could blink, and in utterly stunning fashion, saw his Bloodhounds dismantle the top side for just 157.
After the top-four in the scorecard, no one managed to score in double-digits.
The Bloodhounds can now enjoy a week off before they play in the grand final on 25 March.
Down at Park Oval, an absolutely stellar century to star all-rounder Kaushyla Weeraratne (111) has seen HSD end Buckley Ridges’ season.
Coming in on day one at 3/48, Weeraratne flayed the Bucks’ bowlers all over the tiny ground, belting four sixes en route to his first ton of the season.
He was well supported by Michael Davies (45) who has had an ultra-consistent season.
In the absence of Bucks’ all-rounder Luke Fletcher, who returned to the UK to begin his professional season, Susantha Pradeep (5/70) stood up in a brilliant spell.
And on day two, Davies (4/50), Weeraratne (2/20) and Lee Brown (3/51) choked the life out of the contest, as the Cobras rattled through them with ease, bowling the home-side out for 165.
The Cobras now face-off with Hallam-Kalora Park next week for a chance to play a grand final against Mordialloc.
TURF 2
Narre South now surely has to change their name to the Narrewobbles after somehow losing to Southern Pirates at Strathaird Reserve.
The dominant team all season, highlighted by their 17-point difference from second spot, were in a position of power late on day two, before choking and losing one of the unlosable games.
Bowling the Pirates out for 245 on day one, off the back of skipper Scott Phillips (4/60) and Ali Mortaza (5/81), the South were cruising at 3/203 with Phillips (76) and Kirk Dickson (44) batting with absolute ease.
But only an hour later, their season came to an end, losing 7/29, as Matthew Perry (6/35) went berserk.
Beaconsfield has also lost their game to a pretty powerful St Mary’s side, with the Saints chasing down the Tigers’ 236 only five wickets down.
Star all-rounder Robert Peat (66) was in vintage touch on day two, while for the Tigers, skipper Dylan Freitag (52 and 2/38) was their best perfomer.
St Mary’s will now meet Southern Pirates in the grand final next week, with the winner coming into Turf 1 next season.
