By Nick Creely
DDCA TURF 1 & 2
REVIEW – ROUND 2 (DAY TWO)
BERWICK v BUCKLEY RIDGES
Playing out a thrilling final day, Buckley Ridges stole a terrific win over heavyweights Berwick by 27 runs, with Daniel Watson’s rollicking start to the season continuing.
The Bears looked in control at 1/68 as play resumed on day two, still 121 runs shy of the Bucks’ total but totally in command on their home deck.
Quick wickets stunted the Bears’ progress in the early stages with star all-rounder Daniel Watson (4/27) bowling brilliantly after his 84 the week prior, and despite resistance in the latter part of the innings, the home side were bowled out for 161 – an almighty collapse of 8/84.
Apart from Watson – who picked up arguably the most important scalp of Matt Chasemore for 18 caught behind – Jurgen Andersen (3/35) was phenomenal with his line, while Lukas Hoogenboom (3/57) was terrific in the middle period of the innings.
Ryan Williamson (29) was the top scorer for the Bears, with seven batsmen scoring between 10 and 30.
Although early in the Turf 1 season, both sides look ominous, and likely to meet again with more at stake.
CRANBOURNE v ST MARY’S
Inspired by a stellar knock from Ruwantha Kellepotha (151 not out), St Mary’s inflicted a young Cranbourne side to a heavy defeat at Casey Fields.
Set 169 for victory, the Saints lost gun opening batsmen Rhys Serpanchy (8) and Wendyl Pires (16) to be sitting at 2/42 and with the game genuinely in the balance.
Kellepotha and skipper Kaushyla Gajasinghe (57) used their vast experience to rebuild the innings, while the young Eagles bowlers tired as the two carved them to all parts of the ground.
Gajasinghe was eventually dismissed with the score at 3/138, but Kellepotha started to go big, hitting five sixes and 18 fours to reach a brilliant hundred in just his second innings at the club.
The Saints ended on 6/321 off 75 overs, with Dimitri Siriwardena clubbing a quick 55 at the end.
Steve Miller (2/59) battled hard with the ball to be the pick of the bowlers for Cranbourne, while Jawed Hussaini also chimed in with a couple of wickets.
The win lifts the Saints into the top four, with last year’s Turf 2 premiers enjoying a strong start in the top competition.
NARRE WARREN v HALLAM KALORA PARK
A fired up Hallam bowling line up took Narre Warren to the cleaners at Sweeney Reserve, with the Hawks falling just four wickets short of an outright victory.
Set up by faultless centuries to Leigh Booth (109) and Thailavan Xavier (125) on day one, Hawks’ quicks Jordan Hammond (4/31) and Steve Gilmour (4/14) simply wouldn’t allow the Magpies any chance, helping roll the home side for 114 off just 51 overs.
As he always does, Janaka Liyanabadalge (41) was a rock for his side, while Daniel Orchard (25) played a nice hand at the top.
With plenty of time to earn the double points, Gilmour and Hammond struck in the opening two overs of the Magpies’ second innings to leave them 2/1.
Chamara Liyanaarachchi (37) worked hard to keep the Hawks at bay, and eventually the Magpies were able to avoid an even heavier defeat, finishing on 6/151 after a late cameo by Imran Laghmani (48).
HEINZ SOUTHERN DISTRICTS v DINGLEY
Down at Reedy Reserve, Dingley clinched a crucial victory over last year’s runners up, Heinz Southern Districts, with the Dingoes winning by three wickets.
After a par 146 by the Cobras on day one, the Dingoes sat at 4/45 at one point before vital cameos from Kyle Murdoch (23), Andrew Dalby (30), Brody Balfour (38 not out) and Dinuk Hettiarachchi (33 not out) saw them grind away and eventually pass the home side in the 78th over and with three wickets remaining.
Kaushyla Weeraratne (2/48) and Lee Brown (2/28) were steady with the ball all day.
MORDIALLOC v DANDENONG WEST
Mordialloc seem to be doing no wrong at the moment, with the Bloodhounds clinically dispatching Dandenong West on day two of their clash at Ben Kavanagh Reserve.
Resuming at 5/54 in pursuit of the 218 posted by the home side, the Westers were in strife early, with Dylan Campbell (4/55) and Chathura Athukorala (3/27) combing to leave the visitors hanging by a thread at 8/70.
A counterattacking 56 not out by Westers keeper Adam Mason eventually saw them lift the score to 141 all out.
The Bloodhounds piled on another 130 runs off just 18 overs, with Hari Krishan (65) striking his second half century of the match to give them a chance at a second consecutive outright win.
But the Westers hung tough to play out the remaining 20 overs with just two wickets down.
SPRINGVALE SOUTH v NORTH DANDENONG
Saturday may have seen North Dandenong narrowly avoid outright after bravely digging in with the bat, but it also saw Springvale South showcase its pure power and get its season off to a perfect 2-0 start.
After claiming the points on the opening day, the Bloods re-entered Alex Nelson Reserve hell-bent on earning itself some valuable outright points.
Resuming at 1/18, the Maroons hung tough after a couple of early wickets, with Syed Mehmood (64) and Sanjeewa De Silva (57) doing an excellent job of putting the pressure back on the Bloods with some counter-attacking batting.
After sitting comfortable at 3/151, spinner Jarryd Straker (5/36) tore the middle-to-late order apart and Nathan King (2/50) bowled some important overs, as the Maroons scratched their way to 202 – 154 runs clear of avoiding outright.
The equation was fairly simple, 17 overs and 155 runs to win and earn the extra points.
And the Bloods gave it an almighty crack, with Nathan King (25), Michael Vandort (30) and Steven Spoljaric (58 off 28 balls) combining for seven sixes to almost clinch an incredible outright victory, falling just 14 runs short.
But the Bloods proved they are a force, and one that has the capability to produce some extraordinary results.
TURF 2
Narre North almost pulled off an almighty run chase in their clash with Narre South, with the North falling just 34 runs short at Strathaird Reserve.
After the Lions piled on an incredible 328 on day one, the North were warm outsiders after starting day two 1/11.
The task looked even tougher when they lost a few early wickets to be 3/56.
A terrific string of knocks by Kyle Hardy (72), AFL footballer Josh Battle (41) and skipper Matthew Brooks (32) saw the North surge back into the game, before an extraordinary century to Scott Brandon (103) saw them finish on 294 after losing their last three wickets for two runs.
Kirk Dickson (3/69) helped get the Lions over the line with a nice display with the new ball.
Beaconsfield skipper Matt Golding (113) also made a century in the Tigers’ crushing victory over Lynbrook.
Golding helped guide his side home after a shaky start in pursuit of the Lakers’ 134 on day one.
