By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 2 club Parkfield has suffered a massive blow with star allrounder Matthew Goodier suspended for two matches.
Goodier was found guilty of swearing and disputing an umpire’s decision in the Bears’ upset win over Beaconsfield on Saturday.
Injury had kept the opening batter and bowler out of the early part of the season, but he has played four Saturday games as well as three twenty-20s, making two half-centuries and collecting five wickets.
Underlining his quality, last season, his 28 wickets was the equal most in the Turf 2 competition, and he scored 447 runs at an average of 34, placing him third on the run-scoring tally.
Parkfield’s next two games are against premiership fancies Cranbourne and Heinz Southern Districts, with at least one win needed to keep its finals chances alive.
Sheron and Shane Cooray and Suliman Iqbal are among the options Parkfield will have to replace him.
The Bears sit two games outside the top four and one game clear of bottom-placed Keysborough, but were seen by many coming into the season as a genuine premiership threat.
