A professional performance from its top order has guided Noble Park (7/213) to a one-day victory over Werribee (173) at Chirnside Park on Saturday.
The win consolidates Noble as a top-three team after seven rounds and came via the Duckworth Lewis System (DLS) after rain intervened during the Werribee innings after tea.
The Tigers had a revised total of 197 to make from 38 overs, but were bowled out in the 35th over of their run chase.
The Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association (VSDCA) clash reverted to a one-dayer after rain caused the abandonment of day-one of the scheduled two-day contest.
Noble skipper Janaka Liyanabadalge had no hesitation in batting first after calling correctly at the toss.
Noble lost Archie Stefan (6) early before Liyanabadalge (33) and Nischaya Thapa (64) steadied the ship with a 66-run stand for the second wicket.
The skipper was next to go, before Thapa and Sahan Perera (43) kept the momentum rolling with a brisk 63-run partnership.
Thapa and Perera then fell in quick succession, with Pawan Dias (25), Yehan Gunasingha (19 not out) and Mahesh Kumara (11 not out) forced to take the lead hand and guide the visitors to a competitive total.
Werribee had two mainstays in reply, with Ryan Alifraco (58) and captain Tim O’Brien (52) making valuable contributions, but Noble had all the answers.
Much like its batting, Noble had a wide-range of players chipping in with the ball, with Dias (3/5) and Jermaine Levy (3/56) taking bowling honours on the day.
Dias took three of the last four wickets to have a major say in proceedings.
Perera (2/47), Gunasingha (1/8) and Thapa (1/22) all took wickets at crucial times for the winners.
Noble finishes off its 2025 campaign with a home game against Box Hill (15th) this Saturday.
Endeavour Hills (199), meanwhile, has fallen short in its home clash against top-team Spotswood (8/203).
Batting first, the Falcons had many players get starts, but none kicking on to a match-defining innings.
Assadollah Vala (37), Damien Ravu (28), Usman Alvi (25), Tyrell Panditharatne (24) and Ashwanth Nagendran (20) all threatened for the home side, but got out at crucial junctures.
The Falcons made a great start after the dinner break, having Spotswood 3/31 in reply, but a classy partnership of 81 between Jakson Knight (72) and Mac Short (30) kept the visitors in the hunt.
The Falcons were still in contention late; Spotswood 8/181, before Sandeep Mandalika (10 not out) and Ranjodh Smagh (13 not out) knocked in an undefeated 22-run stand.
Vala (3/36) and Ravu (2/41) kept Spotswood honest until the winning run had been scored.
Things don’t get any easier for Endeavour Hills, who head to fourth-placed Balwyn this Saturday.
VSDCA SUMMARY
Results R7 (One Day): Werribee 173 def by Noble Park 7/213, Endeavour Hills 199 def by Spotswood 8/203, Bayswater 9/221 def Melton 4/218, Donvale 163 def by Croydon 8/242, Mt Waverley 140 def by Hoppers Crossing 1/141, Yarraville 7/191 def by Taylors Lakes 4/193. (Day Two): Box Hill 164 def by Williamstown 209, Altona 7/221d def Balwyn 72 and 137.
Ladder: Spotswood 36, Altona 34, Noble Park 33, Balwyn 33, Hoppers Crossing 30, Bayswater 27, Melton 24, Croydon 21, Werribee 21, Taylors Lakes 18, Endeavour Hills 15, Williamstown 15, Yarraville 12, Mt Waverley 12, Box Hill 9, Donvale 0.
Fixture R8 (One Day) Saturday 20 December: Noble Park (3) v Box Hill (15), Balwyn (4) v Endeavour Hills (11), Croydon (8) v Mt Waverley (14), Melton (7) v Hoppers Crossing (5), Spotswood (1) v Werribee (9), Taylors Lakes (10) v Altona (2), Williamstown (12) v Yarraville (13), Bayswater (6) v Donvale (16).
