Noble Park (8/239) has taken a stunning fall to sixth place in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association (VSDCA) after a brave but failed run-chase against Taylors Lakes (7/242).
Fresh off its first loss since round one against Altona last week, Noble made the trip to Lionheart Reserve with some steely resolve to bounce back.
The loss to Altona saw Noble drop from first to second on the ladder; the prime spot enjoyed over the Christmas break.
But with the top seven teams tightly packed; a loss to the Lions would prove costly.
The Lions won the toss and posted a highly-competitive score, with Noble opener Yehan Gunasingha (3/67) and Sai Sehgal (2/31) the only bowlers to have multiple strikes with the ball.
Noble’s reply started steadily enough, but the loss of openers Nischaya Thapa (7) and Yug Patel (12) saw the visitors sitting at 2/33 after 10.
Noble had the better of the second block of 10 with captain Janaka Liyanabadalge (48) and class-act Sahan Perera (55) consolidating with 64 runs without loss.
Liyanabadalge was the only victim in the following 10 overs with Perera and Mahesh Kumara (29) piloting Noble to 3/148 with 15 overs to play.
Noble required 95 runs at a rate of 6.34 with two hot batters at the crease.
Things looked good for the visitors, with Perera given a serious reprieve on 49 when Lions’ keeper Nilan Fernando misjudged a skied ball than landed midway down the adjacent pitch.
But Perera was soon on his way; his crisply timed reverse sweep heading straight to the hands of Luke Denny at a regulation point.
Noble soon fell behind the required rate; with Kumara and Pawan Dias (53 not out) holding the key to victory with 65 runs required at 8.13 from the final eight overs of the match.
But over 38 would prove vital, with Kumara and Jamie Selvaraj (0) falling in the space of five balls to give the Lions the upper hand.
Two overs of recovery saw Noble require an unlikely 56 runs with four wickets remaining from the final five overs of play.
Some good hitting from Dias and Gunasingha (18) saw that equation narrowed to 35 off three; with 18 required from the final over.
The task became impossible for Noble with two balls left to play; with a four and six from Dias making the scoreboard more respectable when stumps were pulled.
Noble host Donvale (16th) in a two-day game over the next fortnight in a game where it clearly can’t afford to slip up.
The news was much better for Endeavour Hills (2/150) however; the Falcons ending a five-game losing streak in commanding style with an eight-wicket win over Williamstown (8/149).
Falcons’ skipper Zac Perryman made a wise decision at the toss, sending Williamstown into bat.
Tallha Ahmed (3/62) copped some tap but took vital wickets for the Falcons, while more economical spells from Jasmeet Singh (2/14 off 8), Assadollah Vala (2/32 off 8) and Damien Ravu (1/12 off 7) gave the home side the upper hand at the dinner break.
Perryman (41) and Ashwanth Nagendran (63) then set up the successful chase with a 115-run stand for the first wicket.
Nagendran was particularly savage on anything loose, carving seven balls to the boundary and three over the fence.
Both openers fell on the same score, before Vala (24 not out) and Vishal Panditharatne (8 not out) put the finishing touches on a drought-breaking win for the home side.
Endeavour Hills, who has jumped a cog to 16th on the ladder, heads to Mt Waverley (13th) this week for a winnable game on paper.
There are currently four games remaining in the season.
VSDCA SUMMARY
Results R11 (Day 1): Endeavour Hills 2/150 def Williamstown 8/149, Taylors Lakes 7/242 def Noble Park 9/239, Balwyn 170 def by Spotswood 208, Box Hill 120 def by Werribee 131, Mt Waverley 2/135 def Melton 133, Altona 6/174 def Bayswater 170, Hoppers Crossing 8/261 def Croydon 149, Yarraville 5/194 def Donvale 190.
Ladder R11: Balwyn 51, Hoppers Crossing 48, Spotswood 48, Altona 46, Werribee 45, Noble Park 45, Taylors Lakes 42, Croydon 33, Bayswater 33, Melton 30, Williamstown 27, Yarraville 24, Mt Waverley 24, Endeavour Hills 21, Box Hill 15, Donvale 0.
Fixture R12 (Two Day): Noble Park (6) v Donvale (16), Mt Waverley (13) v Endeavour Hills (14), Bayswater (9) v Box Hill (15), Croydon (8) v Balwyn (1), Melton (10) v Altona (4), Spotswood (3) v Yarraville (12), Taylors Lakes (7) v Williamstown (11), Werribee (5) v Hoppers Crossing (2).
