By ROY WARD
WITH text messages and wickets flying around in the final hours of play, the fourth spot in the DDCA turf 1 finals hung on the result of two matches on Saturday.
At Alex Nelson Reserve, Springvale South was chasing Coomoora’s 187 and at the final drinks break needed 25 runs to win with three wickets in hand.
Yet over at Parkfield Reserve, Parkfield was attempting a reverse-outright win over fourth-placed Heinz Southern Districts, who had claimed first-innings points on the first day but had to hold off Parkfield to retain its place in the finals.
As the Bloods cautiously approached their target, Parkfield turned the tables on HSD, bowling them out for 79 in their second innings with Shane Bell and Steve Spoljaric taking the wickets leaving the Parkers needing 85 to win.
Tony Payne (44) anchored the Parkfield chase but wickets fell with regularity as HSD leg spinner Paul Stockdale (4-31) added to his six-wicket haul in the first innings.
In a close finish, Parkfield claimed the reverse outright at 8-88 with Spoljaric on 25 not out.
Bloods captain-coach Craig Slocombe said his side was kept well aware of the situation at Parkfield Reserve but was focused on making sure they got the win in their match.
“A few people were giving us almost ball-by-ball text messages from the other game and by the end we knew if we won we would be in,” he said. “We needed 25 runs and had three wickets left at drinks then lost a wicket three balls later and another soon after.”
Luckily for the Bloods, opener Steven Masterson (69) batted for the majority of the innings before being the eighth-wicket out.
After he had gone, tail-enders Jarrod Armitage (36 not out) and Damien Stoter-Rainer (11 not out) steered their side to victory, making the last 25 runs needed to win. The Bloods finished on 9-196 with Roos bowler Rob Johnston taking 5-60.
“I don’t think you can get any closer than making the finals on a reverse outright win,” Slocombe said. “Masterson was rock solid all day and Armitage held himself back and showed a lot of maturity to steer us home.”
The Bloods will now shape as a dark horse for the finals with plenty of premiership experience still in their side.
Slocombe said his side was in no way daunted by travelling to face minor premier Mordialloc at Ben Kavanagh Reserve this Saturday and Sunday in a knockout semi-final.
“We are in it to win it and we think we can go all the way. We’ve won something like eight of our 10 semi-finals, so we’re fairly confident.
“Anyway, every time we’ve finished on top we haven’t won the premiership.”
Buckley Ridges will host Dandenong West at Park Oval in the other semi-final.
The Ridges confirmed themselves as favourites in that semi with a final round win over the Bulls on Saturday. Daniel Watson (56 not out) and Greg Todd (53 not out) took their side past the Bulls’ total of 215, finishing on 5-222.
North Dandenong ended its season on a high by bowling out Berwick for 168, well short of North’s first day total of 264.
Mordialloc made easy work of Narre Warren, scoring 2-189 to chase down Narre’s 188.
Hallam Kalora Park ended Doveton’s season with a 6-216 to beat the Doves’ 212 all out.
DDCA turf 1 ladder: Mordialloc 52 points, 1.41 per cent; Buckley Ridges 48, 1.79; Dandenong West 42, 1.80; Springvale South 42, 0.99; Heinz Southern Districts 40, 1.05; Parkfield 37, 1.15; Berwick 34, 0.93; Hallam Kalora Park 30, 1.06; Narre Warren 24, 0.77; Coomoora 24, 0.70; North Dandenong 24, 0.55; Doveton 15, 0.63.
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