By Jarrod Potter
ANDREW Martin’s century saw Merinda Park (3/197cc) easily defeat Officer (71) in B Grade.
Martin and opening partner Craig Robertson (42) put on 71 for the first wicket before Robertson had his pegs rearranged by Simon Tivendale. Martin continued on his merry ways with Peter Jessop (23) along for the ride. The pair made 82 for the second scalp, before Martin succumbed after getting his ton. Jessop and Heath Gibson (15 not out) kept the runs ticking along, and eventually saw the Panthers to their massive total. Grant Pearson (3/13) made sure there would be no fairytale fightbacks from Officer, ripping both of the Bullants openers from the crease cheaply.
Braydon McHugh (37) showed the biggest resolve of the Officer batting lineup, sticking around while wickets fell around him. After McHugh was dismissed, the match screeched to its conclusion with the visitors 126 runs still adrift. Scott Kunziak (3/11) was the other multiple wicket taker for Merinda Park.
Tyson Carey (3/23) and Justin Temby (3/41) did the job for Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (8/147) as they restricted Emerald (9/145cc). Cam Williams (32) and Allan Bendall (23) lifted the total from the lower order. Andrew Connor (35) started the chase strongly for the Yabbies, but his dismissal saw a mini-collapse. The next four wickets fell for 30, with Pakenham Upper-Toomuc still trailing by 53. The rescuer was Adam Mitchell (26 not out) who held the batting together as wickets piled up around him. Mitchell stuck around to get the Yabbies to the victory. Williams (2/35) and Rod Smith (2/21) were the multiple wicket takers for Emerald.
A best bowling performance from Hayden Watson (4/39) still wasn’t enough to help Kooweerup (106) assail Beaconsfield (125). Watson claimed the important wicket of Brad Eagleton (35), getting him stumped after a handy knock from the Beaconsfield opener. Eagleton was searching for a partner all day as wickets tumbled at the other end. With Eagleton’s dismissal at 6/91, the last tumble came in quick succession as Beaconsfield set a decent chase for the Demons. The Demons collapsed quickly under pressure from Tigers’ opening pair James Peck (1/15) and Dylan Triffitt (2/12). All hopes rested with Colin Moore (46) as everyone else came and went without troubling the scorers much. Moore was the last man out with Kooweerup still 19 runs behind. Raymond Cook (3/24) and Kieran Rodgers (2/24) were the other multiple wicket takers.
Pakenham (66) found themselves at the mercy of James Howard (4/17), and the rest of a dominant Devon Meadows (3/72) side. Howard ripped shreds out of the Pakenham middle order, after the top order was undone by Josh Walker (2/4) who bowled five maidens in his eight overs. Troy Lehman (23) and Duane Lucas (13) put something on the board for the Lions, but they were sent back to the sheds in due course. Lehman was the defiant last man to succumb for Pakenham as they barely breached the half century mark as a team. The response was clinical as Devon Meadows gathered the runs with great patience. Corey Leslie (36 not out) chipped in half of the total and his team mates accumulated the rest in 28 overs. Rylan Dunn (3/15) toiled for Pakenham and was rewarded with all three wickets to fall.
B Grade matches this weekend: Officer v Emerald, Pakenham v Beaconsfield, Kooweerup v Merinda Park, Pakenham Upper-Toomuc v Devon Meadows.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:C GRADE
Tooradin (4/235cc) batsman Adam Galea raised his bat for a well-made century, as the visitors took the points against Cranbourne Meadows (58). The Seagulls had partnerships coming out the ears as openers Peter Stone (66) and Michael Freeman (23) made 71 before Galea and Stone added 64 for the second wicket. Galea reached his maiden century in the last over, as the Seagulls compiled a massive 235 runs for the Rebels to chase. It was far too much for the Rebels to fathom reaching with Cranbourne Meadows falling 177 runs short. Mathew Hall (20) was the only Rebel to actively fight to stay at the crease as wickets fell with ease. Brendan Jones (3/7) and Chris Brennan (2/14) took the majority of the wickets.
Andrew McIver (49) was welcomed to Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (116) by being asked to burden the entirety of the batting effort against Cardinia (8/118). McIver was summoned to the crease at 3/22, soon to be 5/34 as the Yabbies were scooped out of the centre quickly. A partner for McIver was finally found in Ian Mortimer (16) and the pair added some backbone to the spineless effort thus far. Travis Wheller (3/13) did the best for Cardinia with the ball. In response, Cardinia staggered towards the total with Chris Remy (29) and Josh Brown (26) ensuring the Bulls reached the target. Blake McGrath (3/13) was the best bowler for PUT.
Catani (3/125) got the job done against Beaconsfield (121) via the bowling of Luke McFarlane (6/13) and a Ben Ferrari-Mela half century. Ferrari-Mela (61) hit his highest score with good support from Tom Coupe (34 not out). McFarlane ripped out Beaconsfield batsmen with careless abandon as he took career best bowling figures. He was aided by J Nibbs (3/16).
A 49 not out knock from Clyde (8/133) wicketkeeper K. Peries wasn’t enough to save the Cougars from the Lyndhurst Vikings (7/136). Peries and Daniel Waite (37) made 75 for the fifth wicket. Mathew Retallick (3/24) had match-high figures. In response, Lyndhurst made the runs with an over to spare. Paul Gray (32) top scored for the Vikings and Ben Reily (2/19) had the best figures for the Cougars’ bowlers.
C Grade matches this weekend: Tooradin v Pakenham Upper-Toomuc, Lyndhurst Vikings v Catani, Beaconsfield v Cranbourne Meadows, Cardinia v Clyde.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:D GRADE
All-round excellence from Peter Jensen (4/22 and 26) helped guide Nyora (7/94) to victory over Lang Lang (89). Jensen, John Armitage (2/25) and Keith Maclure (2/26) ripped Lang Lang out of the centre cheaply. In response, Nyora hunted down the runs quickly via Jensen and Michael Van Weel (25).
Michael McMahon (85 not out) and Austinn Jones (72) went the tonk for Beaconsfield (6/254cc) to defeat St Francis Xavier (9/116) (one man down). SFX bowled everyone to try to stop McMahon and Jones, but they flayed anyone who went near them. Josh Collins (3/36) fared the best out of SFX bowlers. Paul Bourke (40) and Collins (23) knuckled down with the bat, but once the pair was dismissed, SFX went quickly. Brendan Ewart (3/18) was the best bowler for Beaconsfield.
Two batting collapses happened between Merinda Park (8/78) and Upper Beaconsfield (69), with the Panthers lucky to get the points after a 40- run, ninth-wicket partnership. Scott Strang (23 not out) and Robert Ferguson (11 not out) resisted the collapse for the Panthers after finding themselves 8/38. Haydyn Dooley (3/29) was the best bowler for Upper Beaconsfield. In their batting, the Maroons slumped to 69 all out after a ruthless spell from Dylan Cuthbertson (5/4). Upper Beaconsfield was 0/29 before the ground fell out from under them, losing all 10 wickets for 40 runs.
Nathan Leversha’s 42 was enough to get Emerald (136) the points against Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll (86). Stephen Minahan (4/27) did the heavy lifting for the Marygoons with the ball. In response, Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll collapsed to 4/18, before Ken Macleod (22 and 3/21) and Chase Saunders (22) steadied the ship. With their dismissals so went the Marygoons – from 4/65 to all out for 86.
D Grade matches this weekend: St Francis v Merinda Park, Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll v Lang Lang, Nyora v Beaconsfield, Upper Beaconsfield v Emerald.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:E GRADE
Jake Abel (45 and 2/18) got the job done with bat and ball to help Pakenham Upper/Toomuc (5/118cc) take victory over Tooradin (8/116cc). Andrew Gray (43) and Grant Kernot (34 not out) helped the Seagulls to a fighting total before Abel chased them down in reply.
Clyde (176) defeated Beaconsfield (8/158) with the late innings push coming from Matt Cohen (45 not out). In response, Beaconsfield ran out of overs with Russell Dickins (38), top scoring.
Emerald (2/124) cantered to victory in 20 overs against Officer (8/121cc). Chris Day (40) top scored for Officer and Prem Gill (3/6 and 42 not out) did the damage for Emerald, in only his second match for the club. Gill and Lachlan Gleeson (29 not out and 2/10) saw out the chase for the Bombers.
Trent Cochrane (88) smashed his career best as Kooweerup (4/159) knocked off Pakenham (4/154cc). Rob Newell (60) and Paul Hart (40 not out) made the runs for the Lions as the bowlers struggled to claim wickets.
E Grade matches this weekend: Emerald v Kooweerup, Pakenham Upper-Toomuc v Beaconsfield, Clyde v Officer, Pakenham v Tooradin.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:F GRADE
Devon Meadows (5/161cc) smashed Clyde (66), with Panther Chris Floyd (44 not out) top scoring in the match. Panthers’ pair Lincoln Hepburn (3/11) and Matthew Davidson (3/26) were the best bowlers.
Pakenham (7/169cc) took the points against Merinda Park (98), with Graham McGraw (43) top scoring for the Lions. In response, Merinda Park was done in by Lions’ duo Nicholas Verleg (3/11) and Dennis Porter (3/24).
Kamran Money opened his WGCA account for Beaconsfield (5/168cc) with a well made 64, but it wasn’t enough to get the points for the Tigers as Gembrook (1/173) openers Mark Newton (79) and Anthony Williams (72 not out) put on 119 for the first wicket.
Adam Sims hit 73 to guide Officer (8/152cc) to victory over Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll (130). Thomas Medwin (41) and Keiron Harrison (38 not out) put on 47 for the seventh wicket to help the Marygoons post a decent score. Rick Marshall (3/12) was the best of the Officer bowlers.
F Grade matches this weekend: Devon Meadows v Pakenham, Gembrook v Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll, Officer v Clyde, Merinda Park v Beaconsfield.
