By Ian Ferguson
IT was a day for batsmen on Saturday, with six mauling their respective bowling attacks on Saturday.
Craig Lewis decisively placed Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll in a winning position with a superb knock of 100 against Merinda Park’s Bgrade team.
The Goon that was relegated to Bgrade at the end of last season gave early signs that it would feature strongly in a lower grade in 200607 when it plundered 4/313 from the Cobra attack.
Neil Rankin (71) and Matthew Lownds (63) also enjoyed the run orgy.
Some pundits claimed in the preseason that Nyora would struggle after losing its gifted allrounder Matt Hutchinson to Endeavour Hills, but Matthew Hendry certainly filled ‘Hutchie’s’ shoes effectively on Saturday.
The Nyora swing bowler claimed an outstanding 6/32 from 16 overs against Cranbourne Meadows that played off for the Bgrade premiership last season.
The visitors’ meagre total of 86 appeared to be inadequate, but the Rebel bowlers launched a strong counter attack that left the host team a shaky 5/61 when stumps were drawn.
An exciting finish seems assured this week.
The strong Beaconsfield Bgrade team compiled an imposing 310 against Tooradin. Steve Glen top scored with 61, while Nathan Findlay captured 5/94 for the Seagulls.
KilcundaBass has had a good start in a lowscoring encounter against Pakenham.
The visiting Lions had no answer to the capable bowling attack of Dean Pipicelli (4/14 off 12 overs), Paul Cornelius (3/21 from 11 overs) and Matt Golby (3/9 from six overs) and were shot out for a lowly 59.
KillieBass batsmen fared little better, slipping to 8/71 by stumps. Eighteen wickets tumbled at the Bass ground on the first day and both teams still have a chance of victory in this match of fluctuating fortunes.
The Bgrade match at Pakenham Upper could also go either way.
Cardinia, thanks to a robust innings of 72 from new player Ricky Delphine and a useful 59 from Yohan Labrooy, scored a competitive 217 and the Yabbies are 3/66 in reply.
John Fawcett returned to cricket successfully, claiming 3/28 from eight overs and new player John Wallin has reached an entertaining 33 notout in PUT’S innings to date.
Upper Beaconsfield batted steadily to score 8/205 against the Emerald Bgrade team. Justin Bayard was unconquered on 39, David Taylor scored 35, while the Bombers’ Clinton Marsh captured 5/51 from 19 overs.
Chris Duncan scored a mammoth 165 and WGCA legend Tim Miller an accomplished 119 when the Catani Cgrade team thumped 4/366 against a hapless Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll attack.
Both centurymakers made the most of seven dropped catches, with Duncan pounding 16 boundaries, while Miller thrashed 18 fours in his century.
Kooweerup youngster Jack Carson, who was an outstanding under14 player last season, crashed 122 against the Devon Meadows Cgrade team.
Dan McConnell celebrated his return to cricket by compiling 74 and Brett Hobson added 59 when the Demons plundered 337 from the Devon Meadows Cgrade attack.
Officer’s Peter Quinn was another Cgrade centurion, hitting 13 boundaries in his fine innings of 114, Peter Tucker clouted two sixes in his best ever Cgrade score of 69 notout and Brent Pullen reached 49.
The Bullants’ total of 5/265 seems too high a hurdle for Gembrook this week.
Dave Lennon compiled a valuable 70 when the Beaconsfield Cgrade team reached 9/180 declared against Pakenham that is 0/6 in reply.
The Lyndhurst Vikings and Clyde are staging an interesting Cgrade match.
The Vikings H. Straughair captured the fine figures of 6/51 from 15 overs when Clyde was dismissed for 182, with Simon Rogers being the Cougars top scorer with 48.
At stumps the Vikings had reached 1/54 in reply.
Lang Lang appears to have the upper hand against the Upper Beaconsfield Cgrade team. The visiting Maroons were dismissed for a lowly 127 and the host team is 1/27 in reply.
Lang Lang’s new captaincoach Cameron Chasemore snared 3/15 from ten frugal overs for the home team.
Merinda Park stalwart John Cuthbertson scored an entertaining 113 when the Cobras totalled a formidable 327 against the Pakenham Dgrade team, while teammate D. Smith reached 53.
Rob Young and Alan Sauvarin shared a dominant fifthwicket stand of 153 runs opposed to the KilcundaBass Dgrade team.
Young top scored with 87, while Sauvarin contributed 73 when the Tigers totalled 206. A. Shelliken was Killie Bass’ best bowler, claiming 4/19 from ten overs.
Bowlers dominated other Dgrade games, especially Clyde’s Rob Bertram who captured the outstanding figures of 7/45 from 12 overs against PUT that was bundled out for 113.
However the Cougars’ batsmen succumbed meekly, collapsing to 8/56 at stumps.
Club president Steve Houlihan shook off his injury problems to score a defiant 26, but no other Clyde batsman coped well with the bowling of Adrian Grey who currently has the superb figures of 5/4 from six overs.
Nar Nar GoonMaryknoll bowler Mick Payroli secured a coveted hattrick when the Nyora Dgrade team scored a moderate 116.
Cornelius Samuel top scored with a wellcompiled 74 and the visitors fought back well when they reduced the Goon to a dismal 9/56 by stumps. Payroli top scored with 18 and Nyora’s Peter Jensen currently has the enviable figures of 3/7 from seven overs.
Glenn McKay top scored with 65 for the Tooradin Dgrade team against Cranbourne Meadows, while Chris Brennan reached 36.
Jay Viney (4/29 from 13 overs) and B. WarrenSmith (4/41 off 14 overs) both bowled well to dismiss the Seagulls for 165. In reply the Rebels have reached 21 without loss.
Emerald is in a strong position in its Dgrade clash with Cardinia. The Bulls totalled 100 in their innings and the Bombers are 4/74 in reply.
Cardinia legend Wayne Snooks has currently taken all his opponents’ wickets for a cost of 28 runs from his 16 overs.
Devon Meadows Egrade bowler Luke Marrow returned the superb figures of 7/20 from 1.4 overs when the Panthers dismissed Lang Lang for 113. The home side is a comfortable 1/54 in reply.
`The Tooradin Egrade team has already gained firstinnings points against Merinda Park.
The visiting Cobras were dismissed for 106 and the Seagulls soared quickly to 1/115 at stumps.
Adam Richmond made a welcome return to the nest with his undefeated score of 66, while his young partner Michael Ralph remains 28 not out.
Gembrook also has recorded a win over the Kooweerup Egrade team.
Kade Brindley returned the matchwinning figures of 4/24 from six overs for the Brookers when the Demons totalled 115 and the host team has already raced to 4/151. Jy Berryman scored 54 and John Shipp remains 44 not out.
The Beaconsfield Egrade team holds a slight advantage over its opponents, the Lyndhurst Vikings. The Tigers scored a moderate 103 and the Vikings have clubbed their way to 2/24.
Officer is favoured to win its Egrade fixture against PUT. The Yabbies were removed for 127 and the Bullants are 2/51 in reply.