THE Berwick Turf One train powers through all in its path, with an emphatic win over league benchmark Springvale South in the Dandenong District Cricket Association competition.
The game was evenly balanced as the Bloods attempted to add to their score of 1/16.
Paul Gramc grabbed the attention of Berwick selectors in the leadup to the finals, taking a wicket in his second over, rattling the stumps of the Springvale South’s number three bat.
Will Carr proved a difficult proposition, but the score snuck along to 56 before he struck thanks to a catch behind from brother Steve.
Ryan Crawford was thrown the ball and produced the goods when his side needed it.
First came the important wicket of dangerous opener Rory Ingram, and when Crawford set the trap to feed Brendan Lloyd a catch, he made it 2/4 in three overs.
Will Carr reentered the attack, and despite boundaries from the occasional flashy shot, again kept it in the family with a catch from his sibling.
Ash Henry bowled league medal winner Danny Law with a ripping leg spinner around his legs before taking just nine balls to bamboozle veteran Jason Quirk with a similar delivery.
With 212 on the board and the Bloods struggling at 8/121, Berwick was becoming increasingly confident of securing perhaps its best win of season as Brendan Lloyd stepped in to take the remaining two wickets.
Lloyd changed his pace with two darts fired through the opposition guard as Berwick won by 91 runs, leaving the team almost three games clear on top of the league table with two games remaining.
TURF TWO
A miserable picture didn’t get any prettier for Berwick’s second XI, the score of 6/18 at the resumption of play getting marginally better before the team again fell in a heap.
Mark Holden and Rob Chilver added 51 for the seventh wicket to give the Bears a moment of hope, but when Holden went for 23 there was little resistance left.
Chilver continued his solo battle with the Springvale South batsmen, but it was too little too late, and when he was dismissed for 38 it was all but over.
Batting one short due to the ill health of Darren Shepherd, Berwick was all out for 85.
Sent back in to bat still 142 in arrears, the Bears were staring at an outright defeat.
Matt Crosby was resilient at the top of the order with 17 and Aiden Mills scored 15.
Holden again stood strong with 20, but Berwick continued to lose wickets.
Matt Olver added 19, however Berwick needed someone to step in for the remaining 64 overs – and Matt Lloyd did just that, holding the Bloods at bay with a powerful 100.
He crushed 17 fours and two sixes, offering muchneeded support to his junior teammates with the game going down to the final overs.
Berwick finished with one wicket in hand, but thanks mainly to Lloyd managed a 70run lead to staved off an outright defeat.
A GRADE
Going a long way towards securing a win in the first week, Berwick required 61 runs with nine wickets in hand.
All top order players came away with scores and some muchneeded time at the crease.
Brad Eagleton added 5 to his not out score of 15 and Adam Kruger fell for 25.
Wayne Margetich looked in complete control and worked towards 50 with Brad James as his sidekick.
Margetich powered beyond the halfcentury mark and James showed some of the sparkling form worthy of the team’s highest runscorer so far this season.
Berwick cruised past its first target to take the points before James was short of his ground on 41.
Margetich started to open his shoulder, eventually holing out in the deep for 85.
Leigh Otten hit 31 runs before he too was caught short of his ground.
From 5/258 Berwick disappointingly lost 5/18 to be all out for 276 – a comfortable win taking the team into next week’s game against secondplaced Hallam full of momentum.
B GRADE
Chasing Parkfield’s 196, Berwick produced a rounded team performance to win by just two wickets.
Brett Hogan took little time to compile 16 as Berwick lost early wickets to be 3/50.
Rob Witt’s 74 proved matchwinning. He had valuable support from Matt O’Donoghue (25) and Mark Angelone (16).
With the game in the balance with Berwick 6/169, Wit fell, leaving Berwick 28 runs to wrap up the win.
Damien Quinlan then hit 40 at a run a ball.
He remained not out with skipper Ryan Smart at the crease as Berwick hangs onto fourth place.
C GRADE
Chasing 221, the Bears had a great start thanks to Jack Pickering (33) and Geoff Wilcock (68).
With both out, the Bears were in control at 3/128.
Andy Young put together 21 and Will Chapman’s form looked ominous before he was dismissed for 16.
The Bears looked to use their seven remaining wickets to complete the 69run task, but lost three wickets on 152 to give North Dandenong the impetus.
Dean Holden tried valiantly to hold the tail together but remained powerless at the nonstriker’s end as the wickets tumbled.
His 38 not out was not enough as the Bears lost 6/12, falling 16 runs short of a muchneeded win.
D GRADE
The team’s 24run victory was its second win of the season.
Defending 115, Berwick had already taken two wickets.
Cranbourne didn’t have the answers for a fourpronged Berwick bowling attack lead by Michael Caldwell, who captured 3/21 off 10.1 overs.
Brother Dave (2/18 off nine) helped out, as did Tim Renwick (2/19 off 11), with skipper Jim Koulas taking one.
Berwick celebrated with Cranbourne out for 91 in a great allround team performance.
CLUB NOTES
Congratulations to Jarrod Williamson on making the Victorian under 17 squad after a great carnival with the Southern Rangers.
Williamson is a junior player at Berwick, with commitments to Haileybury college under a sporting scholarship, and is playing his second senior season with the highly respected Melbourne Cricket Club.
