Mick Floyd has played an integral role in Devon Meadow’s dominant start to the season. Floyd and his Panther team mates face their biggest test this Saturday when they take on Merinda Park in a one-day showdown. 73408 Picture: Donna OatesMerinda Park players get together to celebrate a Lyndhurst Vikings’ wicket in round five. The Cobras will need to show all of this team spirit and more if it’s to knock Devon Meadows from the top of the ladder in this Saturday’s blockbuster. 73072 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By David Nagel
HEAVYWEIGHTS Devon Meadows and Merinda Park square-off this Saturday in what may well be a grand final preview of West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA) District Division.
Last season’s runners-up Devon Meadows have been absolutely dominant this season, but face their first serious test when they play host to the equally impressive Cobras in a one-day match.
The Panthers’ record is the envy of all other senior teams in the WGCA, and the stats just speak for themselves.
The Panthers have taken 47 wickets for 419 runs at an average of 8.91. When it’s their turn to bat, they’ve lost 17 wickets for 719 runs at an average of 42.29. That’s total domination against the bottom four teams on the ladder, but does it provide an accurate form reference for the season ahead?
We will find out this week.
Merinda Park has won games against two of those bottom four sides, Catani and Nyora, in just as impressive style as the Panthers, but it’s their three other wins that carry more substance.
In round one against fellow top four side Emerald, it chased down 193 and then backed that up in round two against SFX Old Collegians, hunting down its 165, both in one-day fixtures. In round five against Lyndhurst Vikings, the Cobras once again rose to the challenge, passing the Vikings 207 with five wickets still left in the shed.
Devon Meadows’ bowling has been led by veteran Peter Zauner and the under-rated Mick Floyd. Both sit at the top of the District bowling aggregates with 14 wickets apiece, but you can guarantee they’ll have to work a bit harder for their wickets this week. Lucas Carroll and Billy Loudon have been able assistants.
As stated earlier, the Panthers haven’t been extended with the bat, but Steve Robinson, Jason Holman and Darren O’Brien have shown enough to suggest they’ll be around if the whips start cracking.
Merinda Park will miss Jason Pongracic -who might not play again this season due to his ever increasing football commitments- whose all-round abilities were shining brightly in recent times.
The Cobras have Brendan Fairlam and Jess Mathers firing with ball and Chris Smith and Glen Ward with the willow, skipper Jamie Smith might also rise to the big occasion.
It’s hard to split the dominant team against the battled-hardened challenger, but with the Cranbourne Racecourse Reserve acting almost like an extra player for the Panthers in recent times, they should get home in a thriller.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:LYNDHURST VIKINGS V EMERALD
SIXTH-placed Lyndhurst Vikings play host to fourth-placed Emerald this week, and despite not winning since round one, the Vikings take good batting form into the match.
In its last three matches, the Vikings have made more than 200 runs and that includes battles with finals bound Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll in round three and Merinda Park in round five.
Chris Hauselberger held the Vikings innings together against the Cobras with a stylish 81, with Mark Henry’s 28 providing the back-up. David Greensmith failed in that game, but has been the Vikings mainstay all season with 124 runs at 31 and 10 wickets with the ball.
Heath Straughair bowled beautifully against the Cobras, claiming 3/29, and will find the going easier against Emerald whose form in its last match was nothing short of disastrous, being beaten outright by the Goons.
Its dismal first innings of 54 could have been so much worse, if not for Andrew Walker’s 28, and he backed that up with 24 in its improved second innings total of 107. Anthony Flint made a hard-hitting 54 in that innings, but that doesn’t disguise the brittleness of its batting line-up. Clinton Marsh continues to carry Emerald’s hopes with the ball, but if the Vikings can see him off they should close the gap on its fellow finals aspirant.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:NAR NAR GOON/MARYKNOLL V CATANI
SECOND-placed Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll welcomed seventh-placed Catani to its home patch this week, and after outright victory over Emerald in round five, will do so brimming with confidence.
The Goons are keeping pace with premiership fancies Devon Meadows and Merinda Park at this early stage of the season, and it’s been its trundlers that have led the way.
Vincent Van Strijp took seven wickets for the match against Emerald, including 5/11 in the first dig, while Joey Sweeney completed the rout with 6/40 in the second innings. Sam Vanderzalm and Thomas Keily round off an attack capable of mixing it with the big boys.
Steve Lewis made 43 of the Goons 161 against Emerald, but with Vanderzalm leading the season aggregate with just 72 runs, its obvious the batting is yet to be tested.
Catani have made steady improvement since an uncompetitive first three rounds, and it’s been veterans Ross Kortholt and David Williams who have provided the inspiration.
Paul Tulip jumped on board the bandwagon in round five with 87 not out and 3/91 in an all-round performance that will need to be replicated if the Blues are to challenge this week.
Ryan and Travis Kitchin are others to show glimpses of form in recent weeks, but it won’t be enough to stop the Goons cementing a top two position.
NYORA V SFX OLD COLLEGIANS
SFX Old Collegians are in a three-way battle for the fourth finals spot this season, and it has a golden opportunity to head that queue when it travels to bottom-placed Nyora this Saturday.
The fifth-placed SFX had a nightmare draw to start the season, facing the top three teams before a wash-out against Emerald in round four. It finally hit the winning list in impressive fashion in round five against Catani on the back of a season best batting performance.
Batting first, the SFX boys racked up 9/335cc with solid contributions all the way down the list. Tony Shepherdson 67, Leigh Otten 47 and Shannon Warn 40 were the main players on a day when things went “click’.
Ben Zanol and Chris Shepherdson have performed well with the ball against quality opposition so far this season, and their figures could be about to receive a well-earned boost against an under-manned Nyora.
The Maroons were bowled out for 35 and a season high 119 in their outright defeat at the hands of Devon Meadows in round five, and it could have been worse. Troy Ferguson made 58 of those 119 and his season aggregate of 101 is 74 runs more than Dean Russell in second place on 27.
That stat alone sums up the Maroons this season. SFX in a canter.
