By David Nagel
A SPECTACULAR century by a Kooweerup gun and an avalanche of runs by Cardinia highlighted round 10 of West Gippsland Premier Division cricket on Saturday.
MICHAEL Giles (130 not out) must have had a Christmas to remember as the Kooweerup (0/170) opener continued his brilliant start to 2012 with a blistering century against Upper Beaconsfield (169).
Giles’ unbeaten hundred was his second ton of the season and backed up his 87 from Koowee’s round nine clash with Beaconsfield. His 217 runs in his last two games alone would constitute a decent season for your average player but a look back over the last five seasons proves Giles is no average player.
Since the start of the 2007-’08 season the powerful left-hander has smashed 2239 runs at an average of 47.63 with seven centuries in that time backed up by nine half-centuries. This season looks like surpassing his best of 507 runs in 08/09 with Saturday’s romp taking his tally to 445 runs at an average of 74.17 with four games plus finals remaining.
Oh yeah … there were other players on the ground.
The visiting Maroons won the toss and elected to bat and the story of its innings was how its top seven batsmen all made double figures but not one got to 50. Chris Pentland (42) and Luke Pitcher (27) were the only two to pass 20.
As usual, the Demons had a plethora of bowlers to choose from with Chris O’Hara (2/17 off six), Shane Dole (2/23 off 7.4) and Adam McMaster (2/25 off eight) all chiming in with two wickets.
In reply, O’Hara (32 not out) just made sure he didn’t get hit by a Giles thunderbolt in a match dominated by one man.
CARDINIA’s (3/273cc) powerful batting line-up awoke from its recent slumber in spectacular fashion on Saturday when it paid a successful visit to Pakenham Upper-Toomuc (197).
Despite winning its last two games the Bulls have been relying on its bowlers to cover some unimpressive batting but that was a distant memory as it demolished the Yabbies’ attack for the second time this season.
With the competition’s numero uno, Neil Barfuss (80), back to his belligerent best, the Bulls put their foot on the accelerator to score at almost seven runs an over throughout its’ innings. Barfuss and opening partner Mark Cooper (43) put on 120 for the first wicket before Danny Diwell (47) joined Barfuss for a 61-run stand.
Ben Darose (41 not out) and Patrick Nolen (40 not out) then shut out any hope of a Yabbie fightback with an unbeaten 79-run union. Luke Gunton (2/39 off eight) and Rhys Fegan (1/25 off five) were the only bowlers to feel joy among the onslaught.
The Yabbies’ run chase started poorly with the loss of three quick wickets but gun all-rounder Chris Smith (87) and Jamie Somers (41) took the score to 3/153 before Smith departed. In a team that has just one win on the board Smith has stood out like a beacon and it was typical that once he departed the Yabbies lost all momentum.
In fairness to the Yabbies their final score of 197 would win more 40 over matches than not. Cardinia’s usually frugal attack copped some stick with Dwayne Doig (3/34 off eight) once again the standout performer.
BEACONSFIELD (8/194cc) kept its faint finals hopes alive on Saturday after it survived a top order batting collapse to defeat home side Officer (147).
Bullants skipper Ollie Brown’s decision to send the Tigers in to bat looked like a master stroke when Adam Reid (3/31 off 8) had the visitors’ innings in tatters at 4/15. Reid took the first three wickets to fall but then, as has been the case all season, the Tigers’ mid to lower order struck back.
The Andrews boys, Jordy (34) and Madison (38), put their heads down and their bums up as they dug the Tigers out of a big hole with a 57-run stand. Despite their hard work the visitors were still looking vulnerable when both were back in the hut with the score on 6/104.
Jason Dodd (62) is Beaconsfield’s leading run-scorer this season, averaging a tick over 60, and he once again led the Tigers to a competitive score. Tim Vrevc (23) played the support role to perfection in a 79 run partnership that had the Tigers clear favourites at the break.
Brett Reid (2/51 off 8) was expensive but claimed two wickets for Officer while Kable Dowsett (1/27 off 8) made an impressive return to the game.
The Bullants’ run chase started badly (3/24) then gained momentum (3/63), before an all too familiar run of wickets (5/23) finished the game as a contest. Brett Reid (33) was the pick of the top order while Dowsett (45) and Adam Reid (20) gave some respectability to the scoreline.
Troy McDermott (2/16 off 5) and Dodd (2/21) were the multiple wicket takers with five other bowlers claiming a wicket apiece.
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