LIAM DURKIN
CRICKET
LVDCL
By LIAM DURKIN
THE regular season of the Latrobe Valley and District Cricket League came to a conclusion last Saturday.
Finals positions in Premier A were more-or-less sewn up heading into the round, while combatants in A Grade entered their matches knowing they would be playing the same opponent in the semi-final.
CATS had an emphatic victory over Mirboo North.
Batting first at John Black Oval, the CATS top order spent some quality time out in the middle
to prime itself for this week.
Jamie Cochrane top scored with a career high 149, aided by Nathan Harrup and Ben Julin who scored 47 and 38 respectively in a total of 8/297 from 50 overs.
Will Lawrey ended his season with figures of 3/61 and Callum Polo took 2/4.
In reply, Mirboo North was shot out for 107.
An attacking 32 off 31 balls from Iezaz Ul Hassan was the only real bright spot in a Tigers innings that lasted less than 30 overs.
Tinashe Panyangara took 4/24 off eight overs, with three of his poles unassisted, while Rory Hare and Josh Keyhoe each nabbed a pair of wickets.
The scorebook read ‘stumped Keyhoe bowled Keyhoe’ as Dylan whipped the bails off the bowling of his older brother.
Elsewhere, Mirboo North fielded what may well have been the strongest C Grade team ever
assembled.
The Tigers side featured no less than four players who were part of the Premier A premiership last season in Shane Peters, Dale Banks, Damien Turner and Jacob Blair.
IF you are going to win the premiership it looks like you are going to have to beat Churchill.
The Cobras could not have sent a more ominous sign on the eve of finals after dispatching second-placed Morwell by six wickets.
Bowling first, Churchill routed the Tigers for 97, before getting the required runs with little-to-notrouble.
Morwell left hander Blake Mills made 26 batting at five, but could only do so much as the end
scorecard showed more batsman making ducks than double digits.
Steve Warr was undeniable as always, returning figures of 4/18 from 10 overs with five maidens.
John Keighran was also miserly, taking 2/18 from 10 with three maidens, while Ryan Harvey
took 2/15.
Brendan Mason then made sure of the result, scoring an unbeaten 50 off 53 balls.
Mark Cukier took 2/13 for Morwell.
LATROBE defeated Raiders.
The cruelty that is cricket came in spades for the Sharks, who despite winning with a bonus point, missed out on finals by percentage.
Latrobe decided chasing was the best way to go at Peter Siddle Oval, and went into their batting innings needing 122.
Raiders fell apart at the top of the order in their effort, at one stage crashing to 4/11.
Skipper Liam Maynard was forced to do most of the heavy lifting, and batted for close to three hours to make 52.
Best bowlers for Latrobe were Navin Gomez (3/31) and Tyron Gamage (3/34).
Sharks legend Anthony Bloomfield then proceeded to make 61 from 78 balls opening up, as Latrobe set about chewing down the total in double-quick time.
Ronnie Chokununga swung from the boot laces and connected with most, as he smashed 25 from 23 balls with two sixes.
Latrobe scored the winning runs for the loss of
only two wickets after 25 overs.
TRAFALGAR won by seven wickets against Centrals in A Grade.
Only one point separated the teams’ leading into the match, meaning the winner would secure not only a choice of venue for the semi-final, but immunity of sorts should weather intervene.
Those looking at the Centrals team sheet may have seen an interesting name pop up in Coby
Edmondstone.
The top order bat played grade cricket the previous week in the South Australian Cricket Association and before Christmas was playing WACA first grade.
Batting first, Centrals took themselves to a steady position of 1/45, before running into some trouble and finding themselves 5/63.
From there things did not improve a great deal, as the Lions were eventually bowled out for 111, of which captain Rob Webber made 46
It was Zack Brown’s day as he bowled exceptionally well with the new ball, taking 4/19
from 10 overs.
Going out to chase, the Ships lost a couple early, but mature hands from Rhys Holdsworth and Aydan Connolly saw the team into a winning position.
Connolly and Holdsworth put on 56 for the third wicket.
The latter saw the game out with a terrific 71 off 72 balls, highlighted by an outrageous lofted off drive that saw him hold the pose for what seemed an eternity.
Trafalgar held its vote count the night following the match, where Connolly took out the A Grade best-and-fairest.
As a club always planning ahead, Connolly was officially announced A Grade captain for next season, taking over from Holdsworth.
MOE easily accounted for Traralgon West.
The Eagles elected to bat first at Ted Summerton Reserve, and made 179 from their allotted overs.
Josh Monacella scored 55 off 63 balls and Rob Wilkie 48 off 63 to lead the way.
Wicket takers for Moe were Royce Colgrace (3/28), Sean Spiteri (2/18) and ‘Reverend’ Clinton Taylor (2/30).
The Lions then got the runs with minimal fuss. Riley Baldi and Noah Kane put on 54 for the
opening wicket, with Baldi scoring a busy 45 from 50 balls.
Andrew Philip also kept the scoreboard ticking over, ending on 58 not out from 56 balls, while Spiteri chipped in with 30 and maybe even snuck in for a league vote.
JEERALANG-BOOLARRA had the bye.
