CRICKET
CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY
By LIAM DURKIN and BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
Premier A Grade
Raiders def Moe on first innings by 6 wickets
RAIDERS got their first win of the season out of the way as Round 6 completed at the weekend in Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier A.
Perhaps justifiably, at least from their perspective, Raiders defeated Moe by four wickets, flipping the one day-one run loss against the same opponent earlier in the season.
Resuming at 2/36, Raiders were toasting victory with beers and party pies by the time afternoon tea was called underneath the Ted Summerton Reserve veranda – just about the ideal combination in 30 degree heat.
Captain Liam Maynard led from the front, batting for most of Day 2 and ending 66 not out.
Burkeley Macfarlane dug in with 36, while Darryn Stares did likewise with 34.
New ball operators Keenan Hughes and Clinton Taylor took five of the six wickets to fall.
Centrals def Morwell on first innings by 27 runs
THEY always make it interesting Centrals.
The Lions took first innings points against Morwell, but not before a huge scare at Apex Park.
Needing 28 runs with four wickets in hand, the home side made it hard for themselves (habitual), taking more than 20 overs to do so.
A Morwell victory was well and truly on the cards when the scoreboard read 8/103, however the steady head of veteran Sam Gray was enough to deny the Tigers.
Not for the first time, Gray’s contribution in time more so than runs got Centrals out of trouble (any danger boys).
Tye Hourigan top-scored with 37, but was only able to add two runs to his overnight score.
Tyron Gamage made 35 at number eight, up against the best bowling efforts of Tim Ford, who took 4/51.
Fayaz Homyoon (3/20) and Brendan Brincat (2/17) also claimed poles.
Ex Students def CATS on first innings by 24 runs
GOOD teams just know how to win.
Ex Students saw off a defiant CATS at Terry Hunter Oval.
After declaring with 234 on the board, the home side methodically worked away at each wicket until the opposition was bowled out for 210.
CATS made a promising start to the chase, and when Owen Palmer was dismissed, the score was 52. The visitors were soon 3/59 however, as the Sharks wrestled back momentum.
Jamie Cochrane and Nathan Harrap both batted time, registering half-centuries to ensure their side stayed in the contest.
Cochrane reigned in his usually attacking approach, scoring 51 off 119 balls.
Harrap played the longest game possible, taking 233 balls to score 59 (respect).
His determination took CATS past 200 and within earshot of victory.
Ex Students kept coming though, until eventually his defence was breached by Mitch Harris, who paved the way with figures of 2/54 off 20 overs.
Jimmy Pryde was miserly as ever, taking 2/34 off 30 overs, while Adam Brady just continued to add to his career wicket tally.
The man known as Basher ended with 5/53 off 24 overs. Showing exceptional accuracy, he hit the stumps four times and pads on the other occasion.
If the infamous ‘bowl off’ ever makes a comeback as a T20 tiebreaker, there is only one man to throw the ball to.
Glengarry def Toongabbie on first innings by 8 wickets
NO fuss, no muss.
Glengarry opted to just take first innings points against Toongabbie.
Needing just 58 to win with eight wickets in hand when play resumed, the Magpies didn’t lose another wicket, and had the game won inside the first 20 overs.
Skipper Nathan Freitag spent 70 balls out in the middle before deciding he’d had enough, retiring on 39 to allow Conor Robson and Ben Marks to face some deliveries.
The pair made 36 and 31 respectively on Roger Reis Oval, giving their teammates absolutely no reason to bring their kit for Day 2.
A Grade
THE second round of two day cricket in Cricket Latrobe Valley A Grade ended with a lot of the top sides returning to form.
Latrobe def Traralgon West on first innings
AFTER a soaring start from Latrobe on Day 1 against Traralgon West, where they bowled the Eagles out for 145 and finished the day 2/103, all signs pointed up for the Sharks at Jack Canavan.
It appeared so even further once Latrobe declared at 7/233.
Anthony Bloomfield doubled his score at stumps to finish on 80, while Cameron Freshwater scored 68 not out.
Hayden Kimpton had some success, taking 2/38 for Traralgon West.
With a lead of 88, the Sharks chased an outright, however Traralgon West never gave them a look-in.
The combination of Freddie Bowser (37) and Kimpton (56) put on 98 without loss before the game was brought to a halt.
Imperials def Rovers on first innings by 4 wickets
IMPERIALS resumed Day 2 at Duncan Cameron having already won on first innings against Rovers.
The visitors were 36 runs ahead with four wickets in hand, but only managed to extend the lead to 48 before being bowled out.
Lachlan Patterson led the charge with figures of 4/42, while Simon Duff took 3/46 and
Liam Little 2/44.
Rovers’ second dig was largely uneventful, apart from Will Coad’s enterprising 40 off 50 balls.
The line-up was absolutely no match for Todd Mann, who basically did it all, snaring
7/27 off 15.2 overs.
Rovers then completed an outright in the most comprehensive fashion imaginable, scoring the 69 needed no wickets down.
Captain Ryan Morley walked off with an unbeaten 39 to his name, and Tom Starkey 31.
Churchill def Mirboo North on first innings by 178 runs
CHURCHILL could only manage first innings points against Mirboo North.
Having declared for 289 on Day 1 and then bowled Mirboo North out for 111, the Tigers were 0/37 off 14 overs when time was called at Andrews Park West.
Darien Matthews made the only significant contribution for the Tigers with 35.
Chris Williams took 5/20 including four maidens during the period for Churchill, while Steve Warr nabbed 2/19.
Gormandale def Willow Grove on first innings by 23 runs
GORMANDALE added their second consecutive win after handling Willow Grove at the weekend.
The Tigers started off strongly on Day 1 with Callum Polo (71) and Matthew Hibbs (60) helping the total to 228.
Nathan Wheildon took 6/62 in 27 overs for the Wolves on the Moe Racecourse turf.
As the field flipped, Willow Grove probably would have liked a better start from their first four batters, as they fell in a hole at 4/15.
Luke Payton then arrived and smashed 81 off 123 balls, and captain Josh Hammond played a supporting 43 to give them their best chance.
Veteran cricketer Anthony Wilkes continued the Wolves stretch with 44.
However, an lbw from Yohan Soyza to young Liam Cuminskey ended the match and thus put the win in the hands of the Tigers.
Soyza took 3/44 with six maidens, Patrick Brooks 3/47 with five maidens and Nathan Heard 2/16.
CLV T20
ROUND 1 of the Italian Australian Club T20 Competition started last week.
All 16 sides split across four pools took to the field on Tuesday, November 19.
POOL A
TRARALGON Imperials staved off cross-town rivals Traralgon West, winning by four runs at Jack Canavan.
The Devils won the toss and elected to bat, setting a 129 total.
Imperials openers Tom Starkey and Jordan Anderson exited quickly, before Brett Chapman produced a fine stint of 37 off 29 balls with two fours and two sixes, while Scott Aitken made 26 not out.
Traralgon West bowler Reece Falla took 4/14 and Matt Griffiths took three catches.
Freddie Bowser opened the batting in spectacular fashion for the home side with 43 off 40 balls, including three sailing clear of the boundary.
Imperials however ran through the lot, although Darcy Cooke managed 23 off 18.
Anu Anubhav took 2/16 and Aitken 2/19 for the winners.
EX STUDENTS rolled past Toongabbie with not much faze.
The Sharks made 142 and then bowled the Rams out for 63 during the 14th over at Roger Reis Oval.
Rick Battista was best of the day with 76 followed by James Pryde (29 not out), who also took 3/10.
Michael Warne contributed 2/13 and Jake Zappulla 2/8 as all six bowlers for the Sharks produced a wicket.
Blake Cooper made 25 for Toongabbie.
POOL B
WILLOW GROVE would probably hope most of their games were this way.
The Wolves tested themselves by electing to bowl against Mirboo North at Willow Grove Recreation Reserve, and routed the Tigers for 92.
Brad Aitken had some joy, scoring a run-a-ball 22, but after a catch from Hamish Phoenix sent Aitken out in the 17th over, it was time to change hands.
Ben Edebohls took 4/23 in four overs and Nathan Wheildon 3/17 in 3.4 during the period.
The Wolves proved confident by the time they went on the attack, as Edebohls launched 31 not out as the Wolves’ opener.
Josh Hammond was looking for the boundary with four dribbling across during his stint producing 16 off eight for a 200 strike rate.
Luke Payton entered and added 35 off just 18 to seal the deal for Willow Grove in just 10.4 overs.
CHURCHILL had a Round 1 victory over Raiders by six runs at Andrews Park West.
Raiders batted first with Thomas Robertson hitting 29. Captain Liam Maynard scored 28 and Akila Silva 33 off 23 to keep the runs flowing, although the total only ended up being 6/112.
Ryan Ayres sent home a monster 52 off 43 balls with seven fours and a six sailing over to see Churchill home.
Ryan Harvey added 31 not out including the winning runs.
POOL C
CENTRALS were one of amazement for their opening performance in the T20, beating Glengarry by four wickets at Apex Park.
The Magpies had steady play from the likes of Conor Robson (29), Paul Henry (27 not out), and Nathan Freitag (25 retired), but they wouldn’t have been prepared for what the Lions were about to produce.
It took just three men to get to 113.
Jake Littleton (47 not out) and Jordan Mathews (50 not out) were all that was needed.
GORMANDALE proved too formidable for Jeeralang-Boolarra, with the Tigers victorious by 38 runs at Boolarra Recreation Reserve.
Gormandale began proceedings, setting up their soon-to-be win with Tyler Reynolds (38) hitting six fours and Dale Norton (42) coming out of the gate.
John Scurlock added 20 off 19 with the rest following in pursuit, leaving a difficult target of 146 for the Panthers.
Ash Baker did take 3/23 and Marc Metcalfe 2/33 during the period for Jeeralang-Boolarra.
Captain Ben McCormack managed 22 and Glen Smith sent an impressive 59 not out, but it was left few and far between from the rest, as the home side finished on just 108.
Reynolds took 3/15 for the Tigers.
POOL D
ROVERS surmounted Latrobe by 16 runs at Peter Siddle Oval.
Ewan Williams began proceedings with 37 before Liam Little added 26 off 21 rocks.
It seemed worrying for Rovers at one point as Salman Rasool ended the innings with a hat-trick in the 19th over (all bowled) rubbing out Will Coad, Aru Sachdeva and Ben Donoghue.
Cameron Freshwater (31), captain Samuel Wilson (19), and Riley Duncan (19) were solid for the Sharks but they were left short of the 116 target.
Lachlan Patterson took 2/16 in the win.
MORWELL took down Moe by 32 runs on the Lions’ home turf of Ted Summerton Reserve.
Jordan Campbell (67) with five fours and two sixes and Tim Ford (63) with six sixes and two fours were primary in their eventual win.
Robert Blunt took 2/16 for Moe.
The Lions attempted to chase the Tigers seismic score of 164, with Keenan Hughes (51 off 41) and Noah Kane (39 not out) however, no one else managed double digit runs.
Ford took 2/14 and Brendan Brincat 2/16 as Moe closed at 6/132.
