CRICKET

CLV

By LIAM DURKIN

 

THE last lot of one dayers for 2025 were played at the weekend in Cricket Latrobe Valley.

The league will now move into red ball cricket on the run to Christmas.

The Cox Plate left a few teams decimated, as players felt a sudden twinge in their punting muscles.

Wedding season is also upon a few clubs, meaning it’s time to hit the phones to field XIs.

Premier B side Thorpdale perhaps pulled off the most country of all selections at the weekend, with one player working in a paddock near the town’s oval, and only leaving the tractor when it was their turn to bat.

 

BRAE Kelly played a breakthrough innings of 81 off just 43 balls to help steer Churchill to 8/234 against Centrals.

The opener whacked six sixes and just as many fours to strike at 188.37.

Runs continued to flow at Andrews Park West, with Matt Harvey reigning himself in, making an unbeaten 45 off 88 balls.

Ben Kearns played an attacking hand of 31 off 35, and John Keighran contributed 28 off 42.

Young gun Nethul Gamage had some success for the Lions, snaring 2/16.

Tye Hourigan played an equally impressive knock to Brae’s for Centrals, yet the skipper was bereft of any support.

Hourigan made 84 off 97 rocks, but only one other player reached double figures, as the visitors were rocked for 143.

Ryan Ayres did the damage for the Cobras, taking 5/39, working with off spinner Ross Whelpdale (5/39).

 

GLENGARRY returned to form, thanks mainly to a sublime century from Al Jenkin.

Batting at four, the spot usually occupied by injured skipper Nat Freitag, the fellow left hander did the position justice, making a virtual run-a-ball 118.

Jenkin hit three bombs during his stay, partnering with Frank Marks in a 119-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Marks made 51 for good measure, helping the Magpies to 8/215 off their 50 overs at Fred King Oval.

Wickets were shared in the Morwell camp. Brendan Brincat was effective as ever, taking 3/17 off 10 overs.

The Tiger response looked promising at 2/119, yet the dismissal of Mark Cukier for 48 led to a steady loss of wickets.

Tim Ford did his best with 77, yet every batsmen from five to 11 registered single figures.

Morwell was not totally disgraced, making 177, yet Jenkin could do no wrong in the field either, taking the crucial wickets of Cukier and then Blake Mills to end with 2/24 from 10 overs.

 

MOE was methodical as ever chasing 216 against Toongabbie.

Taking to Roger Reis Oval, the Rams found output from club legend Tom Shippen, who knocked them around for 50 at number seven, along with Gayashan Munasingge who scored 71.

Callum Grant made inroads with his finger spin, taking 3/24 off nine overs, including the prized scalp of Amal Athulathmudali, and completing the run out of Toongabbie captain Tim Dunn.

The Moe middle order then all contributed runs, headed by captain Matt Hibbs scoring a run-a-ball 59.

The dependable duo of Benn Zomer (45) and Andrew Philip (34) also pitched in.

A rare sight was seen when Philip was bowled – a dismissal that wouldn’t have featured too often in his career (genuinely bowled at least, discounting chop ons or when hitting out).

 

EX STUDENTS survived a bit of a scare against Imperials.

The team from Catterick Crescent did what not many sides have done in recent years – bowling the Sharks out.

A depleted Ex Students (who had a bucks do) batted through most of the 50 allotted overs at Terry Hunter Oval, and posted 190.

Double figure scores from Matt Dyke (33), Rick Battista (28), Fletcher Graham (26) and Jack Robertson (25) saw the home side get close to 200.

Sensing the chance of an upset, Imperials started brightly, but failed to see many partnerships materialise in a final score of 167.

Leighton Shuttleworth batted a long time for his 40, while Ryan Morley made 25 alongside him.

In a game decided by 27 runs, five double figures scores from Imperials batsmen told the story.

 

GORMANDALE pulled off arguably its best win in recent history, defeating a highly touted Raiders in A Grade.

The Tigers batted first at Yinanr Turf, and defended a seemingly below-par 152.

Nimesh Soyza did most of the scoring, making 48, before an extraordinary Raiders collapse saw the home side fold for just 88.

Things started so well for Gormandale with the ball, Campbell Peavey had a wicket first ball of the innings.

He took the first two, and was quickly joined by Patrick Brooks, who knocked over Raiders captain Liam Maynard for 26.

It was then Nick Scammell’s turn, as he ran through the middle order, picking up Raiders linchpin Keenan Hughes cheaply.

Cooper White then finished Raiders off, ending with figures of 3/14.

The win was memorable for Gormandale, and conversely, could send early warning lights off at Yinnar.

Raiders, after being relegated, have now lost their last two games.

 

TRARALGON WEST won its second game on the bounce.

The Eagles defeated Mirboo North in a competitive game at Jack Canavan.

Defending 158, the home side bowled the Tigers out for 131.

Josh Monacella (33) and Hayden Kimpton (33 off 28) gave Traralgon West a chance, up against Darien Matthews, who claimed 4/23 with his left arm swingers.

Mirboo North was in a reasonable position at 1/43, but were then 5/80 following a middle order collapse.

Matthews had to make do with 31 not out at number seven, while Ben Heath was forced to hold up an end and make 30 off 70 balls.

Ben Fleming bowled terrifically for the Eagles, taking 3/20, as did Alfie Peck, who returned silly one day figures of 2/9 off 10 overs.

 

LUKE Payton again scored heavily for Willow Grove, this time with 72 off 94 balls with four maximums.

He made up most of the 194 total against Rovers at Willow Grove Recreation Reserve, although it wasn’t enough as the visitors won by four wickets.

Nathan Wheildon played an uncharacteristic patient hand of 32 off 106 balls for the Wolves, in the face of some economical bowling from Rovers veteran Simon Duff (1/24 off 10).

Rovers took until the 45th over to win, but got there thanks to James Hayter (86 off 94) smoking six sixes.

Nikhil Reddy also kept the runs coming, with 36 off 47.

 

CATS lost eight wickets chasing the bonus point against Latrobe.

The team from Traralgon South got what they wanted, although not without a few nervous moments.

Electing to bowl at home, CATS rolled the Sharks for 81.

Josh Moore cleaned up with 4/25, while Sam Gissari took scarcely believable figures of 4/8.

CATS did as most club cricket teams do when chasing low totals, making life extremely hard for themselves. From 2/40, the score was suddenly 7/67, before the winning runs were negotiated.

Paul McGill ensured a positive start making 27.