Staff writers
TDCA
THE cream is starting to rise to the top in the Traralgon District Cricket Association, with three clubs showing their premiership credentials over the weekend.
ROVERS v GLENGARRY
In what was expected to be a one sided affair, Glengarry claimed the points over Rovers but only after the young team from Duncan Cameron Park made them fight every step of the way.
Rovers won the toss and batted on a Glengarry wicket that is quickly becoming one of the best in the competition.
It didn’t start off the best for Rovers though as Tyron Bramwell was out for a duck, but with Ewan Williams joining Tyler Pearce at the crease they were able to get the score to 46 before Williams snicked off to Nat Freitag.
Pearce then played an uncharacteristic shot after battling for 64 balls to be dismissed with the score on 49 and things didn’t get better when Kade Marsh was dismissed four balls later.
It looked as if the same script was playing out for Rovers as they started losing wickets quickly but the one hope they had was that captain Dougal Williams was still at the crease doing all he could to hold up an end.
Hold up an end he did as the last wicket
partnership for Rovers ended up being 58 as Williams lifted his scoring rate to post a well-made 76 not out from 66 balls which allowed Rovers to reach a very competitive score of 9-174.
Glengarry’s bowlers shared the wickets around as Cam Graham, Max Merton and Brandon Mayberry each claimed two each.
The Magpies went out and started their innings with great intent as Al Jenkin set the tone scoring 49 from 44 balls which included three towering sixes.
When he was dismissed the score was on 71 and then 20 runs later Freitag was out for 10 and Rovers were back in the hunt.
The class and depth of Glengarry shone through though as Sam Marks took his time to ensure they didn’t lose a clump of wickets while Rovers were able to keep the pressure on and keep plugging away.
The deeper Rovers could take the match the bigger chance they had of winning but when Paul Henry and Nick Grainger came to the crease they guided the Magpies home in a perfectly timed run chase, reaching Rovers total in the 49th over of the innings.
Simon Duff was the pick of the bowlers for Rovers taking 2-21 while Jack Lynch and Kayleb Pearce each took a wicket.
TOONGABBIE v EX STUDENTS
THE Toongabbie versus Ex Students match was billed as match-of-the-round but as they have done so often, Ex Students flexed their muscles and made a statement against the Rams.
Toongabbie won the toss and batted but were in trouble early with the score on 3-14 as Jimmy Pryde went bang-bang-bang claiming the first three wicket of the innings.
It didn’t improve for the Rams too much after as they were left wondering what was happening as Tim Dunn got knocked over by Kade Duncan with the score on 5-48.
Then at number six, James Chalmers provided the home team with hope as he took on the Ex Students bowlers and together with Kev Stoddart were able to take the score up to 116 until the Sharks bowlers found another gear and finished off Toongabbie quickly as the last four wickets fell for only seven runs.
The Ex Students opening pair were superb in setting the tone for the day with Pryde finishing with figures of 3-18 and Andy Matthews claiming 3-17 while Zac Bastin took 2-14.
Toongabbie would need early wickets to be a chance to win this game but they weren’t able to get the breakthrough at all as Lee Stockdale and Matt Dyke put on a magnificent 117-run partnership for the first wicket before Dyke was out for 36 to the bowling of Jason Veneman.
Jackson McMahon then came to the crease and finished the match off with the in-form Stockdale who ended up 79 not out from 112 balls.
IMPERIALS v YARRAM & DISTRICT
YARRAM and District destroyed Imperials at Catterick Crescent. The flat wicket suited the Pelicans batsmen perfectly. Dylan Rash, coming off just three the week before looked like he had a point to prove as he opened the batting alongside Daniel O’Keefe, putting on 57 for the first wicket with Rash the main contributor making 42 from 32 balls.
O’Keefe was out soon after which meant Jarryd Swift and Jack Moore came to the crease and took the score up to 119.
A couple more wickets fell which then brought Anthony Scott to the centre. As he did the week before Scott played himself in and at one stage was eight from 20 balls but then once he felt comfortable he started to go and go hard, exploiting the strong wind and smaller boundary as he smashed his way to 97 from 56 balls.
Scott blasted nine fours in his innings as well as seven huge sixes which had local residents around Catterick Crescent ducking for cover. Scott took the game away from Imperials and was unlucky to not get his hundred as he just checked his shot to deep mid-off to be caught off the bowling of Scotty Aitken.
The rest of the Pelicans batsmen took the score up to a massive 8-260.
Aitken took 3-41 to be the best bowler for Imperials while new player to Imps Sam Morey took 2-62 from nine overs and Brad Sizeland claimed 2-12 from his 10.
It was going to be a mammoth effort for Imperials and as Ryan Morley was knocked over by Jarryd Swift for eight any chance Imps had of getting near Yarram’s total was gone. Josh Jennings was the best bat for Imperials making 23 before having to retire as Ross Williams was the only other batsman to make double figures, making 16 runs himself.
Jarryd Swift rounded out a good all-round match taking 4-27 with Joshua Swift and Griffin Underwood taking two wickets each.
