STAFF WRITERS
CRICKET
TDCA
AN incredible week for cricket in the Traralgon District Cricket Association saw matches played across two days.
With results falling the way they did, it will have all clubs on notice as every single match for the rest of the season will be crucial for everyone’s premiership aspirations in A, B and C Grade.
IMPERIALS and Rovers took the field last Thursday in an Australia Day Classic at Catterick Crescent, as the two clubs used the public holiday to give themselves a weekend off.
It was an important match for both clubs, as a win would have either team breathing down the neck of Toongabbie for a potential fourth place position on the ladder.
Imperials won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on a wicket that has been incredibly good so far after Christmas.
The Imperials innings was a strange one though, as it was full of starts although no batsmen were able to go on and get a big score, with the biggest being 25 which was made by both Brad Sizeland and Dilshan Thillekarathna.
Still, Imperials were able to get to 161 from 46 overs, which is always going to be difficult to chase down.
Imperials started well with the ball and had Rovers 4/42 after dismissing Ewan Williams batting at five.
The in-form Dougal Williams was still in though, and together with Lachlan Patterson, were able to put on 40 for the fifth wicket before a Joel Randall rocket went straight through Williams on 31.
This brought Englishman Olly Mason to the crease, and together with Patterson, he was able to get Rovers right back into the game until a mix-up cost Patterson his wicket.
This left Mason to get his team home, but still requiring 50 runs, Imperials were in the box seat.
The next few overs were intense, as well as controversial in one instant, but Mason was able to keep his nerve as he guided his team home to a fantastic win, claiming the ‘Australia Day Medal’ in the process for Man of the Match.
This win now has Rovers only three points out of the top four, which they can certainly make up over the remaining rounds of the season.
If Rovers can keep in touch with the four, they are scheduled to play Toongabbie in the final round of the season before finals, which could be an elimination final of sorts, so the script is written, they just need to continue their good form.
Imperials would be disappointed in the loss, but are getting some little victories along the way, especially with Dom Thompson, who is now getting an opportunity up the order with the bat, as well as claiming wickets which will be great for his development and the future of the club.
THE much-fancied grand finalists, Ex Students and Glengarry faced off at the Traralgon Recreation Reserve.
Ex Students came into the match in unfamiliar territory having lost their last two matches.
In the hot conditions, Glengarry won the toss but were happy to send the home team in, which had immediate impact as Glengarry had Ex Students in big trouble early with Matt Dyke, Jimmy Pryde, Mitch Membrey, Jackson McMahon and Lee Stockdale all back in the sheds with the score on just 53.
The Sharks just seem to find a way though, and from the precarious position of 6/77, a partnership of 70 was built between Matt Robertson (53) and Daniel Trease (37), who got the innings back on track and allowed the Sharks to get to 163 which seemed impossible from the position they were in.
Glengarry kept it tight and bowled well, with Nat Freitag and Al Jenkin both claiming three wickets each, but still, chasing 163 against Ex Students on their own patch is always a hard task.
The Magpies started well and when Cam Graham was dismissed with the score on 3/75, the visiting team was still in a very strong position to continue on their winning way.
However, when Ex Students turn the screws, even the undefeated struggle, and from 4/116 the Magpies crashed to be 9/135 although Nat Freitag was doing his best and still hanging in.
It wasn’t to be though as Freitag was dismissed for 47 to the bowling of Michael Bentley, with Glengarry still needing 23 runs for victory.
It’s hard to say it was the one that got away for Glengarry, as you should certainly never count your chickens before they hatch against the Sharks.
Maybe it was the loss they needed or maybe it was just a blip on the radar. Either way, Glengarry and Ex Students have one win a piece against each other for the season, and it sets up a magnificent final if these two teams are to meet again.
GORMANDALE made the trip to Yarram, and got a little nostalgic for some of the older players who got to visit their old ground on the way over.
Upon arrival, the Tigers were a little flat, but winning the toss and batting first seemed to spark the away team as they got off to a decent start.
When Matt Hibbs arrived at the crease with the score on 55, not even he would have thought he would be seeing the rest of the innings out, but that he did as Hibbs was able to bring up his maiden TDCA A Grade hundred and finished the innings 120 not out from 106 balls.
The really good signs for Gormandale was that Hibbs was able to bat well in partnerships throughout the innings as Gormandale, who only had one win to their name for the season, were able to amass 250 after 50 overs for the loss of five wickets.
Yarram District weren’t expecting Gormandale to notch up such a score, but having looked at the wicket, which was a batting paradise, the Pelicans still went in confident.
Gormandale set the tone early as Adam Brady got a wicket with the first ball of the innings, and although superstars Dylan Rash and Anthony Scott fell relatively cheaply, the Pelicans continued to hang in and tick the score over.
It got a lot tighter than the score line suggests due to some excellent batting from Griffin Underwood who made a very good 51 not out from 56 balls, but in the end, the first innings score was just too much and the Pelicans were bowled out in the 45th over for 183 with Adam Brady the chief destroyer for Gormandale, taking 6/25.
This match has the potential to shape the top four, as a win here would have kept Yarram District in second spot on the ladder.
The good news for Yarram though is their wicket is simply superb, and there will be big runs scored on that ground for the rest of the season and the years to come.
Gormandale drove home wondering where this type of form had been, and Matt Hibbs departed knowing that he was the first batsman to make a hundred on the new Yarram Recreation Reserve turf wicket, which is something nobody can ever take away from him.
TOONGABBIE had the bye.
THE TDCA will play Sale-Maffra this Sunday for the senior Gippsland Cricket League premiership.
The match is at Sale Oval, commencing at 10.15am.
