LIAM DURKIN
CRICKET
CLV PREMIER A
By LIAM DURKIN
RAIDERS highlighted Round 4 action in Cricket Latrobe Valley with a stunning win over Morwell.
Resuming Day 2 with the score 7/70 in pursuit of 135, Raiders lost just one wicket for the day on their way to victory in the Premier A division.
New recruit Tom Robertson proved the hero for the home side, batting through to remain unbeaten on 47.
Robertson was joined by returning batsman Harri McColl, who started Day 2 with a single next to his name. McColl showed great application on the Yinnar Turf, partnering with his more senior teammate to score a crucial 22.
His departure brought veteran Brad Knowles to the crease, and the former Sheffield Shield player showed every bit of his calm head under pressure, seeing Raiders over the line.
Raiders will be hoping to have Knowles available more often than not this season, after taking the last couple of years off.
With the match hanging on a knifes edge for most of Day 2, batsman coming in at 10 and 11, Burkeley Macfarlane and Jeevan Varghese, had both the fortunate and unfortunate fate of sitting there all day with pads on.
Morwell’s bowlers toiled hard to get the breakthroughs they were after, and probably felt they were only one more wicket away from finishing their opponent’s off.
It wasn’t to be however on this occasion, although Tim Ford and Ross Whelpdale both ended with three wickets and economy rates under two.
CHURCHILL showed the benefits of batting all your overs.
The Cobras, despite only scoring at 2.8 last week, won by nearly 100 runs against Toongabbie.
With 250 to get, the Rams only found two partnerships of major significance, which came between Sean Pickles and captain Keenan Hughes and Pickles and Tim Dunn against the new ball.
Dunn made 28 and Hughes 47 batting at six. The skipper hit three balls over the fence, while Pickles picked off 63 from 215 balls at first drop.
In and around him though told the story. King Cobra John Keighran knocked over Toongabbie veteran Tom Shippen for one, and then Jimmy Chalmers first ball to leave the Rams in a spot of bother.
The lower order offered absolutely no resistance, as the last five batsman contributed a paltry one run between them.
Steve Warr backed up his marathon innings of 70 off 229 balls with figures of 4/34 off 29.1 overs on Day 2 at Andrews Park West, surely getting him the three votes as best-on-ground.
Chris Williams chipped in with three wickets, as did Keighran who took 3/41 off 20, working in tandem with Warr.
Question marks had been previously raised surrounding the strength of Toongabbie’s batting, and after a performance like this, the first signs of a team being ‘three out all out’ might be coming through.
EX STUDENTS did a number on Moe.
The Sharks wrapped up first innings points with absolute ease, before going for an outright.
While they were unable to take maximum points out of the game, they were able to make a huge statement in the first two-day game of the season.
In pursuit of 254 at Ted Summerton Reserve, the Lions started Day 2 on the back foot, already one down. Things unravelled further from there, as Moe was shot out for just 91 in 53.1 overs.
A couple of starts saw Riley Baldi look to counterattack with 23 off 25 balls, while Andrew Philip made 21, although their efforts needed to be tripled in order for the Lions to be any chance.
As they have been known to do, the Sharks hunted as one, and all seven bowlers used took wickets.
Nathan Thomson was the best of the lot with 3/1, along with captain James Pryde who snared 2/8.
Pryde had no hesitation sending Moe back in, as the Sharks looked to bowl them out again.
Their case appeared promising when the Lions’ first three bats were back in the sheds quickly, however, Baldi saved Moe from an outright defeat, as they closed at 5/104.
Baldi showed his adaptability and played more within himself in the second dig, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 86 balls.
Bustling quick Mitch Harris took four second innings wickets for the Sharks.
Granted it is only one poor showing, but perhaps alarmingly for Moe was the number of batsman who got bowled in the first innings (five).
GLENGARRY won outright against Mirboo North.
The match at Fred King Oval went largely as predicted, as the Magpies were already on the way to an innings win after Day 1.
The home side started last Saturday with a lead of 79 and seven wickets in hand.
Glengarry took their lead to 117 before declaring.
Sam Marks finished unbeaten on 72, while Cam Graham added five to his overnight score to make 29.
Youngster Max Woodall enjoyed some success with the ball for Mirboo North, taking 3/56.
The Tigers put up a better batting effort in their second innings, scoring 161 – more than double what they managed in their first innings (75).
Jed Alexander made a welcome return and scored 55 opening the batting, while wicket keeper Dom Davis scored an unbeaten 41 from number five.
The rest of the card however simply didn’t make enough, as Nathan Allen ran riot, taking 6/38 off 14.5 overs.
Glengarry skipper Nat Freitag chipped in with 2/24, before sending the Marks brothers Sam and Frank out to get the 44 needed.
The Magpies wasted no time getting the runs, taking just 13 overs to do so.
Alexander took 2/12 in the second innings.
CATS had the bye.
Round 5 Fixture (two dayers): Mirboo North vs Toongabbie (at Mirboo North Turf), Churchill vs Moe (Andrews Park West), CATS vs Raiders (John Black Oval, Traralgon South), Ex Students vs Morwell (Terry Hunter Oval), Glengarry – bye.
CLV A GRADE
By LIAM DURKIN
LATROBE is in a world of hurt against Rovers in Cricket Latrobe Valley.
The Sharks are as good as gone at 3/4 chasing 270 at Peter Siddle Oval in A Grade.
Rovers veteran Simon Duff secured another milestone on Day 1, reaching 3500 A Grade runs.
Round 5 action saw the first two day games of the season take place.
GORMANDALE will be out for early wickets this Saturday, after posting 126 at Stoddart Oval against Centrals.
Yohan Soyza top-scored with 33, followed by Dylan Keyhoe (32) and captain Matt Hibbs (27).
The Lions are 3/68 in reply, and although seemingly with one foot on the victory dais, have been prone to collapsing in recent seasons.
TRARALGON West and Willow Grove are in the midst of a good contest.
The Eagles took two wickets late on Day 1 at Moe Racecourse Turf, to see the Wolves 2/20 in pursuit of 152.
Top order batsman Nathan Wheildon was a noticeable inclusion for Willow Grove, as was opening bowler David Bremner, back from a series of very complicated appendix operations.
IMPERIALS have the bye in Round 5.
Author’s note: This review carries limited detail because full scorecards were not submitted from any of the A Grade games when the time came to write them up. Understanding completely the difficulties transitioning to PlayHQ, however, to still not have one A Grade scorecard from last Saturday was frustrating. Full scorecards must be completed by Sunday night in order to appear in the Express, which gets printed the next day.