CRICKET

CRICKET LATROBE VALLEY

By LIAM DURKIN

 

Premier A Grade

HOME ground advantage came into play during Round 4 of Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier A.

All four teams supplying afternoon tea won their games.

The league will now move into the two day format, so step aside one day hacks and make way for those with the mental aptitude to concentrate for hours on end.

 

Toongabbie def Centrals by 6 wickets

TOONGABBIE put it all together against Centrals.

After pushing reigning premier Ex Students the week before, the Rams completed a clinical display on their home deck.

Toongabbie chased the 138 posted by Centrals with ease, going past the total in the 31st over only four down.

Ishara Jayasinghe and Amal Athulathmudali put on 81 for the second wicket, mowing down a large chunk of the total themselves.

Jayasinghe made 45 against the new ball, while Athulathmudali blasted the Kookaburra to all parts, smoking 62 off just 39 deliveries, sending four of them over the Toongabbie pickets.

Centrals had a few players get starts in their innings, but Corey Pollard was the only one to go on and make a meaningful contribution with 38.

Pollard was also the main man with the ball, snaring 2/18 off seven overs.

Jason Veneman, Athulathmudali and Rob Wheildon applied the breaks with the ball for the Rams, bowling 10 overs each and going at less than three an over.

Veneman was rewarded with 2/26 for his dot ball pressure.

Toongabbie will be relieved to get their first win of the season on the board, and their last fortnight has run in stark contrast to how they played against Moe three weeks ago.

In that game, as half-tracker after half-tracker was served up, the Rams looked clearly underdone.

Fine margins however exist in sport, and it doesn’t take much for external factors to take effect.

A bad week at work or issues at home can often be a contributing factor as to why players look lethargic in the field or as though their legs are setting in cement when they go out to bat.

Shane Warne’s sheer skill was legendary, yet those who knew him best said his greatest strength was his ability to cast a seemingly never-ending list of scandals to one side as soon as he stepped onto the field.

 

Morwell def Moe by 1 wicket

MOE supporters might not have too many fingernails left.

A week after winning by one run, the Lions experienced how it feels on the receiving end, losing to Morwell by one wicket.

Some late day chaos at Keegan Street eventually saw the hosts scamper through, chasing 182 in thrilling circumstances.

Morwell made the bold decision to field first, and watched as Moe built a few handy partnerships throughout the first half.

Andrew Philip anchored the innings as usual, scoring 76 off 124 balls, while Keenan Hughes got some busy runs down the order with an unbeaten 25 off 39.

As they often do, Morwell bowled well as a unit, with four bowlers taking two wickets each.

Tim Ford, Brendan Brincat, Todd Dixon and Dylan Day all returned similar figures, going at threes.

The Tigers top order ran virtually parallel to the Lions, with Morwell on 49 when the third wicket fell – exactly the same as what Moe was on comparison.

The Lions edged ahead, taking a couple of middle order wickets through leg spinner Jordan Shields, to leave Morwell precariously placed at 5/88.

Key batsman Blake Mills however was still in, and having registered a half-century off 45 balls, looked to be in a strong position to see his side through.

The left hander however shelled a cover drive off Hughes that was taken by Shields.

A throw back of the head from Mills showed his frustration, and it was now left to the lower order to get around 50 runs without losing four wickets.

The remaining batsmen ticked off the runs one by one, yet there was another twist when sub fielder Kye Micallef bobbed up to take a crucial catch to leave Morwell 8/146.

Young Tiger Josh Seymour kept his cool, making a valuable 13 off 21, taking Morwell within 18 runs of victory, yet his dismissal meant it would be down to the final pair of Dixon and Lachlan Day.

Dixon eased some pressure with a six and four, before Day found the boundary himself to level the scores.

It was not without a near-death experience however, as Dixon was put down in the deep.

Hughes and Shields took three wickets each for Moe, although to see the Lions send down 22 wides and four no balls was very uncharacteristic for a team most have come to know as always doing the fundamentals better than most.

By contrast, Morwell only bowled four wides and one no ball.

In a game decided by one wicket, the Tigers had three extra free hits than their opponents, which became five in actuality.

Moe lost the plot a bit at times, gifting Morwell freebies by bowling consecutive no balls and seeing two wides registered the ball after another no ball.

 

Glengarry def CATS by 7 wickets

GLENGARRY was classy yet again.

The Magpies defeated CATS in a calculated chase, winning by seven wickets and with just as many overs to spare.

In a high scoring game at Fred King Oval that saw both teams make more than 200, batsmen were able to boost their averages thanks to a firm deck needing to go the distance for GCL the following day.

Nathan Harrup made 60 for the visitors, while Tinashe Panyangara smacked two bombs in a 30-ball stay that yielded 38, to go with Paul McGill and Owen Palmer, who both struck at above 80 during their 25-run cameos.

Al Jenkin benefited from taking pace off, grabbing 4/20, backing up from skipper Nat Freitag’s 2/37.

The Magpies then had their turn on the turf, and put on 79 for the first wicket through the Marks brothers.

Frank outscored his brother Sam 56 to 39, before Freitag came in and played an untroubled hand of 71 off 65 rocks.

An otherwise cordial afternoon at Glengarry was not without controversy, as CATS batsmen Eric Porigneaux was Mankaded by Frank Marks.

While such a dismissal always divides opinion, Porigneaux was warned by Marks a few balls beforehand.

Marks was however clearly through his action when he took the bails, although staggeringly, Porigneaux was nearly sprinting as he was backing up when it was only the 34th over.

The umpire had no hesitation giving it out, while the reaction from the Glengarry players was one of annoyance.

The words “just stay in your crease” were heard over the livestream as the batsman pleaded his case before trudging off.

This writer’s thoughts exactly.

 

Ex Students def Raiders by 3 wickets

EX STUDENTS made things closer than they perhaps should have.

The Sharks defeated Raiders by three wickets after rocking and rolling them for 112 at Terry Hunter Oval.

The visitors fell apart following the dismissal of captain Liam Maynard with the score on 32, losing their next three wickets for just six runs.

Lee Stockdale cleaned up with 4/12, while the bowling machine Adam Brady took three of the first four wickets to fall.

Mitch Harris chipped in with 2/28, before Stockdale and James Pryde put on 67 for the opening wicket with the stick.

Stockdale had to retired for 36, and Pryde was dismissed for 29 which triggered one of the more zany periods of cricket imaginable.

Needing just 33 to win with eight wickets in hand, the Sharks lost five more poles on the run home.

Things became a little tense as Rob Webber cashed in bowling stump-to-stump (two bowled, two lbw), yet Ex Students were able to nudge ahead and get off the ground before 30 overs was up.

The reaction from Raiders players as well when Webber was getting his wickets didn’t seem to indicate they thought the game was still alive either.

The man known as ‘Barney’ finished with 4/39 off 8.2 overs.

 

A Grade

Gormandale def Rovers by 52 runs

GORMANDALE emerged as the big winners out of Round 4 in Cricket Latrobe Valley A Grade.

The Tigers broke Rovers open after tea, led by a seven wicket haul from spinner Yohan Soyza defending 169.

Soyza had just about the perfect day individually, scoring an unbeaten 58 at Stoddard Oval, before running through the Rovers middle order on the way to figures of 7/21.

Cal Polo contributed to the Gormandale total, making 31 opening the batting, in the face of some tight bowling from Navdeep Singh (3/28) and Ewan Williams (2/18).

Rovers seemingly had little to fear after Liam Little and Tyler Pearce put on 60 for the first wicket, yet when the former fell for 25 and the latter just 10 runs later, the Tigers suddenly found an opening.

Campbell Peavey created the incision by taking the first two wickets, paving the way for Soyza to dive into the wound.

He took the next six wickets, seeing Rovers add just 34 runs in the process.

Rovers batsmen Dougal Williams watched the carnage from the other end, going through seven partners before his dismissal at the hands of Soyza saw the visitors tally 117 in the finish.

Peavey had to make do with figures of 2/28, yet his return was just as valuable as Soyza’s given it swung momentum back in Gormandale’s favour.

 

Willow Grove def Mirboo North by 2 wickets

THE best win in Willow Grove’s recent A Grade history?

The Wolves chased 158 against perennial ‘hard to beat team’ Mirboo North, setting off much cause for celebration.

Travelling to Willow Grove, the visitors elected to bat first upon winning the toss.

Useful contributions and a full allotment of overs saw the Tigers graft a 150-plus score.

Max Woodall had a slog down the order, making 37 off 23 balls (three sixes), while veteran Chris Anders made life easier for those coming in, taking the shine off the ball with 31 off nearly 100 (respect).

Young leg spinner Darcy Walsh secured 3/39 and Luke Tumino an economical 2/21 off 10 overs with three maidens.

The Wolves were in trouble early in reply, slumping to 2/18. Kyan Mulley and Luke Payton however rescued the innings, adding 42 for the third wicket.

Mulley departed for 26, and Payton a short time later for 38 (two sixes). With fresh faces at the crease, Willow Grove collapsed to be 6/88, yet a 62-run partnership between Tumino and Ben Edebohls took the home team to the cusp of victory.

Tumino was dismissed for 36, yet playing-coach Edebohls stood firm, and walked off with an unbeaten 38 off 71 balls to his name.

Willow Grove won with two overs to spare and two wickets in the shed, and will take much confidence from the result.

Generally speaking, most successful teams have at least two 50-run partnerships every game, and the Wolves were able to register this equivalent KPI in this game (62 plus 42 equals 104).

Strangely enough, the leg spinners did damage on the concrete, with Dale Banks following Walsh’s effort by taking 2/21. Zac Hollis (2/33) and Anton Thomas (2/36) both chipped in.

 

Latrobe def by Imperials by 3 wickets

IMPERIALS were made to work for the points against Latrobe.

The favourites lost seven wickets on the run home, but did enough to leave Peter Siddle Oval after successfully chasing 171.

An early day looked on the cards when Latrobe fell to 4/25, yet surprise, surprise, Anthony Bloomfield and Ronnie Chokununga got the Sharks out of trouble.

Bloomfield played a hand of 32, while Chokununga teed off at the other end, smashing 89 off 115 balls. He hit nearly 50 runs in boundaries, making 24 in fours and another lot of 24 in just sixes.

Todd Mann added to his collection of career wickets, taking 3/28, backed up by Dilshan Thilakarathne with 3/36.

Imperials made a subdued start, but when Brett Chapman was trapped in front first ball, it was the start of a top order collapse that left the visitors 6/76.

Dilshan however played a steadying hand, making 67 off 126 balls. He found a willing ally in Scott Aitken at number seven, who batted through and was 36 not out when the winning run was hit.

Salman Rasool, who has joined Latrobe this season from Traralgon West, took 2/36, while Jacob Bloomfield nabbed 2/41.

 

Churchill def Traralgon West by 108 runs

WINX odds.

Churchill put another team away with absolute ease, this time sending Traralgon West to the cleaners.

The Cobras racked up 6/235 on Andrews Park West, before rolling the Eagles for 127.

Perhaps the most unheralded local sportsman in the Latrobe Valley added another dot point to his resume, with Chris Williams running riot taking 5/23.

Sharing the exact same name as the more recognised Chris ‘Squid’ Williams (regarded by some as the best footballer Churchill has ever seen), the man simply known as ‘Willow’ has perhaps lived in the biggest shadow imaginable.

‘Willow’ also plays football for the Cougars, and has more than 300 games and a few flags to his name.

Come summer, he is also a very accurate medium pace bowler, evidenced by his haul at the weekend.

Of his five wickets, three were lbw and one bowled.

Williams’ efforts followed Ryan Harvey taking 2/23 with the new ball, after Ryan Ayres had blasted 101 with the bat.

Traralgon West’s decision to bowl first backfired spectacularly, as Harvey (37 off 41) and John Keighran (26 off 31) basically had a licence while Ayres was doing his thing.

Hayden Kimpton had some joy with the ball, ending with figures of 3/48, while Matt Griffiths was stoic, coming in at first drop and remaining 59 not out as everyone else around him went out.

Churchill has already raced to be four points clear on top of the ladder, and even from this early on, it is looking as though it will be Churchill then daylight in A Grade.

Competitors however should not be discouraged.

It was Richmond then daylight in 2018.

 

Premier B Grade (Round 4): Ex Students 4/108 (A Jaensch 59*, A Newton 2/27) def Glengarry 100 (P Henry 38, A Newton 26, H Canny 8/16, D Churchill 2/8); Jeeralang-Boolarra 0/105 (B McCormack 61*, T Laaks 31*) def CATS 6/101 (M Antofer 40, L Smith 2/24); Morwell 8/154 (J Pullen 33, B Lever-Makin 3/32, S Cooke 3/40) def Traralgon West 43 (C Seymour 5/14, N Day 2/1, B Reside 2/14); Toongabbie 9/171 (M Cooper 58, R Farley 35) def Churchill 7/167 (A Norman 51, P Van Rossum 34, B Cooper 4/36); Thorpdale 6/192 (L Morphett 107, R Hughes 3/31, G Walker 2/28) def Mirboo North 77 (K Dron 3/14, L Swain 3/16, L Morphett 2/8).

B Grade (Round 4): Centrals 7/183 (J Eccles 73, B Hourigan 57, J Bull 3/35, C White 2/28) def Gormandale 80 (J Donovan 3/12, Brodie Howlett 2/3, J Downs 2/16); Willow Grove 2/110 (H Binstead 29) def Rovers 108 (W Coad 37, J van der Stoep 5/15, J Coombs 3/15); Raiders 4/107 (Jack Daddo 29, B Sizeland 2/2) def Imperials 9/106 (A Donoghue 40, L Hegarty 27, N Sandhu 4/25, R Sidhu 2/16); Moe 2/101 (B Finn 45, M Whitney 27*) def Latrobe 100 (M Zomer 39, R Borlase 25, R Blunt 4/23, J Atkinson 3/18, B Wilson 2/18).

Premier C Grade (Round 3): Ex Students 1/93 (A Ferguson 51*, S Thomson 34) def Morwell 9/91 (S Cheffers 28, M Isles 2/12, A Ferguson 2/20, L Richards 2/22); Toongabbie 8/210 (B Hood 81, D Laws 38*, C Hughes 2/44) def Centrals 9/93 (J Poursanidis 30*, J Elms 3/18, B Hood 2/11, J Pearson 2/17, J Hazelman 3/31); Mirboo North 4/130 (J Reid 74, H Martin 3/24) def Imperials 124 (J Jones 50, P Woodall 4/12, D Calder 2/4, A Degennaro 2/20); Moe 4/206 (R Straughair 85*, C Veenman 61, J Dwyer 3/36) def Glengarry 64 (D Biggins 3/8, F Manduci 2/4, R Semmens 2/4); Rovers def CATS via forfeit.

C Grade (Round 3): Jeeralang-Boolarra 4/291 (A Baker 127, E Stanton 109*, T Webber 2/84) def Raiders 71 (C Stanton 3/9, T Cameron 3/10); Churchill 7/204 (S Wernham 61, C Dekaste 54, I Lawrence 3/29) def Imperials 8/74 (D Campbell 45, C Dekaste 3/7, B Jones 2/8, S Wernham 2/17); Latrobe 6/209 (T Roberts 77, K McKay 45, P Mooney 33*, R Archipow 2/30) def Willow Grove 110 (T Cotter 45, M Hayes 2/2, K Hebbard 2/14, B Atkinson 2/17); Gormandale def Traralgon West via forfeit, Rawson – BYE.

Women’s Premier (Round 2): Willow Grove 4/55 (R van der Stoep 20*) def Churchill 4/49 (E Lugton 24); Latrobe vs Raiders (abandoned), Imperials vs Centrals (abandoned).

Women’s Championship: Ex Students 2/60 def Raiders 3/59 (T Hunt 17*, J Millington 2/2); Morwell 1/73 (R Ball 20*, N Freeman 17) def Rovers 1/67 (S Minster 17*); Mirboo North vs Willow Grove (abandoned).

Under 16 (Round 3): Raiders 2/207 (J Dunn 51*, A Ceeney 50, S Darby 36, T Duff 2/42) def Moe 113 (T Webber 3/14, B Bremner 2/25, F Mahoney 2/30); Centrals 8/189 (A Hurley 32, J Howell 2/29) def Morwell/Latrobe 170 (J Mooney 50*, W Frankland 32, J Sterrick 25, H Leeson 2/17, S Rajapakse 2/37); Willow Grove 1/73 (D Walsh 35*, Z Larkin 29*) def Gormandale/Rovers 8/63 (D Walsh 2/12, Z Larkin 2/2, N Sallee 2/6); Toongabbie 9/153 (T Young 53, K Pritchett 38, R Conway 2/16, F Graham 2/22) def Ex Students 9/105 (S Shore 52*, J Hazelman 2/10, J Wall 2/14); Glengarry – BYE.

Under 14 (Round 2): Moe 4/87 (L Walsh 27*) def Willow Grove 8/58; Gormandale/Rovers 1/74 (J Bull 21*) def Latrobe 7/64 (B Duncan 32, M Cochrane 2/5, M Clark 2/15); Ex Students 1/75 def Mirboo North 6/58; Morwell 4/98 (J Sterrick 21*) def Centrals 7/74 (A Shirreff 2/7); Jeeralang-Boolarra – BYE.