Club tightens grip on top four spot

By Sam Watson

• A Grade, Division 1

WONTHAGGI Club has all but secured their spot in the A1 finals series, beating Leongatha Town by 33 runs at Butch West Oval.

Town sent Club in after winning the toss and Dave Britt 25 looked like he was going to make them pay early.

He was eventually dismissed, but it was coach Ryan Thomas who put the side on his back, making 63 off 88 balls to get Club to 9/147.

Town would’ve backed themselves in to make Club’s total, especially after opener Sahan Perera made 48 off 58 balls.

But once Perera was gone, it was all Wonthaggi and not another single Scorpion batter could score 15 or over and Club bowled them all out for 114.

Joel Brann and Ryan Birkett led a brilliant bowling attack, both taking three wickets.

Wightman wins season saving match for Nerrena

NERRENA looks to have avoided relegation, after beating bottom placed OMK by 89 runs at Leongatha Recreation Reserve.

Nerrena won the toss and batted, and it was Tim Wightman who really accelerated after a decent start, making 79 off 91 balls.

Hayden Funnell also added a solid 24 and with 29 extras, Nerrena got to 7/189.

Nerrena pretty much sewed the game up in the first few overs of OMK’s innings, getting them to 5/29.

Captain Ryan Williams 22 had a crack at saving the match and Peter Dell 24* refused to give up at the end of the game, but it wasn’t enough, and they were all out for 100 in the 37th over.

Cougars no good at Cowes

KOONWARRA L/RSL may have waved goodbye to a finals berth in the 2021/22 season, after losing to flag favourites Phillip Island at Cowes Recreation Reserve.

The hosts won the toss and batted and a 98-run second wicket partnership from Jarrod Black 65 and Shiran Rathnayake 58 set them up for a big total.

No one else could replicate Black and Rathanayke’s form but there were runs added in the middle overs and they finished at 7/193.

In Koonwarra’s innings, Ben Walsh 28 and captain Ben Perry 28 had a crack early on but Phillip Island took enough wickets to halt any momentum from the Cougars.

Cameron Harwood added 21* late, but his teammates continued to struggle, and they were all out for 103.

Ginnane gets Imps over Invy

LEONGATHA Imperials captain Jack Ginnane has practically made sure his side will have a chance to compete for the A1 premiership, with a clutch performance against Inverloch.

Inverloch batted first at Thompson Reserve after winning the toss and Dave Newman 42 opened the innings nicely.

However, the runs really came thick and fast when Walter Taberner arrived at the crease, blasting 74 off 78 balls and helping Inverloch reach 8/165 after 40 overs.

Inverloch took one early wicket, but opener Luke Rogers 39 recovered the innings alongside his captain Ginnane.

After Rogers was gone, Ginnane kept playing his shots, working his way to 77 and pulling the Imps within reaching distance.

The middle order did just enough, overcoming Andrew Donohue’s 4/20, and they won by four wickets with two and a half overs to spare.