Around the Grounds

A Grade

OMK v Phillip Island
A GRAND final rematch against A1 giants OMK and Phillip Island saw the Diggers reign supreme once again.

Playing at the Outtrim Recreation Reserve, Phillip Island won the toss and chose to bat first.

Brodie Johnston kept Phillip Island in the game with a 69-run haul.

However, Phillip Island was dealt a blow when captain Daniel Mock was caught by Travis Pickering off the bowling of Ethan Lamers.

The early loss of the skipper rattled the rest of the batting order, with Ethan and Jacob Lamers claiming three wickets each and two to Pawan Thind.

Kohen Beaumont and Jobe Williams managed to contribute 17 and 21 runs respectively to Phillip Island’s score.

The Diggers were chasing 146.
Ethan Lamers continued his fine form, scoring 71 not out.

Williams claimed three wickets and two were taken by Heath Womerlsey, but OMK did what it needed to do to claim the points.

OMK’s winning total was 6/146.

After this weekend’s round bye, OMK will play Inverloch.

A1 captain and coach Koby Brann said this is anticipated to be a tough game, with Inverloch having a lot of young talent in their side. 

OMK has Bogan Bingo coming up on November 29. It’s sure to bring plenty of laughs. 

Tables are still available. 

Get in contact with Russ White or the club to book.

Koonwarra L/RSL v Korumburra
KOONWARRA L/RSL made the journey across to the Korumburra Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon for the A2 clash. 

With both teams being undefeated for the season thus far, the rights for the top spot were up for grabs. 

Korumburra won the toss and sent the Cougars in for a bat.  The Cobras made an early breakthrough before Koonwarra L/RSL steadied and built a solid start. 

Quick wickets to Liam Dole and Jayden Douglas brought the Cobras into the context, but a strong middle order partnership from Koonwarra L/RSL pushed the total out of reach. 

Opener Tanuj Namalge (Benja) started off well making 35 runs from 44 balls. 

Isuru Darshana also made a handy score of 26 in his 50th match.

However, it was James Rushton (60*) who would take out the spot of number one scorer for the day, leading the boys to a final total of 6/192. 

Jacob Whiteside was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with an excellent 3/45.

With a defendable total in hand, it was now up to the Cougars to head out and defend the tally with Josh Thomas (0/27 off 8 overs) and Nick Arnup (0/23 off 4 overs) opening the attack. 

The first and crucial wicket falling via a run out with the next coming from Benja (1/10 off 4 overs), who took the wicket of Caleb Turton (18) via lbw. 

The composed run stand between Aaron Damon (28 off 44, four fours) and Turton (18 off 42, one six and one four) steadied the innings and set a strong platform for the chase. 

Whiteside would be the top-

scorer for the match, with a well-made 61 off 73 balls, including one boundary and a pair of towering sixes, the second of which bringing up his half century in style. 

Fortunately for the Cougars, Korumburra would fall 26 runs short of the total (7-166) as James Rushton (3/30 off 8 overs) would be the top wicket-taker. 

With the league bye this week coming as well as their bye for round five, Koonwarra L/RSL’s next match won’t be until November 22 against Kilcunda-Bass, which is when they will start the first two-day match of the season.

MDU v Foster 
MDU defeated Foster in A2 at the Meeniyan Recreation Reserve on Saturday.

The home side won the toss and went into bat first, putting the score up to 5/276 and later bowling out the opposition for 69.

Tharindu Nuwan had a standout performance for MDU, batting 135 not out with five fours and eight sixes.

Wayne Prosser contributed 27 runs and Jai Bright made 35.

It was a challenging day on the field for Foster, though the younger players provided a highlight for the day. 

Lance Moon controlled Foster’s wicket-taking efforts, taking 3/74 in his eight-over spell – including MDU’s captain for a duck. 

Andrew Pattie took a catch off young Max Johnston, another young player who demonstrates the depth for future years.

Despite the solid effort, the boys couldn’t slow the batting skills of Nuwan. 

Runs were hard to come by in Foster’s innings, with seasoned batters not able to stay at the crease for long.

For MDU, Archie Casey led the charge with four wickets for 20 runs off seven overs.

Mark Cantwell took 3/15 off five overs and Alex Battersby claimed two wickets in his first A Grade game for the club.

Foster’s top scorer was Luke Rooker with 14 runs and captain Mitchell Allott made 11 runs. 

Old, new and potential players are encouraged to get around the Foster Cricket Club on Thursday nights.

Training starts at 5.30pm and the veranda is always open. 

Woolworths Blast is set to start at Foster before Christmas.

The program is perfect for young children eager to learn the basics and join the fun.

Watch the Facebook page for further details. 

Nyora v Kilcunda-Bass  
NYORA dug deep and managed to steal a win over Kilcunda-Bass.

Playing at home, Nyora won the toss and chose to bowl.

Cameron Davidson opened well for Kilcunda-Bass with 46 runs.

Captain Matthew Grayson added 14 runs, but otherwise the batting order was restricted by Nyora’s bowlers.

Aaron Thompson, Aidan Simmons, Jy Hull and a fill-in player claimed two wickets each.

Nyora had its eyes on the target – 124 runs.

Nyora lost Benn Hayes for a duck off the bowling of Brad Wright, but regrouped from there with Daniel Esler, Simmons and Hull making 20, 15 and 25 runs respectively.

Thompson finished it off with 21 runs.

Grayson gave it his all by taking 4/34, but Nyora crept over the line.

Nyora won with a score of 9/125 in the 38th over. 

B Grade

Wonthaggi Club v Korumburra
CLUB enjoyed a handy win over Korumburra in B1 on Saturday. 

The highly experienced and strong Wonthaggi Club side batted first and posted a big total of 278. 

“We had a very good batting performance by our team. Gavin Adams performed extremely well, making 86 runs,” Club president Luke McGuirk said.

“Unfortunately, he had to retire with an injury. Kai Allison also batted well, which contributed to our score.”

Allison made 53 not out.

Despite the challenge, there were plenty of positive signs with the ball for Korumburra as Owen Maskell and Tyler Dole applied pressure through the middle overs to slow the scoring rate.

The introduction of Billy Dourley into the attack had an immediate impact, with Billy producing a great spell to claim 2/27. 

Noah Belvedere and Paddy Beadel also chipped in with a wicket each as Korumburra continued to fight hard through the innings.

Unfortunately, Korumburra was a batter short after Matt Allen suffered a severe hamstring injury during the fielding innings, but the side showed real grit with the bat to ensure it batted out the overs. 

Phil Richards led by example with a determined 30 off 93 balls (three fours), supported by James Dunn (14 off 33, two fours) and Paddy Beadel (16* off 30, three fours).

Club’s top bowler was Chase Adams with three wickets, and Jai Williamson and Bryce Evans claimed two wickets each.

Wonthaggi Club’s Woolworths Blast program launched at McMahon’s Reserve last week, with more than 20 participants.

Club’s U13s have also made a strong start to the season with a win over Phillip Island. 

Inverloch v Nerrena
NERRENA proved too strong for Inverloch in the B1 match at the Inverloch Recreation Reserve on Saturday.

Inverloch won the toss and chose to bat.

Nerrena bowlers Jaxon Checkley and Will Croatto restricted the run rate early, but Inverloch made a comeback with Will Rankin making 53.

James McNamara added 19 to the score, followed by Greg Eddy with 23.

Tyson Harris was Nerrena’s top bowler, taking 3/23.

Nerrena was chasing 138, and Harris and Gerard Murphy made a good start with 20 and 21 runs respectively.

Eamon Berryman got Nerrena over the line with 59 runs.

For Inverloch, Callan O’Flynn took the bowling honours with 2/20.

Nerrena’s winning score was 5/141. 

The Imperials v Koonwarra L/RSL
A FIERY Imperials outfit took Koonwarra L/RSL on Saturday afternoon. 

The matches between the Imps and the Cougars always stir up competitiveness and this game was no different. 

The Imperials started off by winning the toss and elected to bat first in favourable conditions. 

Their openers fought well, but it was Sajeswarman Keneshathasan (Saj) (2/16 off eight overs) who would make the breakthrough. 

Louis Read (1/25 off 7 overs) bowled well alongside Saj, putting the pressure on early. 

However, after having them 2-36 at 12 overs, they dug in for an 89-run partnership until Will Cashin (3/28 off seven overs) bowled out the Imps top-scorer for the day, Kane Maskell (81), which would

help the Cougars limit them to 7-164. 

Reggie Read (1/16 off 3 overs) also picked up a wicket.

Imperials president Kristian Gray was happy with the batting performance.

“Kane had a good partnership with Al Curnow, and Martin Reidy (18) picked it up for us at the end,” he said.

“A couple of dropped catches kept us in it, and we were happy with the score. We felt we just needed to bowl well to be in with a chance.” 

Heading out to bat, the Cougars looked shaky early, losing openers Will Cashin (0) and Kevin Thorne (11) at the hands of Imps bowler Cameron Bruce, leaving behind a position of 2-12. 

Brett Pedlow, however, had other plans for the day as he and Louis Read (29) dug in for a 73-run partnership before Louis was stumped. 

Adam Drury (22*) would lock down one end as he and Brett Pedlow not only steered us home for the win (3-167), but steered Brett towards a well-fought century. 

He showed class in his batting yesterday, finishing 104 runs off 88 balls (not out) with a broken bat. 

For the Imperials, James Jeffery bowled well without having much luck and young gun Taj Houston claimed the only other wicket on the day.

Houston was playing his first Senior game for the Imperials, alongside Ollie Bolge, who got a call-up in A Grade.

Houston and Bolge are bottom age U15s players who are showing real promise and are set up for more appearances in the Seniors.

Glen Alvie v Nyora
A YOUNG Glen Alvie side stepped up in B2 on Saturday but were defeated by a determined Nyora.

Playing at the Poowong Recreation Reserve, Nyora won the toss and sent the opposition into bat.

Glen Alvie suffered a slow start, but Jack Brown got the ball rolling with 24 runs and Tony Bals top scored with 35 runs.

Nyora’s bowling efforts were shared between Keith Maclure, Lincoln Brock, Viraj Peiris and Tyler Perkins, who claimed two wickets each.

Michael Lynch was a single-wicket taker.

Nyora was chasing 118 and opening batsman Colin Knox set the tone with 37 runs.

Lynch contributed 25 runs and Peiris made 19 not out.

Glen Alvie bowler Lachlan McRae ran through Nyora’s batting order with 4/17, but Nyora did enough to claim the win.

Nyora’s final score was 6/120. 

C Grade

Kilcunda Bass v MDU
KILCUNDA BASS’ C1 side faced Meeniyan Dumbalk United at its home ground in Bass on Saturday, October 25.

After winning the toss, Kilcunda Bass elected to bat first. 

Its innings got off to a confident start, with key contributions coming from Joel Huckett (28) and Daniel Bettles (26). 

A handful of middle-order players added useful runs to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and despite some tight bowling from MDU, Kilcunda Bass managed to post a competitive total of 122 runs.

With the ball, Kilcunda Bass wasted no time applying pressure. 

Opening bowlers Hunter Bettles and Andrew Blackney set the tone early, keeping MDU’s run rate down and produced four quick wickets. 

Blackney was particularly effective, finishing with three wickets for the match, while the rest of the attack maintained excellent line and length throughout.

Fielding was another highlight for the home side, with sharp catching and energetic efforts in the field ensuring MDU never found momentum.

The visitors fought hard but ultimately fell short of the target in the 35th over, handing Kilcunda Bass a well-earned victory.

It was a complete team performance – bat, ball, and field and an encouraging sign of things to come for Kilcunda Bass C Grade.

Kilcunda Bass had many of its players missing this week and pulled a team together with the help of players from the junior and women’s teams.

Congratulations to Sarah Tyrell for debuting in C1 and to Tiana Gold for taking her first C1 wicket.

“The team did well to get the score up to 122 and then went on to bowl really well to keep MDU to 91,” Kilcunda Bass president Ash Larcombe said.

“It’s really good for the club to have such a range of talent.”  

Leongatha Town v Inverloch
LEONGATHA Town’s C2 side was sent into bat first, with Karl Aeschlimann and young Shem Hickey opening the innings and laying a strong foundation. 

Karl was in fine touch, top scoring with 43, while Shem contributed a handy 16.

New recruit Melvin Kezhuvanthanam added spark to the middle order with a brisk 27, pushing the run rate along nicely. 

The innings was finished off in style by Ash Hickey, who smashed a quick 31 not out, guiding Town to a solid total of 8/158 from 35 overs.

With the ball, skipper Cam Dowling made the early breakthrough, finishing with 1/20 off four overs. 

Nijo Devassy (1/8 off 3) and PJ Kallookkaran (1/12 off 3) also picked up wickets, while everyone contributed in the field.

Despite the effort, Inverloch proved too strong, chasing down the total in the 28th over to finish 3/161.

A solid all-round performance from Town, with plenty of positives to take into next week.

The Leongatha Town Scorpions Cricket Club is hosting its major fundraiser for the season – a comedy night. 

Join the club at the Daker Centre on Saturday, November 22, for a huge Comedy Night featuring Matt Elsbury, Katie Burch, and Brad Oakes.

Tickets are $50 each (tables of 10), with nibbles provided and drinks at bar prices.

Doors open at 7.30pm – come along for a great night of comedy and support your local club.

Book your spot: Cam Dowling – 0438 314 305.

Koonwarra L/RSL v OMK
By Carmen Dettmer 

PLAYED at the Velodrome, Koonwarra L/RSL faced OMK and bowled first in warm, steady conditions. 

From the outset, the bowling and fielding effort was top-notch, a real team performance across the board.

Glenn Boxall opened the bowling brilliantly, taking two wickets for just four runs from six overs, setting the tone early. 

Matt Boswell was equally tight and dangerous, finishing with two wickets for five runs from seven overs, and adding a superb run-out to his name. 

Tyson Lund and Alvis Piksons each claimed two wickets, and Shane Paterson also contributing with a catch and bowled wicket maintaining pressure through the middle overs.

A special mention to Nick Botha, who stepped up as wicketkeeper and took a clean catch. 

By the end of the innings, Koonwarra L/RSL had taken all 10 wickets, holding OMK to 100 runs, an effort that reflected discipline and commitment in the field.

Chasing, Koonwarta L/RSL needed only 21 overs and just four batters to secure the win.

Both Glenn Boxall and Glenn Matthies led the way, top-scoring with 33 runs each, guiding the Cougars home comfortably. Finishing two for 101, sealing a confident and well-deserved victory for Koonwarra-Leongatha RSL.

This was an outstanding team effort, let’s carry that same intent and teamwork into the next game.