Imps survive early trouble to cap off season with win

• A Grade, Division 1

THE LDCA senior cricket home and away season came to an end on Saturday after many a challenge with rain, rescheduling and unavailabilities along the way. The two A grade divisions all completed their final two day match and the finals are officially set to begin this weekend around the region. 

Needing an all-time bowling performance to defend 149 and keep their season alive, Wonthaggi travelled back to East Campus Oval to face the Imperials. 

The Club boys started well, seeing the back of both Ginnane brothers (Damon then Jack) for single figures and soon had the home side 4/36, the game was up for grabs!

With their top four batters in the sheds, Luke Rogers (31 from 25) and Dimithri Perera (39 from 41) began the resurgence. 

The pair combined for a brave 49-run partnership before Rogers fell, but luckily this just brought in the talented Sumudu Sameera (49* from 56) to the crease for what proved to be a match-winning innings.

Sameera and Perera put together a 49-run stand themselves before a brief late collapse was avoided nicely by Sameera who saw the Imps to a sensational two-wicket win. 

Fraser West (3/45 from 11) tried his best with the ball for Wonthaggi, unfortunately though for both sides, their off season starts early as they both have missed out on a finals berth. 

Scorpions ‘out-sting’ Stingrays in race to finals

LEONGATHA welcomed Inverloch back to Scorpion Park where they looked towards completing the mammoth chase of the 293 runs required for a finals-clinching victory. 

However, the Scorpions had other ideas and started beautifully on their way to a finals-clinching win of their own, stunning the Stingrays to have them 2/0 off the rip. 

Things didn’t improve soon after either, as the Invy skipper David Newman was too sent back after being controversially caught behind, he joined Jack Butcher and Lewis Rankin in the sheds at 3/6. 

Amazingly, the going got even tougher for the Stingrays after the loss of their skipper, with Andrew Donohue and Jacob Strickland both losing their wickets before their side even reached 30. 

Although, with the visitors reeling at 5/24, Walter Taberner (63 from 111) stood tall, dug in and looked determined to bring his side back into contention. 

He put together a 58-run partnership with youngster Jake Dennerley (19 from 52) as the pair weathered some strong bowling and began to resurrect the Invy season. 

After Dennerley fell just prior to the tea break, Tom McQualter (21 from 34) accompanied Taberner at the crease and just as the pair were accelerating the scoring and looking dangerous, the in-form Taberner fell, for an outstanding half century, which truly gave his side hope. 

McQaulter continued to try and up the ante, until he was come undone but yet another controversial call, when he was run out taking a quick single, as the Town duo who dominated on day one, Amila Ratnaike and Madura Madusanka combined once again to have the visitors in big trouble. 

Mudassar Riaz (5/17 from 11.3) fought off what appeared to be a tough injury to clean up the Stingrays tail and see his side to a 158-run win, and into another finals series, with an excellent five wicket haul. 

Leongatha will now face Nerrena at the Leongatha Recreation Reserve in a two day match this Saturday and Sunday for a chance to book their place in a second consecutive A grade division one Grand Final. 

Red Caps complete chase

WITH 136 runs required for victory, Nerrena travelled back to the Leongatha Recreation Reserve to face Koonwarra L/RSL who were looking to find their best form with the ball to defend their small total. 

The Red Caps started well after losing Luke Giliam at 1/31, Mitch Clark (46 from 76) and Joel Renden (47 from 112) put on a 58-run partnership to see their side into a strong position in the chase. 

Clark then fell with the score 2/89, but this didn’t worry Renden as he kept the momentum going along with Hayden Funnell (30* from 56) to complete the chase, and the win, securing Nerrena’s place in the finals. 

Jason Kennedy (2/17 from 11.4) competed well with the ball despite the seven-wicket loss.

Nerrena will now face Leongatha at the Leongatha Recreation Reserve, a side who they both defeated and lost to during the home and away season. 

Diggers, Sharks get some finals practice 

AFTER defeating Phillip Island in just one day, OMK welcomed the Sharks back to the Outtrim Recreation Oval as they looked to complete the outright win. 

The Diggers finished their innings 10/173 with Noel Creed (52) and Jaxon Hayes (58) bringing up half centuries, while Charith Keerthisinghe (3/53 from 27.4) bowled well for the Sharks. 

In their second innings, the Islanders finished 3/46, this gave both sides a good opportunity to feel each other out before they meet again in this weekend’s Semi Final at Scorpion Park. 

Phillip Island will be looking for the all important win on their way to back to back premierships, while OMK will hope to convert their minor premiership into a premiership, starting with a Grand Final clinching win.