Phillip Island does just enough against Korumburra

B Grade, Division 1

After sending Korumburra in, Phillip Island achieved the 143-run target set by the Cobras, the Sharks scraping home by a couple of wickets.

Korumburra left too much to its captain Shane Dole, who starred with bat and ball, his score of 90 accounting for 63 percent of the Cobras’ total, with Matthew Allen (22) the only other Korumburra batsman to reach double figures.

Skipper Andrew Finlayson (11 not out) and Timothy Niven (10 not out) guided Phillip Island to victory after it lost its eighth wicket with 17 runs still required, Thomas Blackwell’s 48 having set the platform for success and Kohen Beaumont (24) also handy.

Phillip Island’s disciplined bowling proved decisive, the Sharks conceding just four wides and not a single no ball, helping restrict Korumburra to a manageable total, Heath Womersley snavelling 4/34 and Niven 2/13 off their full allowance of overs.

In contrast, the Korumburra attack gave away 10 wides and five no balls, although finishing with some impressive bowling figures, Dole the top performer grabbing 4/21 off eight overs, George Edwards 2/24 from six overs and Scott Head 1/18 off his full allotment.

OMK sets too many for MDU
Half centuries by captain Kris Kerr (51 not out) and Barry Wyatt (52) and 45 from Luke Jones helped set up a commanding total of 208 for Outtrim Moyarra Kongwak after it chose to bat against visitor Meeniyan Dumbalk United.

Pressure was on MDU from the start of its innings, needing 5.22 per over, and that task quickly became more daunting as opener Gary Webster departed for a duck and number three batsman Steve Arnup made just a single.

Tyrone Zukovskis did his best to get the Demons back in the hunt, the opener scoring 46 at better than a run-a-ball, but his skipper Craig Hoober’s 24 was the next best contribution.

Ben Maguire had a great afternoon with the ball for OMK taking a miserly and destructive 4/8 off eight overs, Shane Taylor (2/31) the Diggers’ other multiple wicket taker.

Earlier, Hoober topped the MDU bowling with 3/39, Zukovskis chiming in with a neat 1/16 from four overs and sending OMK opener Adam Busana on his way for 19.

Josh Williams helps Leongatha Town to victory over Imperials
Leongatha Town set a challenging but gettable target of 185 for Imperials, Scorpion Josh Williams proving instrumental in defending the total with 4/32 that included removing set Imperials openers Gary Sauvarin (27) and skipper Kristian Gray (66).

Nobody else got going with the willow for Imperials, the side knocked over 43 runs short of Leongatha Town’s total.

Earlier, the strong Scorpions batting effort was a team one, with half the lineup making 20 or better, topped by captain Luke Ashton’s 39.

Cameron Bruce did best with the ball for Imperials, finishing with 3/38 from his maximum allotment.

Inverloch overpowers Koonwarra L/RSL
While Anthony Hunt (32) contributed well opening the batting, nobody else could get going after Koonwarra Leongatha RSL chose to bat at home, a disciplined team bowling effort from Inverloch restricting the Cougars to a meagre 97 all out.

Andot Mankhong achieved the important dismissal of Hunt, finishing with 2/7, his teammate John Richardson (2/16) also wreaking havoc on the Cougars’ top order and Cooper Newman grabbed 3/22 proving destructive further down the Cougars’ batting lineup.

Inverloch captain Brett Debono (45 not out) and Riley Harris (42) scored at a good clip opening the batting, with just 11 runs needed when Harris fell.

The Stingrays suffered no further loss and reached the target in only the 23rd over, William Cashin taking the only wicket for the Cougars and conceding 21 off just over four overs.

B Grade, Division 2

Glen Alvie works hard to surpass Korumburra
Glen Alvie beat Korumburra by five wickets, batsmen from both sides finding the going tough with Glen Alvie skipper and opener Steven Smith the game’s highest scorer with 25.

Korumburra’s Thomas Sorrell was next best with the willow, reaching 23 before Smith ran him out after having himself been dismissed in the same fashion.

A commanding bowling performance set up the Glen Alvie victory with no weak links in the side’s attack.

Barely had Korumburra chosen to bat at Glen Alvie Recreation Reserve when Zack Scholz struck twice, removing Peter Churchill and Matt Patten and reducing the Cobras to 2/5.

Scholz never eased the pressure, ending up with 4/12 off eight overs.

Lachlan McRae and Archie Moore were the other wicket takers for Glen Alvie, each getting one breakthrough and going for just a couple of runs an over.

While nobody managed more than a single wicket for Korumburra, most of the Cobra bowlers were tough to score against, Darren Scott conceding only 9 off his full allotment of overs and dismissing Glen Alvie number three Darcy Hale.

Shaun McKinnon (1/13), Sorrell (1/18), and Kyle Dorman (1/15) were others to impress with the ball for Korumburra but there ultimately weren’t enough runs to defend.

OMK defends solid total to beat Nerrena
Russ White’s commanding 93 off 122 balls helped ensure Outtrim Moyarra Kongwak’s decision to bat was a good one, the club president getting support from Sam Matthews (44 not out) to ensure Nerrena had to chase a solid score.

While the Redcaps started well in pursuit of 175 runs, nobody could build on the foundation laid by Nerrena skipper Brian Gannon (33) and opening partner Ben Croatto (32).

You couldn’t keep White out of the game as he built on his already impressive batting exploits by dismissing Gannon and finishing with 2/18 off eight overs.

Mitchell Sawyers (2/14) and George Lomagno (2/27) were also important in helping OMK achieve a 39-run win.

Earlier, Daniel Grigg, Croatto, Patrick Johnston and Charlie Dougherty each got one wicket for Nerrena, albeit a couple of that quartet were expensive.

Phillip Island’s Daniel McCausland stars
Phillip Island’s Daniel McCausland was a wrecking ball, sending five Kilcunda Bass batsmen on their way in his seven overs and allowing just 25 runs to be taken from his bowling.

He claimed the prized scalp of Kilcunda Bass opener Brett Joseph for 60 having already taken the catch to dismiss Joseph’s opening partner Scott Williams on 19.

McCausland continued to pile on the pain for Kilcunda Bass, slicing though its top and middle order despite determined resistance from Darcy Clay who made 23.

Justin Tran was Phillip Island’s other multiple wicket taker with 2/9 in a little more than five overs.

Phillip Island opener John Manning’s rapid 62 put the side in a strong position after electing to bat, McCausland making 26 and Andrew Tolley an unbeaten 25 to help their side set Kilcunda Bass 166 for victory.

Clay snavelled 4/25 and Ben Rookes 3/18 for Kilcunda Bass, helping ensure Phillip Island didn’t always have the game on its terms.

Foster outguns Wonthaggi Club
Foster’s top three batsmen performed strongly after Wonthaggi Club chose to bowl, Richard Johnston making a pacy 65, his opening partner and vice captain Brandon Busuttil a patient 29 and Shaun Chaseling a slightly better than a run-a-ball 23.

While nobody else did a lot with the bat for the Tigers, they finished with a competitive 144 all out, ultimately proving enough as Club fell 41 runs short of that mark.

Chris Fraser (4/18) and Justin Licis (3/35) were the main wicket takers for Club.

Starting its chase with reason to be confident, Wonthaggi experienced early mishaps when opening batsmen Liam Sawyer and Licis failed to trouble the scorers, Richard Johnston accounting for the pair and completing eight overs for a return of 3/9. Foster skipper Mitchell Allott grabbed 3/16.

Club was never able to steady after its early mishaps, all out for just 103.