Sharks bite Stingrays in top-of-table battle

B Grade, Division 1

PHILLIP Island was made to work hard to reach the 174-run target set by host Inverloch, completing the task with just three wickets remaining.

The Sharks began day two at Thompson Reserve on 0/19.

Inverloch’s bowlers made early inroads when action resumed, dismissing Phillip Island openers Oliver Duggan (5 runs) and Sarith Angelo (21 runs), the former adding just a single to his day one total and the latter boosting his score by only six runs.

Phillip Island skipper Kurt Lane backed up his opening day 3/27 bowling figures with a knock of 82, helping lay the platform for the Sharks’ success.

Highlighting the extent of Lane’s contribution with the willow, Angelo was the only other Phillip Island player to reach 20, Jobe Williams (17) and Tom Blackwell (16) delivering handy efforts.

Stingray John Richardson put Inverloch in the hunt with the ball, dismissing opener Duggan, and number three batsman Blackwell and later removing Andrew Tolley, caught and bowled for a duck.

Richardson finished with an excellent 3/33 from 10 and a half overs.

Teammate John Bowring was the first to break through for the Stingrays, removing the dangerous Angelo, and took a tidy 2/31 from 11 overs.

While a little expensive, with 2/41 from six overs, Cooper Newman accounted for Phillip Island skipper Lane and Henry Peppard.

Featured in Recognition Round during this clash, Inverloch’s Dean Cashin wasn’t called on to do too much, but acquitted himself well with an unbeaten three runs on day one followed by a neat

bowling contribution of 0/22 off eight overs.

Town’s Bowman lacks batting support in loss to Korumburra

WHILE Luke Bowman’s score of 131 for Leongatha Town was just four runs less than Shane Dole’s day one knock for Korumburra, nobody else stepped up with the bat for the Scorpions, the Cobras winning by 36 runs.

That highlighted the importance of number 10 batsman Mathew Olden’s patient 34 on the opening day off 109 deliveries, helping Korumburra set Town a sterner target.

Apart from Bowman’s stunning display, no other Scorpion managed a score greater than 13 runs, opener Archie Fixter and skipper Luke Ashton both falling on that total.

Scott Head proved the destroyer for Korumburra, claiming 6/72 from just under 21 overs and being damaging throughout Town’s innings.

Head’s scalps included the crucial Bowman, the game’s top scorer Dole the man who snavelled the catch.

On top of his batting efforts, Dole took 2/54 from 15 overs.

MDU outguns Imperials

MEENIYAN Dumbalk United began day two on 4/78, chasing Imperials’ modest first innings total of 115, MDU building a 72-run lead before declaring seven down.

That advantage was built around two strong contributors, Mike Olden adding 32 to his opening day total before being dismissed for 82, with Tyrone Zukovskis later blasting 54 from 36 balls.

James Forrester led the Imperials bowling with 4/32 from 10 overs, including dismissing Olden.

Imperials were again unconvincing second time around, managing 9/121 by the time stumps were drawn, Dallas McLennan (26 runs) and Clint Honeysett (23 runs) doing best.

Olden capped off a match to remember, headlining MDU’s second innings bowling with 4/38 from 15 overs.

OMK grinds out win over Cougars

ADAM Trotto’s brisk unbeaten 68 and a belligerent 65 from his skipper Robert Quaife helped guide OMK to a two-wicket win over Koonwarra Leongatha RSL which set a challenging target of 238 built around the opening day century of Sam Hughes.

Seven runs were still needed by OMK when Cougar Mitchell Scrimshaw removed Hayden James for a score of three, but Ben Maguire’s unbeaten knock of eight, combining with Trotto, ensured victory for the Diggers.

Mitchell Scrimshaw was the leading wicket taker for the narrowly beaten Cougars, claiming 3/43 from his 12 overs, a couple of his dismissals achieved with Kayden Scrimshaw catches.

Paris Buckley also gave Koonwarra L/RSL hope with his excellent 2/22 off 10 overs accounting for OMK opener Luke Jones (16 runs) and number three batsman Jaxon Hayes who was stumped for just three runs.

B Grade, Division 2

Kilcunda-Bass steadies to overtake OMK

A KNOCK of 59 from Steven Oates and an unbeaten 36 from Ray Gardiner helped Kilcunda-Bass surpass a modest Outtrim Moyarra Kongwak total despite the Sharks chase getting off to a shaky start.

OMK president Russ White struck three times to have Kilcunda-Bass at 3/29, removing Sharks captain Bradley Waldron for 11, his opening partner Brett Joseph for 16 and number three batsman Scott Williams for a duck.

However, by the time Oates was dismissed the Kilcunda-Bass score had progressed to 122, the Sharks needing just seven more runs for victory.

OMK’s bowlers still managed one more wicket, Robert Blackney sent on his way by Ryan Wyatt without scoring, but Kilcunda-Bass prevailed by five wickets.

After his destructive start with the ball, White didn’t manage any further wickets, finishing with 3/21 off 17 overs, his miserliness helping ensure the Sharks had to work hard for victory.

He also took the catch to dismiss Oates.

OMK’s day one innings was highlighted by Scott Handley’s 40 and George Lomagno’s 28 not out, with Darcy Clay’s 4/42 off 18 overs a major factor in ensuring Kilcunda-Bass wouldn’t have to chase too many on day two.

Jacob Havetta was also instrumental with the ball for the Sharks, sending OMK openers White (1 run) and Justin Greenwood (16 runs) on their way, Havetta taking 2/18 from eight overs.

Glen Alvie powers to big win over Foster

GLEN Alvie’s bowlers ensured the side’s day one 255 run total was plenty, the chasing Foster batting lineup falling 117 runs short despite the Tigers being on their home pitch.

While six Foster players laid solid foundations by reaching double figures, none turned that effort into a big score, Jake Pilkington’s determined 23 off 63 balls the Tigers’ highest contribution.

Glen Alvie’s Albert Russell had already dismissed Foster opener Brett Gay for 12 on day one and didn’t prove easier to handle when action resumed, finishing with 4/39 from 16 overs.

He dismissed Foster’s number three batsman Tim Garvey to begin the day two rot for the Tigers, also taking a catch off the bowling of Archie Moore to end the determined resistance of opener

Brandon Busuttil on 15 runs from 87 balls.

While Russell was its star with the ball, Glen Alvie had four single wicket takers, a run out and a ‘retired out’ accounting for its other scalps.

Although there was much for Glen Alvie to be pleased with, an extras tally of 32 indicates there is work to do.

That included 14 byes and 10 no balls.

McCausland century leads Island charge against ‘Burra

PHILLIP Island already enjoyed a comfortable first innings lead entering day two and Daniel McCausland picked up where he left off, taking his score to 102 not out.

He progressed from his day one tally of 58, while his batting partner Tony Hornsby advanced from 56 before being dismissed for 76.

That Darren Scott wicket was the only damage the Korumburra bowlers inflicted on day two, with Phillip Island declaring three down with a 194-run first innings lead.

While no Korumburra player managed a large second innings score, four reached tallies in the twenties, a couple of those being unbeaten, as the Cobras made 6/140 by game’s end.

Phillip Island skipper Tarryn Allan took an impressive 3/38 from 13 overs to lead his side’s bowling figures in the second innings.

Checkley’s starring role as Nerrena outguns Club

NERRENA’S imposing day one tally of 6/262, built around Scott Checkley’s 142, proved well beyond Wonthaggi Club, the Redcaps prevailing by 73 runs.

That was despite David Britt’s commendable 112 not out off 150 balls and his opening partner Luke Sibley’s 40 for Club.

Justin Licis was the only other notable contributor for Wonthaggi, managing a score of 21.

The last three Wonthaggi batsmen to be removed fell for ducks, with a total of four of the lineup failing to trouble the scorers.

Checkley put man of the match status beyond doubt, backing up his batting heroics with 6-41 off 17 overs and being his side’s only multiple wicket taker.