Town too good for Koony

• A Grade, Division 1

SATURDAY marked the final round of cricket before the Christmas break in the LDCA as games were shortened to 40 overs a side (for both A divisions) and 20 overs a side for both B and C divisions, and they did not disappoint. 

Coming off a strong revenge win in Round 7 over the reigning premiers, Leongatha were focused on going into the break with another win as they hosted Koonwarra at Scorpion Park. 

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat and despite being in early trouble at 2/10 managed to dig in and reach a respectable score of 8/163 thanks to some strong partnerships throughout the middle order. 

Most notably, the Cougars skipper Ben Walsh (41) put on 64 runs with young gun Harry Hoekstra (76) who top scored for his side, belting eight fours and two sixes along the way.

With the ball, it was Mudassar Riaz (3/21 from 8) doing damage once again for Town. 

In reply, the hometown Scorpions lost a couple of wickets along the way but remained in control, reaching the Koony’ total with six wickets to spare, Ron Abeysinghe (54) and the ever-reliable Amila Ratnaike (59*) both starred with half centuries in the chase. 

Hoekstra (3/22 from 6) backed up his thrilling innings with the bat with a couple of wickets with the ball, showing what a great talent, he is. 

The Cougars will face the Imperials after the break, while Town will head down to Outtrim to face OMK. 

Island claim Semi Final rematch

IN A rematch of last season’s Semi Final, Wonthaggi welcomed Phillip Island down the road to Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve and the visitors won the toss and chose to bat first. 

The Sharks got off to an absolutely dominant start, flying out to 145 before losing their first wicket as Jarrod Black (57 from 72) was run out, ultimately halting their run rate. 

Club were able to claim the big wickets of Daniel Mock (17 from 26) and Shiran Rathnayake (15 from 14), but the reigning premiers were still good enough to reach 9/220 after their 40 overs. 

Joel Brann (2/26 from 8) was the pick of the bowlers again for Wonthaggi. 

In reply, Club did not get off to the most desirable start, losing their captain and star opener Ryan Thomas without scoring, they then stumbled again, falling to 3/25, before briefly recovering but ultimately never found a rhythm to their innings. 

Stewart Beaumont (65 from 102) was a shining light for the hosts with a fine innings, but they unfortunately still went down by 71-runs, finishing 9/149. 

Stingrays prevail in an instant classic 

INVERLOCH welcomed OMK down the road to Thompson Reserve as the home side looked to make it two wins against the Diggers who won the toss and chose to bat first. 

In an interesting and even first innings, several visiting batters were able to get strong starts but were unable to convert them into big scores, as the 73-run stand between Thomas Wyatt (33 from 72) and Daniel Lloyd (42 from 64) was easily their largest as they finished 9/146. 

Lloyd top scored for OMK while Tom McQaulter (4/25 from 8) bowled beautifully, particularly at the death for Inverloch. 

In reply, the Stingrays looked in control on the home deck despite losing Jack Butcher and Andrew Donohue for low scores, they were able to put key partnerships together but in the end were not able to hold them for as long as they’d have wanted as the match turned into an instant classic. 

After managing just six runs from the next two overs, the hosts still required 15 runs and now just had 18 balls to do it, they lost Jake Dennerley soon after, with 13 still to get. 

However, with two big shots, all the OMK hope was dashed from their minds, as McQualter (10* from 15) belted a four and incoming batter Kade Joske (6* from 2) hit his second ball for six as the

Diggers skipper caught it but stepped over the line. 

Inverloch prevailed by four wickets in a thriller to end the first half off the season, but OMK got the last laugh, as they sit one spot ahead of the Stingrays in fourth place. 

Imps win a thriller

THE Imperials hosted the surging Nerrena at the Leongatha Recreation Reserve, and the hosts won the toss and chose to bat first. 

Both openers made starts but were unfortunately dismissed as the Imps were in a touch of trouble at 2/45 early, but that never worried them. 

Captain Jack Ginnane (39 from 56) and Sumudu Sameera (54* from 78) wrestled back the momentum with a 76-run partnership to get their side up and over the 100-mark. 

Ginnane then lost his wicket, but Sameera continued on to help the hosts finish 4/158 after their 40 overs, Ryan Clark (1/24 from 8) was the best with the ball for Nerrena. 

In reply, the Nerrena innings got off to a shaky start as Ginnane claimed the huge wicket of Mitchell Clark (5 from 11), making it the first time this season he hasn’t scored at least 50. 

This undoubtedly pumped up the Imps who looked to feed off the momentum and they did so, taking regular wickets as the visitors tried their best to battle on through the carnage, they reached 4/31 before Tim Wightman (49 from 87) and Luke Giliam (48 from 70) began to repair their chase. 

The pair put on 81-runs before Wightman was dismissed one run short of a half century. 

The visitors only managed two runs in the first five deliveries of the final over, but a wide on the second ball meant they had one last chance, needing four runs from the final ball. 

Sensationally Josh Trease (2) was run out on the final delivery, seeing his side fall just two runs short of the win that would have seen them go a game clear on top of the table. 

• A Grade, Division 2
 

Cobras outclass Nyora

KORUMBURRA welcomed Nerrena down the road to Korumburra Recreation Reserve and the visitors won the toss and sent the Cobras in to bat first. 

The hosts innings looked promising but at 2/73, after losing Inshaka Siriwardena (26 from 44) it all went downhill as momentum started to shift. 

Nyora recovered well to reign in the Cobras innings, taking 8/62 to see the hosts finish 10/135. 

Tom Crocker (31 from 68) top scored for ‘Burra while Henry Dolphin (3/12 from 6) was the best with the ball for Nyora. 

In reply though, Nyora found it incredibly tough, losing their first two wickets without scoring and never really recovering after that, losing by 45 runs as they finished 9/90 after their 40 overs. 

Harshika Fernando (3/9 from 8) caused carnage with the ball for the Cobras, they’ll now face Glen Alvie after the break, while Nyora will host Phillip Island. 

Club openers set up successful chase

KILCUNDA-BASS hosted Wonthaggi at Bass Recreation Reserve and the Sharks won the toss and chose to bat first. 

The Sharks lost two wickets before reaching 10 runs as a team, but this did not impact them as it should have, as Jaydan Tregear (92*) and his skipper Ashley Larcombe (48) put on a blistering 113-run stand. 

Tregear’s innings helped the hosts finish 4/179 after their 40 overs as he finished unbeaten, only eight runs shy of a century. 

Luke McGuirk (2/24 from 7) was the pick of the bowlers for Wonthaggi. 

In reply, Club looked as if they’d cruise to the total, finding their way to 92 before losing their first wicket as Emmet Dempsey (60 from 50) and Harry West (30 from 82) got off to a great start. 

The Sharks were able to come back and take a few wickets, but they couldn’t deter the visitors enough to steal the win, Wonthaggi reached the total six wickets down. 

Club’s four wicket win highlighted by Dempsey’s brilliant half century, while Todd Smith (2/47 from 8) tried his best for Kilcunda-Bass.

The Sharks face off with MDU after the break, while Club host Foster. 

Tigers smash Alvie 

FOSTER welcomed Glen Alvie down to the Foster Golf Club and the hosts won the toss and chose to bat first.

They lost several wickets early but were able to recover to reach 169 where they lost their final wicket, Benjamin East (52) and the middle order produced some great support as Stephen Kennedy (3/17 from 4.3) was the pick of the bowlers. 

The Tigers weren’t the only ones to find it tough though, as the Alvie struggled to ever get going in the chase, falling to 10/89, to ultimately lose by 80 runs. 

Kennedy (35 from 63) was again a shining light for the visitors, while Jack Gay (3/11 from 6) did the damage with the ball. 

Foster will head down to Wonthaggi after the break, while The Alvie will host Korumburra. 

Demons dominate Sharks 

PHILLIP ISLAND welcomed MDU over the bridge to Cowes Recreation Reserve where the hosts won the toss and chose to bat first. 

Almost every batter who came to the crease got start for the Island but were all unable to go on as the Demons took wickets with enough regularity to halt any rhythm the Sharks may have had in their innings. 

The hosts reached 8/144 after their 40 overs as David Wolmersley (29 from 37) top scored, Sam Bright (2/22 from 8) was the best with the ball for MDU. 

In reply, the Demons didn’t have anywhere near as much trouble finding the runs, reaching the total with seven wickets in the sheds, behind their captain Joel Sinclair’s (68* from 79) unbeaten half century. 

Tom Niven (1/38 from 6) tried his best with the ball for the Island, they’ll head to Nyora after the break while MDU will host Kilcunda-Bass.