WGCA District divisions – round 11, day 1

By Julian Bayard
UPPER Beaconsfield appears to be closing in on victory in the replay of last season’s District Division B Grade grand final, with Nyora being dismissed for just 159 before Upper Beaconsfield reached 1/85 at stumps.
After electing to bat, the home side reached 15 before Paul Matthews bowled both opening batsmen in a terrific spell of seam-bowling.
Visiting captain Scott Pitcher then ripped through the home side’s middle and lower order to take five wickets, including the vital scalps of Nick Fairbank and Troy Ferguson.
The very big hitting big man Daniel Morrison smashed seven boundaries and three sixes in his quick-fire innings of 62, while wicket-keeper Jake Hackett remained not out on 28 runs.
Upper Beaconsfield reached 1/85 at stumps from their 29 overs, with opening batsman Julian Bayard remaining undefeated to be 43 not out overnight.
Merinda Park will feel as though it is in a winning position in its match against Clyde, with the Cobras reaching 0/39 overnight after dismissing the Cougars for 170 from 59 overs.
Craig Boswell continued his excellent form with the ball so far this season to take 4/9 from 13 brilliant overs, the haul taking his season wicket tally to 24 at an average of just 10.0.
Jess Mathers also bowled extremely well to take 4/44 from 17 overs, while Clyde’s star batsman Joel Avard continued his good form with an excellent 70 runs at number four, his innings including six boundaries and four sixes.
Emerald appears to be in the box seat in its match against Kilcunda/Bass at Chandler Reserve, with the Sharks being dismissed for just 102 before the Bombers reached 4/61 at stumps.
Bombers’ spearhead Clinton Marsh again showed why he is one of the best bowlers in the competition with 4/34 from 15 overs, while Ash Oats hit three boundaries and two sixes in his innings of 38 at the top of the order for the Sharks.
Oats then bowled 12 overs to take 2/22 as Emerald slumped to 2/0 and then 3/11 before recovering to be 4/61 from 32 overs over night.
Devon Meadows won a vital match against Pakenham in the Saturday-Sunday match at Cranbourne Racecourse.
After being sent into bat by the Panthers, Pakenham lost last week’s hero Russ Lehman for just three runs before a 79-run partnership between captain Ben Maroney and Dom Paynter steadied the Lions’ ship.
However, when these two departed in quick succession, the Panthers put the foot down, with Pete Zauner taking 6/52 to take his season tally to 40 wickets, while Lucas Carroll’s 3/43 helped turn the game in favour of the home side.
Pakenham collapsed from 1/82 to be all out for just 141 in the 46th over, with Maroney’s innings of 43 runs the only highlight.
In reply, Bill Loudon scored an excellent 49 runs, while Luke Howard’s 32 saw the Panthers to victory with three wickets in hand, eventually scoring 214 from 77.3 overs.
Maroney and Ryan Kitchin each bowled well for the Lions to take three wickets each.
SUB-DISTRICT DIVISION
Gembrook produced one of its finest performances of the season with a gritty batting display against third-placed Beaconsfield, with the Brookers scoring 7/171 from 80 overs.
Martin Williams scored 44 runs for his side to be the best of the Gembrook batsmen, while Anthony Williams also batted extremely well in his innings of 40 runs.
For Beaconsfield, Rick Colling bowled 18 overs of the highest quality to take 3/19, while Raymond Cook also bowled well to take 2/23 from nine overs.
Tooradin once again showed its class with the bat by scoring 246 from 75.5 overs in its match against Lang Lang, before the Swamp Tigers slumped to be 1/2 from just one over at stumps.
For the Seagulls, number three batsman Sean Baker was the pick of the batsmen with 60 runs, while opener Matthew Walker returned to form after being dropped from Premier Division to score 41 runs.
Lang Lang bowler Glen Easton took his season wicket tally to 23 wickets with an excellent display of bowling to take 5/47 from 10 overs.
The match between Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll and Lyndhurst appears to be in an even position after the first day’s play with the Marygoons scoring 209 from 74.1 overs, on the back of a half-century from Simon Rogers and 41 runs from Ken McLeod.
The wickets were shared amongst the Vikings’ bowlers, with Adam Baumgardner taking 4/69 from 28.1 economic overs, while Heath Straughair (3/57 from 15 overs) and Kristopher Thompson (2/25 from 11 overs) also bowled well.
St Francis Xavier Old Collegians (SFX) will feel it is in a winning position in its match against Cranbourne Meadows, after the Rebels were dismissed for just 159 from 76 overs.
Chris Shepherdson was the pick of the Saints’ bowlers, taking 3/39 from 16 overs, while both Scott Kunziak and Leigh Otten picked up two wickets.
For Cranbourne Meadows, only Andrew Clappers (35 runs) and Shane White (33 runs) offered any real resistance to the Saints’ attack, while the Rebels bowlers will have to be at their peak if they are to remain in the race for the final four on the Sub-District Division ladder.