Worsteling to the rescue

By Nick Creely

WGCA DISTRICT DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 12
Devon Meadows batsman Nathan Worsteling is a player to watch in future years around the traps of the WGCA, and the 22-year-old provided a glimpse of his talent with a maiden first XI century on Saturday.
Pitted against Clyde at Glover Reserve, Worsteling (107 not out) steered a shaky ship, crafting an innings of patience and steel to pull his side out of an early hole and into an impenetrable position at stumps.
Coming in at 3/39, with key bats Kyle Salerno (8), Lucas Carroll (5) and Brad Miles (5) back in the shed, Worsteling provided an anchor, manoeuvring the ball into gaps while the more aggressive types such as Scott Clark (45) and Jason Dodd (48) found the boundaries.
While wickets did fall, the runs kept flowing, and on the other end was Worsteling, who managed to bat to the end of the day and face 216 balls, as his side racked up 8/319 after a late flurry by Ben Hussey (29 off 24 balls) and Luke Hamilton (39 not out off 23 balls).
Worsteling; after playing a few years of solid first XI cricket as he continues to develop and learn his game; is becoming one of the Panthers’ most important players, and has now scored 293 runs at 41.86 for the season.
For the Cougars on a tough day in the heat, Pat Lawson (3/42) was the pick of the bowlers, while Ross Elston (3/26) also chimed in with a handful.
Down at Pakenham Upper, Carlisle Park are consolidating its position in the top four, and have the Yabbies on the ropes after day one.
The home side elected to bat in the heat, and didn’t last long, with Vikings bowlers Ammar Bajwa (4/27) and Heath Straughair (3/11) combining superbly to skittle them for 112.
Mitch Mibus top scored for the Yabbies with a well-made 28.
In reply, the Vikings raced to 0/90, with Bajwa (65) putting on a clinic with four sixes, while David Nutting (23) is coasting along to be a solid support for the star all-rounder.
Cranbourne Meadows, meanwhile, kept up its impressive batting form, racking up 7/267 at Rutter Park against Tooradin.
The Rebels batted superbly all day, with skipper Ash Uppal (84) and run machine Sunny Paul (72) putting in impressive performances once again to lead the way.
With the ball, Steve Hamill (4/55 off 25 overs) toiled hard all day to peg the scoring back as much as possible, but it was all class from the Rebels.
And Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll requires a further 186 runs for victory when they resumes its chase against Officer on day two.
Marygoon champ Daniel (5/45) provided the highlight of the day, taking a memorable hat-trick to skittle the Bullants’ middle order.
His three victims – James Parnall, Tom Carlyle and Riley Clark – all had their stumps knocked over, in a stunning spell of bowling that also included Anthony Galley (17) only moments before.
The Bullants, however, recovered from 6/80 to finish on a competitive 197, with gun opener Tyler Clark (79) and impressive recruit Shaun Weir (51) saving the day with a terrific 79 run stand.

WGCA SUB-DISTRICT DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 12 (DAY ONE)
80 runs in boundaries flew off the blade of Brad Remy on Saturday, with the Cardinia opener blasting 118 down at E Gunton Oval against ladder leading Lang Lang.
While the Bulls couldn’t quite capitalize on a red hot start to the day, it was still an innings full of class.
The Bulls got off to a flier after electing to bat, with skipper Ryan Little (33) enjoying his promotion up the order to support Remy in a brilliant opening stand of 150 runs, with Remy blasting the ball to all parts of the ground for his first century of the season.
But soon after Little was bowled off Ricky Caddell (4/43) to get the Swamp Tigers on the board, Remy lost his wicket and the momentum significantly shifted.
With Caddell and Cam Williams (5/68) combining for 45 overs between them, the Swamp Tigers strangled the life out of the home side, oozing class as they took the last eight wickets for just 76 runs, holding them to just 232.
Trent Wheller (1/8) managed to snag the early scalp of Daniel Esler (0) and the Swamp Tigers finished on 1/16 at stumps.
Catani, meanwhile, is eyeing off potential outright and top spot, with the Cats on the brink of victory against Tooradin.
Rolling the Gulls for just 116 after Daniel Glover (3/17) and Tyler Molloy (3/10) toyed with them with the new ball, the Cats swiftly raced to 1/71 at stumps, and will be looking to pile on the runs next week and bowl the visitors out again.
Aura Vale is trying to keep its finals hopes alive, but a brilliant Geordie Scott century has Gembrook in the box seat heading into day two.
The Brookers skipper powered his way to 113 and smashed a mind boggling 12 sixes over the fence, to guide the visiting side to a strong 263 in 56.3 overs.
Opening batsman Brett Burmeister (70) was also in the runs, combining for 173 runs with his skipper.
The Lakers finished the day steadily, only losing the one wicket to be 1/69 at stumps, needing a further 195 to keep its season alive.
Paul Hoenderdaal (24) and Owen Thorne (27) are the not out batsmen.
Down at Lakeside Oval, Pakenham (9/218) posted a highly competitive total against Nyora, but no Lions batsmen was able to capitalize on their starts, with eight of their players scoring between 10 and 40.