By Hayley Wildes and Russell Bennett
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 14 (DAY ONE)
In the battle for top spot, Pakenham and Kooweerup are locked in tight battles, with both needing to produce with the bat on day two against Devon Meadows and Upper Beaconsfield, respectively.
Devon Meadows elected to bat first against Pakenham and a 52-run partnership between openers Luke Hamilton (32) and Henry Dolphin (24) got the Panthers off to a strong start.
Hamilton and Dolphin fell in quick succession though as the Lions fought back through Daniel Vela (1/24) and Jason Williams (4/86). Brad Miles (35) and Lucas Carroll (23) produced in the middle order, but at 5/98, the Panthers still needed plenty from their batsmen.
Enter skipper Jason Dodd.
Dodd (90) anchored an innings missing important all-rounder Scott Clark (meniscus) from then on, producing a career-best knock – which featured 11 boundaries – that left Pakenham’s bowling unit searching for answers. Despite falling just short of a deserved-century, Dodd’s work to combine with Michael Addison (25 not out) and Matthew Hutchinson (18) helped push Devon Meadows’ total out to 8/264 in 80 overs.
The Lions will need to respond on day two.
Despite almost being anchored to the bottom of the ladder, Upper Beaconsfield took it right up to the powerhouse Kooweerup on day one of their fiery clash at Upper Beaconsfield.
The Maroons won the toss, elected to bat and opener Imesh Jayasekara (114) put on a show. Despite others falling cheaply, he and Corey Joyce (49) were in fine form.
Jayasekara’s century included 14 fours in a masterful display of shot-making that frustrated the Demons’ attack.
The nature of his dismissal, though, brought a key question to the fore – to Mankad, or not to Mankad.
For the second time in three top flight games, an Upper Beaconsfield batsman had been dismissed in this fashion. The first was Joyce against Merinda Park, and this time around it was Jayasekara – with Demons champion Mark Cooper the bowler, in fascinating circumstances.
But, as Saturday’s scorebook states, the dismissal was officially deemed to be a run out.
Many are unaware that, a couple of years ago, the manoeuvre became easier for bowlers to pull off after Cricket Australia incorporated the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) and International Cricket Council’s (ICC) guidelines into domestic competitions.
The act of the ‘Mankad’ – is named after Vinoo Mankad, a former Indian Test cricketer who ran out Bill Brown in the second Test of his side’s 1947/48 tour of Australia. Mankad paused in his delivery stride and removed the bails at the non-striker’s end, with Brown ran out backing-up out of his crease.
But in 2017, the ‘Mankad’ rule was subtly changed. It used to be that bowlers were allowed to try and run-out the non-striker only before they entered their delivery stride. But now the rule says that bowlers can perform the action at any point up until they’d be expected to deliver the ball.
Jess Mathers (6/40 in a shade under 22 overs) delivered his best figures of the season to see Kooweerup ultimately dismiss Upper Beaconsfield for 224 runs in the 71st over.
The Demons successfully navigated five overs to end day one and will resume play at 0/25, with Chris O’Hara (15 not out) and Cooper (9 not out) at the crease.
Kooweerup favourite son Chris Bright was reported earlier in the clash.
In the fight for the last spot in the finals, Tooradin and Clyde played out a tight battle on day one at Tooradin Recreation Reserve.
The Seagulls, 12 points in advance of the Cougars in fifth, won the toss and elected to bat first. It was a decision that paid immediate dividends as openers Josh Lownds (66) and Dylan Sutton (62) combined for a brilliant 124-run partnership at the top of a reshuffled batting order that was missing Russ Lehman and Brody Harbinson (suspension), and Kade Burns (injury) for the clash.
Lownds and Sutton were composed, and punished any wayward deliveries before Lownds was eventually undone, bowled by Brett Reid (1/25).
Cal O’Hare (34) stepped up to the crease and got a strong start, but a strong spell from Pat Lawson (3/37) saw O’Hare lose three teammates for just four runs to be 4/155.
Andrew Proctor (59) delivered a crucial half century for Tooradin, but the tail failed to wag as Clyde dismissed the Seagulls for 237 runs in 71 overs.
The Cougars – who needed a rare outright victory to secure a jump from fifth to fourth – had to face six overs to finish the day and will enter day two at 0/17, with Warwick Weir (10 not out) and skipper Kiefer Peries (7 not out) at the crease.
Needing an outright win of their own to keep their extremely slim finals chances alive, the Bulls were gunning to achieve just that against Merinda Park, but it cost them dearly.
After winning the toss, the Bulls sent the Cobras into bat looking for a quick kill. The certainly didn’t eventuate. Merinda Park, thanks largely to Jordon Thomas (35), Thuduwage Kumara (32) and Paul Wiles (29), stayed at the crease for 62 overs, before eventually being dismissed for 185 runs. Interestingly, star skipper Daniel McCalman (2) had a rare misfire with the willow, but Kumara, and Sasindu Perera (27) both added significant contributions with the bat in just their second game for the season for the club, and first in the Premier grade.
Ryan Little (7/66) was absolutely sublime for Cardinia as he gave his all in 25 overs of work.
Needing runs and needing them quickly, the Bulls lost wickets courtesy of erratic shots and find themselves at 6/69 entering day two. Skipper Alex Nooy (50) was terrific at the top of the order, but it looks like the Bulls’ season will be ending on Saturday.
Mathew Campbell (3/7) was impressive in a four over spell for the Cobras, while Perera also snagged 2/14.
There will be much more in next week’s Gazette on the fascinating scenes on day one at Upper Beaconsfield.
