Yarram District make the most of home wicket

Cricket

TDCA

AHUGE week of cricket was completed at the weekend, with Saturday making the last day of a long week for the 19 players who represented the Traralgon District Cricket Association at Country Week in Melbourne.

Still, there was games to be won back at club land, as finals spots and home finals continue to be on theline every round.

IT was billed as the most even match-up for the round, as third-placedYarram District hosted Toongabbie for the first time at the Yarram Recreation Reserve.

The Rams lookedundermanned as they made their way over the hill.Rob Wheildon and Kev Stoddart were not in the line-up which meant the Rams top two run scorers for the season were not in the team.

The home sidefinallywon atossathome and took full advantage of batting first on what is fast becoming known as the best batting wicket in the TDCA.

It was hard work from the get go as Toongabbie just couldn’t make inroads into the Pelicans top order.

When the score was on 126 Matt Barry was able to strike twice and take Yarram District from 1/126 to 3/126 and trytobuildsome momentumwith the ball,but the Pelicans batsmen were able to combat anything the Rams threw at them. With someluck due to drop catches, the Pelicans were able to cash in and bring the total to 4/254 at compulsory closure of play.

Anthony Scottopening the batting madea measured 69, and Griffin Underwood got agood 25 not out, but the innings was defined by an in-form Daniel O’Keefe, who after arriving at the crease in the 10th over batted brilliantly, making 119 from 130 balls which included 11 boundaries and four big sixes.

O’Keefe was dismissed on the last ball of the Yarram Districtinnings,and if he had not been dismissed on that balldoing the teamthing, he wouldcurrently be leading the TDCA AGrade batting average. Still, he gets to claim the third TDCA AGrade hundred for the season, and be the first Yarram District cricketer to score ahundred on their turf wicket.

With their twohighest runscorers not playing,it was alwaysgoingtobea challenge for the Rams,and they were completely outclassed as Kelly Griffiths knocked over the top order, taking 3/19.

O’Keefedid the damage through themiddle, claiming 3/24, and Underwood finished the Rams off taking 4/15 himself.

Jim Chalmers and Tom Shippen were the best batsmenfor the away team, making 26 and 21 respectively, but the home side made sure it secured the bonus point as the Rams came up 131 runs short.

Yarram are now locked into third on the ladder and will most likely face Ex Students in the semifinalunless something crazy happens over the next two rounds.

Toongabbie meanwhile, only needs to beat bottom-placed Gormandale next week to guarantee finals this season.

GLENGARRY was back in action after abye and awashout, which meant the AGrade team hadn’t played for two weeks.

Theywere taking on ImperialsatCatterick Crescent, which will be the venue for the AGrade Grand Final this season, so any use of the wicket leading up to the finals was going to be crucial for the Magpies’ premiership aspirations.

Batting first, Glengarry was in abit of trouble early as Frank Marks, Nat Freitag and Al Jenkin were all back in the sheds,but Sam Marks and Nathan Allen were able to steady the ship as the twoput on 124 for the fourth wicket, before Sam Marks was dismissed for awell-made 53.

When Allen was dismissed 20 runs later just three runs short of his half-century, the score wason 171. Then thanks to some Ben Marks and Lachlan Clark lower order hitting, the visitors were able to complete their 50 overs with the score at 7/210.

Without Cam Graham to take the new ball, Ryan Morley settled in pretty well and got his team off to agood start, making 42 before being dismissed by Max Merton.

Morley’s wicket meant thatDilshan Thhillekarathnatook the responsibility as the mainstay batsman,and would have had Glengarry alittle worried before being run out for 46.

Imperialscontinued to fight through Scott Aitken who got 35 himself, but in the end they just ran out of time.

Imperials batted their allottedovers to finish 7/185 as Max Merton was the best bowler for Glengarry, claiming two wickets.

Imperials showedgood signs, onlylosing by 25 runs to the top team, which is agreat effort for a young side and it certainly givesthem somethingto buildoninto next season. Glengarry will have been grateful to blow abit of rust off and get themselves ready for this Saturday, where they take on Yarram District at the Yarram Recreation Reserve. SOME tired players took the field for Ex Students last weekend.

The Sharkshad 10 playersfilter in-and-out of the Country Week team throughout the week leading up to this match against Gormandale.

The Tigers were without captainAdam Brady, which left abig hole to fill, but if there was ever going to be achancetoupset Ex Students, it was certainly after atough Country Week campaign.

Gormandale won the toss and chose to bat on a very hard Terry Hunter Oval wicket.

TheTigers applied themselves to show enough of their capabilities, but still lost wickets regularly, which halted any momentum getting built throughout the innings.

Matt Hibbs top-scored for the visiting team with 35, and Yohan Soyza made agood 29 not out, but threelatewickets in the41st over meant anychance of getting to ascore of 160-plus was over as Andy Matthews finished the Tigers off claiming 5/24 from 7.4 overs with all of his wickets bowled.

Withaneye on nextseason, 18-year-old Campbell Peavey wasgiven the new ball,and up the other end, 17-year-old left armer Ethan Jarvis got the responsibility of getting the Tigers off to agood start to have any chance of amiracle upset.

Theyoung bowlersgot some good experience and Peavey was able to find some rhythm, running in with astrong breeze behind him as he shortened up acouple of the Ex Students batsmen,getting two wickets in the process.

At 2/15, Gormandale had asniff, but as quick as thewickets fell the game was takenaway by Mitch Harris(39) and an in-form Jackson McMahon, who ended the innings 63 not out.

It was acomprehensive victory for Ex Students, who not only claimed the win but abonus point for their efforts, which has them edging ever closer to Glengarry on top of the ladder.

It was obvious Gormandale were outmatched, but again some positive signs are there with some of the younger players at the club starting to show their potential.

Gormandalewillhave all eyes on them this week against Toongabbie,because if they upset the Rams, afinal round showdown for fourth position on the ladder will await the following week between Toongabbie and Rovers.

BGrade

TOONGABBIE had agood win over Yarram District, jumping the Pelicans on the ladder in the process to now sit second on the BGrade ladder.

The Pelicans batted first, making 8/190 from their full allotment of overs.

Peter Griffiths top-scored on 65.

Toongabbie started alittle sluggish, but Michael Dunn (60 not out) andKev Stoddart (73 not out) were just fartoo goodasthe home team passed Yarram’s score three down in 35 overs Imperials were premiership favourites three weeks ago, but have since lost to Toongabbie and now fifth-placedGlengarry, who now sit three points behind Imperials on the ladder.

Glengarry dominated this match, making 5/208 in the innings thanks mainly to Paul Henry who carried his bat for 102 not out.

Mick McNulty top-scored for Imperials, as they were dismissed for 121 in 33.2 overs thanks to JamesPorterwho claimed 3/19and Jay Francis who claimed 3/34.

Ex Students have continued their winning ways over Gormandale, although if the home team didn’t drop so many catches the game may have been different.

Ex Students batted first, making 168, with Michael Warne top-scoring on 30.

Nathan Heard(3/19) and Cooper White(3/51) were the Tigers best bowlers.

Ex Studentsthen applied the pressure to Gormandale with the ball, as the home team were all out for 98.

Joel Thomson continued his fantastic form with the ball, claiming 3/10 from five overs.

CGrade

GLENGARRY waswellbeaten by Yarram District, who foundcontributions with the bat from Andrew Dunkley. The father of the AFL star made 57. In other games,Rovers defeatedToongabbie, while Ex Students were too strong for Imperials.

DO’Keefe8-0-24-3,J Babb7-0-29-0, J Collins5-1-12-0, GUnderwood 4.4-0-15-4

7/185(cc) Glengarrybowling:G Waack-Hawkins 6-1-18-0, A Jenkin 10-2-20-1, NFreitag 6-0-31-0, BMayberry 9-0-36-1, MMerton6-0-25-2, NAllen 10-1-31-0, T Duncan 3-0-19-1

Gormandale innings NScammell bMatthews ....3

CLehner lbw bStockdale 15 MHibbs cMatthews bStockdale 35 HRichards .lbw bBentley. .....5 EJarvis c& bBentley ......1 CPeavey. .b Bastin. 13 YSoyza not out 29 JJacobsen bMatthews ....7 GSwan. .b Matthews .0 SSapalya bMatthews ....0 TGafa. bMatthews .....4

Extras (nb 3, w28, b0,lb3). 34 Overs. 43.4

Total. 146

Ex Students bowling:MHarris 10-0-33-0,AMatthews

7.4-0-24-5,LStockdale 10-3-15-2, JMcMahon 6-032-0, MBentley5-0-24-2,ZBastin5-1-15-1 Ex Students innings

MHarris. bSoyza 39

AJaensch lbw bPeavey. 10

LStockdale cLehner bPeavey. ...0

JMcMahon not out 63

MDyke. c& bSoyza ......0

MMembrey not out 23

Extras (nb 0, w9,b 0, lb 3) 12

Overs. .24.5

Total. 4/147

Gormandale bowling: CPeavey10-1-57-2, EJarvis

4-0-22-0, YSoyza 8-0-40-2, MHibbs 2-0-16-0, T Gafa 0.5-0-9-0 Rovers -Bye

BGRADE -ROUND 19

Glengarry5/208(cc) (P Henry102*, JFrancis 40*) def Imperials 121(MMcNulty27, JPorter3/19, J Francis3/34, PHenry 2/33);

Gormandale98(JThompson3/10, DChurchill 2/10, KDuncan 2/26)def by Ex Students 168(MWarne 30,J Thompson 29,KDuncan 26*); Toongabbie 3/192 (K Stoddart73*, MDunn 60*, TCrawford2/34) def Yarram District 8/190(cc)(P Griffiths 65, ABland34, TCrawford25, KStoddart 3/22, THood 2/24, MDunn 2/39); Rovers -bye

CGRADE -ROUND 13 Rovers 4/146 (G Greenway70, RMartin 28*) def Toongabbie 142(BCooper 43, SVeneman33, R Martin 4/12, BNikodemski 2/29,G Greenway2/35); Glengarry122 (S Saju 26) defbyYarram District 200 (S Bonacci 3/28,S Saju 2/12, AHodson 2/21, DCochrane 2/31); Ex Students 7/241(cc)(PHennessy77, SThompson 55, MDillon44, ALovas 3/53,A Murtagh 2/22) def Imperials 78 (D Millington 5/9, TKosterman 2/7)

The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 22 February, 2023 —Page 41