Morwell takes the minor premiership into finals

CRICKET LVDCL PREMIER A

BY LIAM DURKIN

BATTLES with different meanings featuredin the last roundofLatrobe ValleyDistrictCricket League Premier A.

At one end, the fight for the minor premiership was on; and at the other -the fight to avoid relegation.

MORWELL claimed top spot after disposing Churchill with relative ease.

The Tigers wasted no time chasing the 181 it needed for victory, racing across the line in 36 overs on Day 2.

The win saw Morwell dethronethe Cobrasin first place on the ladder,and at the perfect time, as they nowget first choice of venue for the semi final. Resuming Day 2at1/28, the Tigers got going after an early loss left them 2/36.

Blair Clymo and MarkCukier built asteady partnership, putting on 75 for the third wicket. Perhapsfittingly, given it was 12 months since Shane Warne’s death, Clymo, who started his career as aleg-spinner, batted for part of his innings in a wide-brimmed hat.

Clymo walked off KeeganStreet with 37 next to his name, pavingthe way for Brendan Mason to come in and do what he does best -score at arate of knots.

Mason did just that, hitting two sixes and five fours to remain unbeaten on 41 off31balls once the game was won.

Cukier played asteady hand, hitting 11 fours and asix during his 74 not out.

Cukier dabbed like it was 2017 again, gliding a large percentage of his runs down the gully.

Having pastthe required total, Morwell found littlepointbattingon, so the match wasbrought to an early end.

Churchill’s Steve Warr had some success with the ball, taking 2/39 off 16.1 overs, which included eight maidens.

RAIDERS won as predicted, but made something of ameal of what looked to be astraightforward run chase.

Heading into Day 2needing only 37 to win with nine wickets in hand against Moe at Ted Summerton, Raiders lost four more wickets on their way to victory.

What’s more, it took them 23 overs to do so.

The visitors middle order crumbled, only returning single figure scores, showing ascoreboard that read 5/99.

After what the Lions were able to do against CATS (defending exactly the same total) there may have been some in the Moe camp entertaining thoughts of arepeat performance.

Raidersskipper Liam Maynard howevermade sure no such thing would happen, seeing his side over the line with an unbeaten 26.

Royce Colgrave bowled well for Moe, taking 2/11 off nine overs with four maidens for good measure.

SORRY Latrobe, ya playing on hard decks next season.

The Sharks lost the relegation battle to CATS, and as such, will drop down to AGrade in 2023/24. While the scoreboard says Latrobe lost by 110 runs, one could argue they actually lost by 15 overs.

Had the Sharks survived afurther 15 overs at John Black Oval, they would have forced adraw, which would have been enough to avoid relegation.

As it was however, CATS took the win it needed, and avoided the ignominy of goingfrom premier to wooden spooner.

Latrobe signalled its intentions of blocking out the day early in the piece, and the efforts of allbatsman demonstrated aclear focus on minimising risk by eliminating shot play.

Ronnie Chokunungafaced 126 ballsfor his 32. An innings of irony considering 28 of those runs came in boundaries.

StevenFreshwater saw off 87 balls for 23, and Anu Meenaksi 54 for 18.

Meenakshi and co faced ahostile Cal Stewart, who was by all reports ‘running in from the fence’.

The paceman ended with figures of 5/32 off 23 overs, yet it was young spinner Harry Cooper who provided just as many challenges.

Cooper, who bowls left handed and throws right handed, took 4/34 off 22 overs, with nine maidens thrown in.

His efforts ripped the Sharks middle orderapart, as hisfour scalps were between numbers four and eight.

Latrobe sank to 7/89,from whichtimeall they could do was hope the remaining batsman could hang on.

Veteran Adam Duncan and young gun Jacob Bloomfield did well, with the latter seeingoff 31 balls, and the latter 71.

However, Duncan’s72ndballproved his undoing, and his dismissal secured the 10th and final wicket for CATS.

Latrobe has wasted no time getting ready for next season, and is already advertising for asenior coach.

LATROBE VALLEY DISTRICT CRICKET

League

PREMIER ASEMIFINALS

Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12 Morwell vs Moe at Keegan St Churchill vs Raiders at TedSummerton