By CHRIS ANDERSON
SATURDAY saw some intriguing action on day one of Round 5 action across the Yarra Valley.
With the contest for ladder positions already heating up, neither bowlers nor batsmen gave an inch to secure valuable ground at the mid-point of all games.
Yarra Junction hosted Warburton-Millgrove and probably just took the honours on day one, despite the Burras showing some fight late.
The Eagles had the visitors on the ropes midway through their innings before some wise old heads navigated the Burras to a competitive position.
Gun bat David Lever (30) kept his team in it early as the Yarra Junction bowlers won the opening exchanges, and had the Burras on the ropes early at 5/50.
Sensing some good old-fashioned dour, and gritty batting was in need, the experienced trio of Mick Walker (48), Liam Barnard and Adam Humphrey (28*) stepped up to the plate and ensured that their side would not only see out the day, but would compile a total that would put them in the contest.
When all was said and done, the visitors were able to post 9/162.
The Yarra Junction bowlers put together another disciplined bowling performance, with all bowlers making a valuable contributions with Terry Ottrey (3/18) and Cam Spaulding (2/48) being the standouts.
One would suggest that Yarra Junction has the slight upper hand, and with explosive bats Cam Spaulding and Quinton Hodgkinson at the top of the order, if the Warburton-Millgrove bowlers let them off the leash early then the total could quickly look mediocre.
On the other hand, the Burras do possess a bowling line-up that has plenty of variety, and experience, that leaves day two of this contest well in the balance.
Seville hosted Mount Evelyn in a game between two of the youngest line-ups in the competition, and day one would have both teams pleased with their respective positions.
Asked to bat, Seville was quickly on the back foot courtesy of two early strikes from Brad Jones (3/36), and had some in the Seville camp hoping that a repeat of last week’s capitulation wasn’t on the cards.
A pair of fighting partnerships between youngster Liam McGookin (32), and the experienced pair of Scott Rackham and Andy Kay (48), put the home side back in the contest and in a position to attack towards the end of the day.
McGookin’s wicket after tea was a dint in proceedings, but a quickfire 38 from the unheralded Andy Di Pietro aided Kay in the pursuit of quick runs and some much needed momentum to their innings.
Unfortunately for the Blues, the wickets of the pair fell at a poor time, and the young tail couldn’t muster enough firepower to extend the score beyond 200.
When it was all said and done in the shadows of stumps, the home side was dismissed for a respectable 171.
For the Rovers, there were even contributions from all bowlers, with Gareth Fraser and Brad Jones doing their job well at either end of the day, and Jed Thompson kept things tight with his accurate spinners before tea.
This game is well-balanced and much will rely on momentum.
The start of day two will be crucial for both teams, because if either side can get the jump with wickets or runs, then they will hold all the aces.
In the final game of the round, the in-form Woori Yallock hosted Hoddles Creek and had a battle on their hands courtesy of a fighting innings from the Wombats.
Simon Young (3/42) gave the home side all the early momentum, but a brilliant rear guard fight back from recruit Michael Robinson (57) and Brenton Derix (51) gave the visitors plenty of momentum heading into the later part of their innings.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case in the Valley, neither batsmen could impose themselves on the contest by converting their half centuries into a big score.
In the end, this cost the Wombats a real chance to bat themselves into a position of supreme strength.
Their final score of 195 is more than competitive; however, they may rue not scoring another 30 to 40 runs.
Spinner Ben Hayes ensured things were kept in check late in the day with tidy figures of 3/36.
Normally 195 would be viewed as a tough chase with the batting side needing to prove their skill and patience to chase it down; however, Woori Yallock have started the season ominously with the bat and have the talent and the depth to make a mockery of the total.
On the other hand, if Hoddles Creek can muster some early wickets, and exert some pressure on the Tigers, they may find some openings against a lower order that has had little to do this season.
DJ Strachan Shield
Warburton/Millgrove 9/162 (M. Walker 48, Dv. Lever 30, A. Humphrey 29*, T. Ottrey 3/18, C. Spaulding 2/48) v Yarra Junction, Seville 171 (A. Kay 48 A. Dipietro 38 L .McGookin 32 C. Anderson 4/38 B. Jones 3/36) v Mount Evelyn, Hoddles Creek 195 (M. Robinson 57, B. Derix 51, B. Hayes 3/36, S. Young 3/42) v Woori Yallock, Healesville bye.
RA Finger Trophy
Wandin 224 (T. Thorne 83, L. Painter 42, T. Williams 4/59 A. Whiting 3/21) v Mount Evelyn, Hoddles Creek 120 (J. Pobke 54, M. Palmer 3/27, D. Whelan 3/29) v Coldstream 3/56 (B. Walsh 27*, P. Jones 1/8), Healesville 189 (B. Damrow 55, C. Burridge 29, B. Nightingale 3/18 D. Chaproniere 3/73) v Yarra Junction, Warburton-Millgrove v Seville (no scores), Gruyere v Woori Yallock (no scores).
C Grade
Healesville 175 (S. Fawdry 36, T. Cavill 34, R. Hodgins 4/41, B. Stewart 3/34) v Marysville, Yarra Glen 161 (T. Davey 45 C. Hoare 5/41) v Launching Place, Yarra Junction bye.
D Grade
Yarra Glen 9/50 (L. Coulson 27, B. Young 5/24) v Gruyere 6/123 (B. Young 41, S. Lowe 18, J. Evans 5/18), Mount Evelyn 9/284 (M. Darvell 111, M. Rustichelli 30, G. Haken 22, M. Oakley 4/47, M. Lamont 3/44) v Wandin, Coldstream 9/204 (N. Taylor 112 A. Cummins 27 M. Young 3/30 M. Bradley 2/6) v Launching Place, Healesville 24 (P. Blight 7/15 S. Thompson 3/7) & 5/41 (L. Barclay 23 S. Thompson 2/4) v Powelltown 6/140 dec. (P. Blight 48 D. Anderl 25 P. Rallis 3/44 L. Hellary 2/17).
One Day Grade
Seville 176 (N. O’Keefe 61, S. Hudson 33, M. O’Keefe 30, A. Clarke 2/13, J. Dicker 2/21) def Yarra Junction 9/142 (K. Dark 22, J. Mead 18*, L. Long 14), Yarra Junction 7/107 (J. Ketelaar 15, G. Lebrocq 13, A. Clarke 2/7, C. Dunne 2/33) def by Powelltown 5/111 (G. McRorie 42, D. Simpson 28, J. Ketelaar, G. Lebrocq 2/12), Coldstream 10/71 (D. Trembath 2/9 D. Alderman 2/11 K. Howard 2/14) def by Wandin 4/75 (D. Wallace 35*, A. Steele 2/7), Warburton-Millgrove 140 (J. McIntosh 58*, D. Kift 5/19, M. Duke 2/7) def by Mount Evelyn 3/143 (D. Kift 41*, D. Steele 41*, H. Tindley-Roe 40* T. Wappett 2/35).
Under 16s
Warburton-Millgrove 8/142 (F. Surine 29, F. De Varga 24, B. Thomas 3/28) v Yarra Junction, Healesville v Yarra Glen 5/170 (L. Crawford 50*, L. Coulson 22, N. Hellary 2/17, N. Darkin 2/21), Seville 115 (T. Bissells 50*, C. Hirst 19, H. Thompson 3/6, A. Brisbane-Flynn 2/16, L. Walker 1/0) v Mount Evelyn 2/3 (C. Hirst 2/1), Launching Place-Wandin bye.
Under 14s
Yarra Junction 7/130 (D. Rowe 47, J. Ketelaar 26, D. Pezzimenti 2/7, S. O’Connor 1/5) v Yarra Glen 3/8 (D. Pezzimenti 3*, L. O’Dea 2/1), Healesville White 6/140 (F. Lever 40*, N. Hilderbrand 31*, A. Nelson 3/9, J. Bourke 1/9) v Warburton-Millgrove, Wandin-Launching Place v Healesville Red (no scores), Seville bye.
Under 12A
Hoddles Creek v Warburton/Millgrove 3/134 (B. Humphrey 16*, J. Sharp 13*, A. Hall 1/5, G. Vukman 1/11), Seville 87 (D. Briggs 27*, L. Sheppard 3/4) v Mount Evelyn, Healesville White 6/140 (C. Anderson 25, J. Hammond 19*, R. Wison 2/18 D. Birtchnell 2/18) v Marysville
Under 12B
Yarra Glen136 (C. Adamson 26*, A. Thompson 24, R. Vassallo 2/9, K. Sight 2/28) v Gruyere, Coldstream 74 (B. Kollosche 9*, R. Foley 3/8) v Yarra Junction 1/22, Launching Place 144 (L. Anderson 17, L. Parker 8*, A. Darkin 2/16, R. Brendish 2/2) v Healesville Blue.
Under 10s
Launching Place 2 v Woori Yallock (washed out).
