By Steve Brown
THE Knox Tavern Cup semi-finals kicked off with the batting sides falling just short of an acceptable 200 mark.
At the Upwey reserve, Ferntree Gully Footballers won the toss and elected to bat against top side Upwey and hit their first hurdle when medium-pacer Leigh Bianchi took two wickets in one over to have the visitors 2/16.
Chris Brittain and Rob Bedford ticked the scoreboard over before Bedford left the field with a torn hamstring. His team subsequently lost momentum.
Darren Spence’s diving catch on the boundary brought about a spectacular end to Brittain’s innings on 75. Footballers were dismissed in the 77th over for 186.
Bianchi bowled superbly for a return of 4/35 from 20 overs and received good support from Sam Taylor with 3/57 from 21 overs.
In the other semi-final at Fairpark, Eildon Park batted all day to register 188 against reigning premiers Johnson Park.
It was slow going for most of the day with the Panthers poised at 2/71 from 41 overs at tea. The Sharks’ confidence was hightened when the association’s leading run scorer Shane Cosstick was dismissed for 39.
Enter Cosstick’s older brother and captain of the team, Cameron, who led from the front with a patient 74. Eighteen-year-old medium pace bowler Troy Gstrein collected his career best figures of 5/46.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:DECOITE SHIELD
Knoxfield cleaned up St John’s Tecoma at Dobson Park for just 82.
However, the Saints struck back late in the day to have the Knights 3/38 with Scholfield, Scanlon and Boxell all back in the pavilion.
Lysterfield had Knox Gardens in all sorts of trouble at 5/68 before a 96-run partnership between Adam Metherell (73) and Scott McInerney (43) rescued the Falcons to a healthy 239 at stumps. Justin Carland took six wickets for the Beavers.
All FTGDCA players on the weekend wore black armbands in remembrance of respected life-member Peter Fahy, who lost his battle with illness on Thursday. Our thoughts are with Denise and Michael, and his many friends at this time.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:SEMI FINAL SCORES
Knox Tavern Cup: Footballers 186 (Brittain 75, Bianchi 4/35, Taylor 3/57) v Upwey. Eildon Park 188 (C. Cosstick 74, S. Cosstick 39, Gstrein 5/46) v Johnson Park.
Decoite Shield: Knox Gardens 239 (S. McInerney 43, Metherell 73, Mulder 36, Carland 6/47) v Lysterfield. St John’s Tecoma 82 (Palandri 30, Morris 3/11) v Knoxfield 3/39.
Division 3: Upwey 9/183 (Cross 37, Powell 3/23, Langenburg 3/55) v Eildon Park. Upper Gully 170 (Beyer 83, Porch 5/47, Freeling 3/37) v The Basin 3/60.
Division 4: Knox Gardens 175 (McLean 33, Phillips 5/34, Dinidov 3/17) v Auravale 1/5. Knoxfield 221 (Sando 44, Notman 35, Povah 32) v Lysterfield.
Division 5: Johnson Park 230 (J. Rickard 75, B. Rickard 75, Unsworth 6/65) v Eildon Park. Ferntree Gully 9/222 (Moss 65, Simpson 31, Pascoe 6/84) v Footballers.
Division 6: Knox Gardens 160 (Marget 31, Osborne 4/39, Faulkiner 4/36) v Knoxfield.
Division 7: Knoxfield 9/313 (Malone 42, Burley 38, Gregg 48, Parkinson 110*) v Upper Gully. Ferntree Gully 94 (Storey 4/26, Delivera 3/25) v Footballers 4/70.
B1 (one-day grade): St John’s Tecoma 109 (Chambers 3/19, Somerville 3/28) d Upwey 70 (Colllins 3/15, Carns 3/20).
B2: SE Wanderers 8/163 (Jayatillaka 50*, Fernando 46, Magraw 4/30) d Auravale 101 (Rasingolla 3/14). St John’s Tecoma 6/149 (Helsham 51*, Smith 42*) d Monbulk 146 (Howard 46*, Pearce 3/18).
