Captions: Mount Evelyn Coldstream 6: Mount Evelyn Coldstream 3: Mount Evelyn Coldstream 1: Coldstream’s Liam Pickett in action.
Mount Evelyn Coldstream 11
CRICKET across the Yarra Valley was hotly contested as the race for finals has begun in earnest. After months of torment from the bowlers, and their own frailties, it was the batsmen who bounced back with full force across all grades. In great batting conditions, the batsmen definitely made hay, while the sun shone.
In DJ Strachan Shield, Yarra Junction bounced back from their disappointing collapse against Warburton-Millgrove with a moral boosting victory against association front-runners Seville. In the process, they have kept themselves in touch with the top four, and have proven their credentials in the premiership race despite the slip up last round. In a great game of cricket, befitting of a final itself, Seville batted first and in a similar innings to last week, it posted a competitive total of 7/158 on the back of another useful contribution from Ryan Akers (40). The Blues would’ve been fairly pleased with the total, and knowing the fragility of the Eagles batting line-up, knew they were only a few key wickets from victory. Things seemed to go to plan for the home side as they were able to extract the keys to Yarra Junction’s resistance with little expense, however a guiding knock of 50 from Matt Robinson steered the Eagles towards victory. With handy partnerships across the whole innings, the visitors were able to maintain the required run rate, and enough wickets in hand, to polish off the victory in the 39th over by two wickets.
The victory was vital to Yarra Junction’s season, as a loss would’ve put them in danger of slipping behind the pack. Instead, they now find themselves in a big clash against Mount Evelyn where a win will see them back inside the top four. Meanwhile, although disappointed with the result, Seville will be keen to bounce back and reclaim top position in a massive clash against Warburton-Millgrove.
Warburton-Millgrove will relish this challenge after claiming top billing with a comprehensive victory against Healesville. Before Christmas, results proved that batting was going to be the key factor in the race to the premiership, and if this is true to form, then the Burras are well ahead in this race. Once again they were able to compile an unchaseable score of 4/212 to effectively have this contest busted at the tea interval. Ben Lever (93) continued his ‘Indian Summer’ falling agonisingly short of his second century of the season, and his brilliant knock allowed the batsmen at the other end to go about their business of compiling the imposing total. Healesville has had a tough season, and has used the opportunity to blood some of their talented youngsters in the top grade. As such they found the experience of slow bowlers Dan Lever (5/33) and Adam Humphrey (3/15) too much to overcome. Without any significant contributions, the Bloods’ innings faltered to fall 83 runs short of the target. With the top four, and finals, seemingly out of reach, Healesville will gear themselves up for a big game against fellow strugglers Hoddles Creek.
Hoddles Creek will also be keen to bounce back as they were no match for the strength and power of a brutal Woori Yallock. The Tigers had the home side on the back foot from the word go, and despite some early wickets to Nick Bark (5/68) and Brenton Derix (2/29), the innings moved along at break-neck speed courtesy of firstly Dan Mock (43) who made the most of the early going, and later, a brilliant, and brutal, Simon Young century that put the score into unreachable territory at 232 all out. The Wombats have struggled in recent weeks with the bat, and matching Woori Yallock’s run rate was going to prove difficult, and that it did despite dour resistance. In-form opening bowler, Jackson Wright (3/15) put the brakes on the innings early, while the probing spin of Ryan Smith (3/14) asked too many questions the batsmen couldn’t answer to round out a comprehensive 100-run victory.
So with four rounds remaining, Round 11 promises to be the most important of them all, with all three games having great reward. For Seville and Warburton-Millgrove, it’s top of the ladder. For Mount Evelyn and Yarra Junction, it’s a place in the top four. For Healesville and Hoddles Creek, it’s pride.
DJ Strachan Shield
Hoddles Creek 9/132 (L. Hetherington 34, R. Smith 3/14, J. Wright 3/15) d by Woori Yallock 232 (S. Young 114, D. Mock 43, N. Bark 5/68, B. Derix 2/29), Seville 7/158 (R. Akers 40, S. Rackham 24, Q. Hodgkinson 2/32) d by Yarra Junction 8/159 (M. Robinson 50, M. Hottes 26, D. Troyhan 5/30), Warburton Millgrove 4/212 (B. Lever 93, Dan Lever 37, L. Zanatta 1/13) d Healesville 129 (M. Jackson 25, B. Mackey 23, Dan Lever 5/33, A. Humphrey 3/15)
RA Finger Trophy
Seville 3/204 (J. McInness 53no, J. Smith 53, R. Oates 49) d Yarra Junction 7/124 (A. Doolan 50, L. Johnson 2/38), Hoddles Creek 6/100 (M.Jones 26, B. Johnson 3/18, S. Morgan 2/9) l/t Woori Yallock 5/115 (T. Smith 51, S. Morgan 30, J. Pobke 3/17), Healesville 6/134 (B. Horner 56, B. Scanlon 25 J. Thompson 2/26 T. Appleton 2/31) d Warburton-Millgrove 9/130 (C. Morgan 46, M. Hadj 18 M. Davern 4/24 L. Daly 2/29), Coldstream 4/220 (D. Olliffe 74, S Phillips 58no, L. Pickett 53) d Mount Evelyn 202 (J. Fraser 72, J. Williams 31, A. Whiting 29, C. Steele 3/28, C. Dikshei 3/53)
C Grade
Healesville 8/185 (S. Fawdry 93, J. Beamer 40, N. Hodgetts 3/34, A. Waixel 3/34) d by Gruyere 8/188 (J. Harding 50, M. Hodgetts 37, S. Fawdry 3/34, E. Scanlon 2/28), Yarra Junction 8/96 (W. Robertson 17, J. Holden 16, M. Oates 3/24, N. O’Keefe 2/8) d by Seville 2/98 (L. Roberts, 48, N. O’Keefe 28), Yarra Glen 105 (A. Cowan 26, M. Clare 18, J. Clare 16, D. Thorne 4/21, J. Oakley 3/14) d by Wandin 151 (R. Aitken 35no, L. Painter 28, T. Thorne 22, R. Painter 22, D. Whelan 5/25, B. Spencer 2/32), Marysville 6/77 (L. Fisher 41, D. Colling 3/17 A. Sequeira 3/19) d by Launching Place 0/78 (A. Vandervlugt 43, S. Parker 32).
D Grade
Yarra Glen 9/194 (T. Davey 52, L.Crawford 35, L. Long 3/29, R. Lebrocq 2/20) d Yarra Junction 165 (Sean Jordan 54no, K. Dark 31, C. Laycock 3/13, S. Kelly 2/13), Coldstream 9/113 (P. Pickett 55no, P. Wagner 29, M. Proctor 6/13, P. Dall 2/30) d Seville 98 (T. Spargo 50, A. Johnson 21, N. Simon 3/11, A. Cummins 2/13), Mount Evelyn 4/204 (D. Westaway 104, M. Shepherd 47, C. Argentino 27no, A. Brain 3/26) d Gruyere 99 (S. Lowe 45, C. Argentino 3/39, A. Argentino 2/12, R. Wilson 2/18).
