By CHRIS ANDERSON
FOR fans of cricket around the Yarra Valley, this season is setting itself up for a tantalising run home as day one of round six provided some surprising results.
If these games continue to follow the course, then the remaining two games before Christmas become extremely important for all teams and their finals aspirations.
Mount Evelyn tossed away a horror day with the bat last round to put the pressure fair and squarely on Warburton-Milgrove.
With a point to prove after succumbing to Seville last week, the Rovers won the toss and promptly batted on an excellent batting wicket.
After a solid opening partnership, Damian Cupido walked to the wicket and that is where he would remain for the rest of the innings.
His initial partnership with youngster Jon Williams (22) set the home team up well and at 1/90 within sight of the tea break had their team in the box position.
Williams lost his wicket just before tea to give the visitors a slight opening, but costly dropped catches plagued the Burras.
A string of solid partnerships, and a flurry of runs towards the close of play, boosted the final score to 7/256.
Experienced pair David Lever (3/57) and Mick Walker (2/51) were the pick of the bowlers and their disciplined bowling towards the end of the day proved vital in containing a ballooning score.
But Cupido was the winner of this day and his well-paced innings saw him leave the field at stumps with a masterful 152 not out in a commanding performance.
Mount Evelyn would be well pleased with their efforts and would consider themselves in prime position to record their second victory of the year, but this contest is far from over as the friendly batting conditions and an explosive top order could heap the pressure back on a young Mount Evelyn team.
Healesville exposed the first chinks in the Woori Yallock armour as they made short work of the formidable Tigers batting line-up.
One felt that if Woori were to lose their top order cheaply, then pressure could be applied to a relatively unused middle order.
This theory was tested as the Bloods ripped through the visitors’ top order and had the door well open for a successful day.
The experienced pairing of Michael King (35) and Tim Dwyer (43) came together and they looked to have shut the door somewhat.
But with both falling before making a significant contribution, the deck of cards fell in Healesville’s direction and as the tail battled bravely, they succumbed to some excellent bowling from the home team who cleaned them up for a poor total of 133.
Captain Ash Hamer (4/15) was the pick of the bowlers as he led from the front in a critical bowling display for his team, not only for this game, but for setting his team up for the season.
Hamer was well supported by Matt Beck (2/10) and the remaining Bloods bowlers who chimed in with useful wickets at key intervals.
With a late wicket to Jackson Wright, and a strong bowling line-up, it would be a game man to back against Woori Yallock.
However, everything would need to go right for the Tigers if they are to turn the tables in this game.
Healesville are well set to claim a major scalp and have enough talent in their batting line-up to get to the mediocre total.
Yarra Junction are slowly building themselves into a formidable force as they came out with the upper hand after day one in their clash at Hoddles Creek.
The home side batted first and battled to build anything of significance.
Regular wickets plagued the Wombats as any signs of momentum were soon snuffed out by some excellent bowling by the Eagles.
Key men Brenton Derix (36) and Mick Batten (21) had opportunities to put their team in a strong position, but they fell too soon to really put the pressure back on the bowlers.
In the end, a consistent bowling performance from the visitors saw the score closed off at 148.
Young guns Lachlan Dempster (4/45) and Jesse Cook (3/36) led the attack with vital wickets in a great sign for Yarra Junction as they look to spread the workload from their established champs.
With Cam Spaulding racing out of the blocks with 21 not out, and Yarra Junction keeping all wickets in hand at 0/25, this game looks well in the Eagles grasp.
With an explosive top order, one would think that this game could be over quickly.
Stung by a poor day with the bat, Hoddles Creek will be fully aware that the Eagles batting line-up can be a bit hit or miss and a few early wickets could give them an unlikely opportunity, but this game is Yarra Junction’s to lose.
DJ Strachan Shield
Mt Evelyn 7/256 (D. Cupido 152no, J. Williams 22, David Lever 3/57, M Walker 2/51) v Warburton-Milgrove, Hoddles Creek 148 (B. Derix 36, M. Batten 21, L. Dempster 4/45, J. Cook 3/36) v Yarra Junction 0/25 (C. Spaulding 21no), Healesville 1/8 (S. Wilson 4no, A. Violi 1no, J. Wright 1/2) v Woori Yallock 133 (M. King 35, T. Dywer 43, A. Hamer 4/15 M. Peck 2/10), Seville v bye
RA Finger Trophy
Coldstream 170 (B. Walsh 46, L. Pickett 37, S. Phillips 21, R. Wilson 7/51) v Mount Evelyn, Wandin 249 (L. Painter 170, D. Chaproniere 3/40, K. Dark 3/62) v Yarra Junction, Seville 9/154 (J. McInnes 62, H. Byrnes 37, R. Prouse 3/22, E. Hodgetts 3/16) v Gruyere, Healesville 178 (G. Waixel 63, J. Higgs 20, S. Morgan 4/54, M. Arnold 2/17) v Woori Yallock, Warburton-Milgrove 182 (T. Appleton 60, J. Galea 22, P. Jones 3/20) v Hoddles Creek
C Grade
Launching Place 313 (M. McConnell 88, S. Parker 91no, C. Hoare 43, S. Thomas 5/102, G. Lebrocq 2/48, H. Lubeck 3/62) v Yarra Junction, Yarra Glen 220 v Healesville (T. Davey 102, M. Clare 60, A. Boyle 4/39, B. Keeling 4/47), Marysville v bye
D Grade
Coldstream 8/400 (J. Pegg 106, N. Taylor 95, A. Cummins 42, L. Dunn 4/85, A. Rustichelli 2/49) v Mount Evelyn, Launching Place 9/117 (S. Heatherill 31, C. Voigt 29, S. Thompson 6/32) v Powelltown 3/153 (D. Sharp 87, C. Voigt 2/33), Gruyere 6/162 (F. Young 48, D. Waixel 27, J. McKenna 2/45, Z. Greenfell 2/19) v Seville, Yarra Glen v Healesville (Yarra Glen won by forfeit), Wandin 8/262 (T. Ward 103, B. Sinnott 72, L. Long 4/55) v Yarra Junction
One Day grade
Yarra Glen 6/168 (M. Kiki 42, A. Coulson 25, C. Dikshei 2/17) d Coldstream 7/130 (D. Vaux 26, R. Say 26, L. Coulson 3/10, L. Evans 2/17), Hoddles Creek 8/101 (M. Jones 40no, T. Broadway 19no, M. Clue 2/18, B. Green 2/20) d Powelltown 87 (M. Clue 39, T. Kelly 15, B. Cole Sinclair 4/8 B Cole 2/8), Launching Place 8/149 (B. Bradley 24, G. Black 19, Caitlyn Parker 17, C. Jenkins 2/10, H. Bray 1/7) d Warburton Millgrove 143 (C. Flynn 38, B. Abela 33, G. Grindley 3/4, G. Black 2/8, M. Bradley 2/21), Seville 5/161 (R. Braidner 40, A. Knight 27, S. Hudson 25) d Wandin 4/149 (D. Alderman 40, D. Trembath 40, E. Alderman 31, C. Tanner 2/23).
Under 16s
Launching Place/Wandin 2/171 (B. Taeuber 53no, M. Pezzimenti 50no) v Healesville, Yarra Glen v Warburton-Milgrove 4/125 (F. DeVarga 34no, N. MacDonald 26, N. Andueza 25, J. Lusk 2/11, A. Whelan 1/18), Mount Evelyn 7/204 (T. Cromie 51no, B. Westaway 41, L. Thompson 2/20, J. Coloneri 1/9) v Yarra Junction, Seville v bye
Under 14s
Yarra Junction 7/120 (J. Ketelaar 25, D. Rowe 25no, D. O’Dea 17, L. Kay 2/6, C. Broadway 2/17, J. Beri 2/24) v Seville, Healesville White 8/65 (T. Fraser 14no, S. North 7, J. Birnie 2/4, D. Hummer 1/2) v Wandin-Launching Place 1/18 (M. Sinnott 6no, J. Elliott 2no, S. North 1/7, F. Lever 0/2), Warburton Millgrove 3/58 (A. Nelson 22, J. Bourke 9no, C. Berry 2/7) v Yarra Glen 10/47 (R. Smith 10, N. Evans 9no, B. Olcorn 2/5, C. Newell 2/7, D. Cerveri 2/7), Healesville Red v bye
Under 12A
Marysville 8/42 (R. Wilson 8, P. Birtchnell 7, T. Swann 2/2, P. Murphy 1/1, B. Jones 1/2) v Mt Evelyn, Hoddles Creek 86 (J. Thurlow 16, J. Fritzlaff 11, C. Frozzetto 4/9, C. Agnew 2/7) v Healesville White, Healesville Red v Seville 8/122( A. Smith 32no, D. Briggs 22, W. Cooney 2/8, R. Frazer 1/6), Warburton-Milgrove v Bye
Under 12B
Gruyere 3/102 (L. Rogers 22no, T. Noar 14, Lachlan Theobald 2/6, Riley Adams 1/10) v Yarra Junction, Healesville Blue v Coldstream 7/129 (H. Wheeler 12, E. Smith 4no, A. Darkin 2/17, C. Prentice 2/17), Yarra Glen 7/150 v Launching Place (A. Thompson 17no, C. Adamson 18no, K. Taeuber 2/11).
Under 10s
Coldstream 0/84 v Launching Place 1 (washed out), Launching Place 2 1/48 v Warburton-Milgrove Blue (washed out).
