Cricket began this week on a sombre note with clubs across the competition and beyond taking a moment to pay respects to Ben Austin, after his tragic death in a nets accident during the week at Ferntree Gully. Pictured are the players and umpires from the weekend’s First XI match between Seville and Chirnside Park in a pre-game ceremony, with all wearing black armbands in tribute to a life lost far too soon.
First XI v Chirnside Park at Seville North Oval
The visitors won the toss and batted first on a pristine Seville surface.
Jack Woodford struck first in the eighth over when he found the edge of Darcy Skene for 15.
Wickets then fell to Bailey Humphrey and Harvey Smith – the latter’s spin bowling partnership with Liam Kay (0/16 off eight overs) put the brakes on Chirnside Park’s scoring through the middle overs.
Opening batter Scott Reece (59) was holding the Chirnside Park innings together, however didn’t receive much support apart from Mitchell Thomas (32) with whom he made a 53-run partnership.
In need of quick runs towards the end of the innings, wickets started to fall quickly for the visitors.
Woodford returned to the attack to finish with four wickets, and Chirnside eventually reached their 40 overs with 157 on the board.
The Seville chase got off to a wobbly start with the first wicket at 1/24 quickly becoming a mini collapse, losing three wickets for just nine runs.
Anchoring the chase was opening batter/keeper Finn Saurine, who needed support at 5/64 and the target still 93 runs away.
Captain Kane Jones made a quick fire 24, but his dismissal with 58 runs left to win once again opened the door for Chirnside Park.
Saurine reached his half-century and despite the loss of two more wickets, he kept his nerve and guided the ship home with an outstanding 71 not out.
The win sees the First XI stand alone in third place on the ladder, with a 3-1 record.
They next travel away to face the undefeated ladder leaders Templeton in a one-day match.
Final scores were:
Chirnside Park 8/157 (40) – Jack Woodford 4/36 (8), Bailey Humphrey 1/19 (4), Harvey Smith 1/31 (8).
Seville 8/161 (38.1) – Finn Saurine 71*, Kane Jones 24, Aaron Bermingham 14.
Seville won by two wickets.
Second XI v Wandin at Wandin North Reserve
The Second XI did not hesitate to bat first after winning the toss, on a very fast surface at Wandin North Reserve.
Unfortunately, the innings did not get off to the best of starts with co-captain Leigh Aitkins dismissed for a duck.
The rest of the top order made starts only to get out just as a partnership started to look dangerous.
Co-captain Jared Carroll led the way with 60 batting at number four, and he was well-supported in a 74-run partnership with Ned MacDonald (35).
The partnership ended with the score at 4/138, providing the middle-to-lower order with a platform to add some quick runs and boost the total above 200.
However, the Wandin bowlers did well to consistently take wickets and limit Seville to a final total of 9/180 from their 40 overs.
With the home side having made some large totals already this season, 180 seemed to be short of a par total, and it proved to be the case.
After the loss of opener Jamie Atkinson for 18 off the bowling of Rowan Prouse, Wandin were largely untroubled for the rest of the chase.
Bryce Edwards (69) and Eden Van Beek (42) were the top scorers as Wandin reached the total with just over four overs to spare, for the loss of only four wickets.
After winning the first two matches, the Second XI have now lost their last two and now sit fourth on the ladder.
Their next match is a home one-day match against fifth-placed Yarra Glen.
Scores were:
Seville 9/180 (40) – Jared Carroll 60, Ned MacDonald 35, Elken Croydon 29.
Wandin 4/181 (35.5) – Rowan Prouse 2/26 (6), Macca Hardy 1/18 (2), Jordan Foster 1/23 (8).
Wandin won by six wickets.
