By Rob Boxell
Under 12’s vs Coldstream
Skipper Jordy Thornton lost the toss and was sent into bat on a hot Friday evening down at Junction reserve.
Thornton and Tyson Oates opened up and batted well and set a good platform for the rest of the side with both players retiring. A couple of quick wickets set Junction back but it was the Joseph twins, Wil and Noah who rebuilt the innings with good batting and running between the wickets with both also retiring. Al Mason came to the crease and played another great innings, building on from last week to retire with 14*. Oates and Thornton came back to the crease and pushed the run rate up and Junction finished 4/120 off 23 overs. Oates finishing on 15* and Thornton 25*
Coldstream set off like a train and was 0/23 off 2 overs before Aidan Fogarty came into the attack and stemmed the flow of runs and the rest of the bowlers followed suit. Oates, Mason, Noah Joseph and Thornton all chipped in with a wicket apiece and a run out each from Luke Dark and Jordy Thornton saw Junction restrict Coldstream to 6/87 off 23 overs and give Junction their tenth win of the season.
Yarra Junction 4/120 (J Thornton 25*) defeated Coldstream 6/87 (N Joseph 1/5)
Women’s vs Templeton
Junction hosted Templeton and skipper Carly Millar won the toss and sent Templeton into bat.
Alannah Bomford got the breakthrough thanks to a great catch from Taylor Stevens to leave the visitors 1/6. 1/6 became 3/14 as Bomford and Millie Kuth struck in quick succession to leave the visitors struggling.
A couple of great run-outs from Charlene Booker and Maddy Bennett heaped further misery and a couple of wickets from the competition-leading wicket-taker Bec Trout left Templeton reeling at 7/47. Anelise McCracken came into the attack and took 2 wickets in 4 balls, both caught behind by her Mum, the skipper Millar to bowl Templeton out for 48.
Millar and Wilson opened up and batted superbly putting on 46 for the first wicket before Wilson was bowled for 12. Kuth joined Millar and it was Millar that hit the winning runs finishing with a very well made 35* to give Junction a 9-wicket win and their tenth win of the season
Yarra Junction 1/63 (C Millar 35*) defeated Templeton 10/48 (A McCracken 2/0, A Bomford 2/8, R Brown 2/11)
4th XI vs Wandin
Getting the fourth side on the track for what is the fifth time this season, taking on Wandin, captain Ken Boxell lost the toss and was set for a long day in the field. Having minimal experience on a lighting-quick ground, the Yarra Junction side saw Wandin to 7/271 at the end of the there allotted 36 overs. Highlight is Alex Ganson returning career-best figures of 3/56 while life member Mark Harrop made a comeback and took 2 for 40.
Knowing it was always going to be an uphill battle to chase down the huge total, Yarra Junction was quickly knocked over for 46. Highlights of the batting were women’s mainstay Charlene Booker finishing not out on 1 after facing 33 balls, and Zac Thompson ramping the bowling over the keeper’s head.
Yarra Junction 10/46 defeated by Wandin 7/271 (A Ganson 3/56)
3rd XI vs Launching Place/Woori Yallock
Playing a rare game at Yarra Junction, the 3rd XI took on the composite side of Launching Place and Woori Yallock. Acting skipper Sean Jordan won the toss and chose to bat first. Many of the Junction batsmen got starts with Paul Osborne top scoring with 30, and Jordan threatening to return to form with 20. At the end of 35 overs, the home side was 9/124.
Hoping that on a slow Junction outfield, they had enough runs, the Junction boys were quickly humbled when opposition opener Paul Broussard and Dean Worlley put on 89 for the first wicket. In what may have been the most amazing thing to happen for a long time for the green and gold was Sean Jordan, who has bowled less than 10 overs in 20 years, dismissing Broussard for 30. Launch/Woori went on to pass Junction one wicket down.
Yarra Junction 9/124 (P Osborne 30) defeated by Launching Place/Woori Yallock (S Jordan 1/19)
2nd XI vs Hoddles Creek
In what would be a must-win for the 2’s, Yarra Junction lost the toss and was sent into the field. Ernie Clark and Leigh Vanervlugt opened the bowling, and Hoddles Creek was off to a flyer going at 8 an over before Clark got the breakthrough. Rob Boxell and Jack Jenkinson bowled in a partnership through middle overs to tie Hoddles Creek, with Boxell picking up 2 wickets. A couple of late wickets to Clark and Toby Pilton had Hoddles Creek finish 6/192 after 35 overs.
Opening with Matt Hammond and Toby Hawkins, Junction were off to a flyer until Hawkins was dismissed with the score on 45. Jenkinson and Cam Bell had small partnerships with Hammond with both getting bowled. Hammond was then beaten and walked off for well made 55. Glenn Thompson and Rylan Bomford tried hard to stir Junction to a win, but when Bomford was run out, the target became too much for the long Yarra Junction tail. Thompson would finish 32 not out and Junction would fall short by 40 runs.
Yarra Junction 9/152 (M Hammond 55, G Thompson 32*) defeated by Hoddles Creek 6/192 (E Clark 3/33, R Boxell 2/32)
1st XI vs Croydon Ranges
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Yarra Junction had a less-than-ideal start with William Grace snicking off the first ball, and Marcel Kocher and Travis Nightingale following quickly after. The Croydon Ranges bowling attack ultimately proved too strong, dismissing Yarra Junction for 104 with only Kevin Bomford threatening to take the game away with a run a ball 29.
At stumps Croydon Ranges were 4/126 at stumps, leaving Yarra Junction with an uphill battle to get the reverse next week.
Yarra Junction 10/104 (K Bomford 29) vs Croydon Ranges 4/126 (K Bomford 2/21)
