For the second week running, all four Seville senior sides took home victories for a Saturday clean sweep.
First XI v Healesville at Queens Park:
Seville won the toss and chose to bat first.
A classic clash of Yarra Valley clubs went down to the wire as Seville won a final-over thriller against Healesville at Queens Park.
Seville won the toss and batted first, and although several promising partnerships got started, the home side were always able to make a breakthrough and slow the momentum.
A sixth-wicket partnership of 55 between Jon Williams (35*) and Kane Jones (30*) got Seville to 5/175 – not a bad score but not a comfortable one either.
The second innings started well with early wickets, and Healesville were in trouble at 4/31 inside the 12th over.
Number four batsman Nickolas Zinghini was the major hope for Healesville, and he found middle order support from Luke Chandler and Darcy English to take the game deep.
Some late big hitting meant it all came down to the final over with Healesville requiring 13 for victory.
Jack Woodford was given the responsibility of closing out the game with the ball, and he did so superbly with only six runs conceded.
Close games are always important to win early in the season, especially with two-day games coming up.
The First XI’s first pressure test of the season has been successfully passed.
Seville 5/175 (40) – Healesville 5/169 (40).
Seville won by six runs.
Second XI v North Ringwood at Seville North Oval North:
Ringwood won the toss and chose to bat first.
A strong performance with both bat and ball saw the Second XI complete a comfortable victory at home against North Ringwood.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bat, and posted 6/160 from their full 40 overs.
After starring with the bat in the Third XI the previous week, Marcus Smith did his damage with the ball this time, taking 3/22 from his eight overs.
Trevor Williams (2/28) and Jordan Foster (1/26) also were among the wicket-takers.
40 overs were available for the chase, but in the end Seville only needed 25 overs to get the job done as they quickly and clinically reached the total.
Co captain Leigh Aitkins (77) and opening partner Liam McGookin (46) took care of most of the runs themselves, leading the way for Caleb Frankovic (19*) and Jake Troyahn (5*) to finish the chase.
North Ringwood 6/160 – Seville 2/161 (25.3).
Seville won by eight wickets.
Third XI v Chirnside Park at Seville South Oval:
Seville won the toss and chose to bowl first.
The Third XI faced Chirnside Park at home, and after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, made a steady start with wickets to both Jack Darwall and Jamie Hamilton in their opening spells.
Chirnside Park recovered from their early stumble to 2/65 before the next four wickets all fell to spinner Mitchell Wynd, who finished with 4/23 from his seven overs.
Some disastrous run-outs also kept the wickets ticking over for the home side.
At the drinks break, Seville were well in control with the visitors at 4/82 – however after the break the boundaries began to flow off the bat of Namerian and Bennett.
Chirnside Park recovered to a very competitive total of 191 – certainly not an easy chase.
A steady opening partnership between Riley Hamilton and Manoj Beri laid the foundation, before captain Jamie Hamilton walked out at number three to kickstart the run rate along with Beri.
The pair put on a century partnership at a rapid pace, and both retired after reaching their individual half-centuries.
However, the job was not done yet, and the middle order would need to step up and complete the chase.
15-year-old Archie Graham was the one to take charge and steer the ship home with a mature 39* off just 37 balls with four boundaries and a six.
Chirnside Park 9/191 (36) – Seville 3/194 (34).
Seville won by seven wickets.
Fourth XI v Chirnside Park at Lilydale Heights College:
Seville won the toss and chose to bat first.
Before a ball was even bowled, it was already a special day for the Fourth XI with four father-sons playing together in the same side.
Greg and Josh Oliver, Nathan and Bailey O’Keefe, Matt and Darcy Tilney, and Scott and Max Darwall all took the field at Lilydale Heights College in what would have been a very proud moment for their families. Seville won the toss and batted, and leading the way with runs were captain Andrew “Bart” Cummins (50*), Matt Tilney (50*), and Darcy Tilney (50*) who all scored half centuries and powered the team to 4/194 from their 40 overs.
With the ball, it was the youth who did all the damage – Darcy Tilney (3/23), Josh Oliver (2/22) and Bailey O’Keefe (2/26) taking multiple wickets, while Max Darwall bowled six very tight overs and was unlucky not to get a wicket of his own.
The first innings total proved to be too much for Chirnside Park, the Fourth XI taking a 54 run win and going 2-0 – along with all the other senior sides.
