Teams vying for GCL final
Round four of the Gippsland Cricket League created a virtual semi-final for both Leongatha District and Traralgon District, with both associations set to play each other in the final round of the regular season next year for a place in the final against Sale-Maffra.
Leongatha and Traralgon both sit on three wins and one loss with one round to play, meaning that the winner of the final match between the two associations will make it mathematically impossible for them to miss the final.
Warragul and Traralgon played a competitive game at Drouin’s Bellbird Park, with the visitor winning by 36runs.
Traralgon won the toss and elected to bat, with their scorecard eventually telling a similar story as it has all season – with many of the top order getting starts without capitalising on their opportunities.
Youngster Jackson McMahon top scored with 38, receiving good support from Callum Turner who made 37 batting at first drop. Mark Rawson also chipped in with a useful 25 down the order coming in at number eight.
For Warragul, their best bowlers were Luke Radford and James Williams, who each took three wickets in the innings.
In response the Wild Dog’s got off to a horrendous start, with the first three wickets falling with only 17-runs on the board.
However, a steadying knock of 43 from Luke Radford and some lower order hitting from Damon Healy, who made 40, got Warragul out of an embarrassing situation.
Despite these efforts, Traralgon were able to take wickets at consistent intervals and after Radford was dismissed with the score 7/128 the game was all but over.
Traralgon bowled well as a unit, highlighted by the fact that four out of their six bowlers took two or more wickets.
Michael Warne was the standout, taking 4/17 with the new ball, along with Matt Kirkham, Mark Rawson and Ross Whelpdale who each finished with a pair of scalps.
Central Gippsland fielded an inexperienced side in their clash against league power-house Sale-Maffra, in what was a comprehensive victory to the latter.
Sale-Maffra elected to bowl first and struck immediately on the way to restricting Central Gippsland to 163.
With a below-par score to defend, Central-Gippsland simply did not have enough quality in their bowling attack to cause a boil-over, as Sale-Maffra cruised to the target within 22 overs.
Leongatha ended Bairnsdale’s season in a low scoring encounter, in a match that saw just 219 runs scored across two innings at Bairnsdale City Oval.
Scott Davidson top scored with 21 in a batting effort Bairnsdale would like to forget as they were routed for just 109.
Despite an early loss, Leongatha chased down the required total with relative ease, pulling into victory in the 13th over for the loss of only four wickets. Round 4 scores: Warragul and District 160 (L Radford 43, D Healy 40, M Warne 4/17, M Rawson 2/29, M Kirkham 2/34, R Whelpdale 2/37) def by Traralgon and District 196 (J McMahon 38, C Turner 37, M Rawson 25, L Radford 3/23, L Williams 4/37); Sale-Maffra 2/167 (A Scott 45, B Scott 40*, S Anderson 39, J Davis 37*) def Central Gippsland 163 (R Hare 62, A Mates 34, D Bolton 3/53, R Diamond 2/10); Bairnsdale 109 (D Newman 3/33, J Sherrin 2/14, A Ratnaike 2/18) def by Leongatha and District 4/110 (D Newman 48, D Mock 31, D Costigan 4/21).