Under 14s take out Country Week
Warragul and District Cricket Association took out the under 14 junior cricket title with a comprehensive victory over hosts Leongatha and District in the final.
While the under 15 team struggled to gain momentum in a winless campaign, the under 14 team were ruthless to finish the carnival undefeated.
Forced to grind out a close contest against Leongatha the previous day, the Wild Dogs lifted to produce a dominant display in the final.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, contributions from captain Chris Diston (38), fellow opener Liam Serong (31) and first drop Rhys Galvin (27), along with middle order batsmen Mat Jones (26) and Andrew Burdett (18*), helped the Wild Dogs to a competitive total of 6/164 from their allotted 40 overs.
The target proved too much for the hosts, who only had three batsmen make it to double figures, sharing top scoring honours with extras (12).
Nick Caddy and Burdett each claimed three wickets, with Alex Henshall and Serong each picking up one wicket. Two run outs also helped stymie Leongatha’s progress.
The previous match between the two sides had been a much tighter affair.
Galvin (27) and Diston (19) helped the Wild Dogs to grind to 106 all out, with 21 extras helping the cause.
Leongatha fell to 88 all out in reply, with the final five wickets falling for just five runs as the required run rate escalated. Extras top scored with 21.
Caddy took three wickets, with Henshall, Burdett, Serong, Brad Ward and Liam O’Connor each chipping in with one.
Earlier, the Wild Dogs began their campaign with a tight two-wicket win over Bairnsdale.
Burdett, Serong and Jacob Kleevan each took two wickets, with singles to Galvin, Caddy and O’Connor helping restrict Bairnsdale to 71 all out.
Any hopes of an easy chase were dashed, with the Wild Dogs also finding it difficult with the bat.
Ward finished unbeaten on 20, combining with Kleevan for an unbeaten 13 run partnership to help the Wild Dogs over the line.
A big win over Central Gippsland followed, with most of the top and middle order getting starts to help the Wild Dogs post 7/173. Diston (24), Serong (16), Galvin (23), Henshall (22), Jones (29) and Sam Fusinato (11) all made double figures, while 36 extras also helped the cause.
Central Gippsland were bundled out for just 49 in reply, with only Liam Coulter showing resistance with 28.
Burdett was the chief destroyer with the ball, finishing with 5/4, while Henshall and Serong were the other wicket takers.
Victory over Traralgon and District in the T20 match set the under 14 team up for a shot at the title.
Diston (22), Serong (21), O’Connor (20) and Daniel Pullen (19) helped the Wild Dogs post 7/119 before restricting Traralgon to 8/74.
All bowlers contributed in keeping it tight, led by two wickets from Galvin and singles to Caddy, Serong and Henshall.
Tough campaign
Meanwhile, the under 15 team endured a tough campaign.
Batting first against Bairnsdale, the Wild Dogs posted 9/141 led by captain Jai Serong (34) and Liam Quarrell (28).
An unbeaten 117 to opener Curtley Farley saw Bairnsdale to an eight-wicket win and eventual total of 5/185. Serong and Charlie Stern were the multiple wicket takers for the Wild Dogs.
An unbeaten 47 to Stern helped the Wild Dogs post a similar total against Central Gippsland, finishing at 9/143.
In a common theme, an unbeaten 71 to opener Aydan Connolly helped Central Gippsland to a tight two-wicket win. Serong was the multiple wicket taker with singles to Stern, Liam MacDonald, Ben Dixon, Lachlan Jagoe and Josh Smith-Butterworth almost enough to see the Wild Dogs over the line.
Another tight loss in the T20 match, this time at the hands of Traralgon, dashed hopes of challenging for the final.
While the Wild Dogs cold only manage 8/67, Traralgon needed the full 20 overs to pinch a two-wicket win on the final ball.
An unbeaten 34 from Liam Lenders helped Warragul set what would be a challenging target. Jagoe and MacDonald picked up multiple wickets, continuing the good work of Serong and Stern with the new ball.
Consecutive losses to Leongatha finished the carnival.
The Wild Dogs posted 116 in the first match, led by 30 from Lenders.
Three wickets to MacDonald and Stern had the Wild Dogs on track for victory, only for an unbeaten 10th wicket partnership to see Leongatha over the line.
An unbeaten 95 to Jagoe was the highlight of the final match, with starts from Lenders and Stern helping the Wild Dogs post the competitive total of 3/162.
Stern took two wickets but again the Wild Dogs hopes were denied on the final ball of the innings, as Leongatha prevailed by four wickets.