Masterson, Ferguson key in big Eagles win
Ellinbank has solidified their spot in the top four, effectively ending Neerim District’s finals hopes for a second consecutive year.
Bowling first, Ellinbank had to put up with the usually effective Neerim opening partnership, as Rhys George (32) and Nathan Bayne (23) added 71 for the first wicket. Unfortunately for the Stags, this and a late Dane Fawcett flourish of 25 were the only innings of note, as Sean Masterson had an absolute feast on the Neerim middle-order.
The tall right-armed pace bowler first claimed George, then Ash Lockett (4), Fawcett, Toby Bayne (1) and Vinnie Caia (0) all in quick time as he finished with remarkable figures of 5-26. Gihan De Zoysa (2-14) was his usual self from the other end, as Neerim crawled to 9-143 off their overs.
In reply, Ellinbank got back to their fluent best with the bat in hand- in particular Troy Ferguson, as he left no doubt about the result.
The right-hander smashed 79 off just 74 deliveries before he and Matt Farthing (26) succumbed to Ben Lockett (2-20) shortly before reaching the target.
With just under 30 runs to clean up, Ben Spicer (19*) and Daniel Pandolfo (14*) found handy form to see the Eagles home to a crushing win.
Yarragon has stormed into the one-day final, brutally accounting for top-of-the-table Hallora in an ominous display at home.
Bowling first, Yarragon’s much improved bowling line-up had its way with the Kangas from the start, as Nuwan Perera (2-7) took the early scalps of Fraser Duncan (5) and Dave Macdermid (0) to set the tone.
Jai Newcombe (24) attempted to rebuild the innings, but he, Malinga Surappulige (16) and the dangerous Natsai M’Shangwe (11) all fell to a relatively unlikely source in Jesse Glover (3-36) whose nine overs changed the game.
With the score 5-92, Hallora still had hope of clambering to a decent total, however the run-out of Grant Duncan (10) spurred a collapse of 5-5, as Gamini Kumara (2-6) and Kurt Borsato (2-12) cleaned up the tail to leave Hallora all out for just 97.
With that shock innings out of the way, Lauchlan Gregson (2-36) attempted to rescue Hallora’s hopes with two quick wickets early in Yarragon’s innings, but the Panthers dug in and slowly reeled in the total.
Kumara (29) made another contribution to keep Yarragon out of trouble, before Lahiru Jayakody (46*) and Kurt Borsato (13*) crawled their way home, with Yarragon winning comfortably to close the gap on Hallora to just 0.02%.
Buln Buln’s downward spiral continued on the weekend, as they were massacred by a strong Drouin outfit on Bellbird Park.
Winning the toss and batting, the Lyrebirds collapsed in a heap early, as Mitch Smith (431) and Simon Gardiner (3-5) had their way with Buln’s top order. Harry Wans (2) was the first to go, the former Drouin man copping an early peach, before Matt Mitchell (1), Brent Eastwell (0) and Jack Armour (1) all followed suit to leave Buln 4-12.
Coach Corey Jagoe (25) and Wilson Pollock (14) attempted to rebuild the innings, but they both fell to Brad Glover (2-9) causing another monumental collapse.
The bottom-order fell like a house of cards and they couldn’t score against the mighty Drouin attack with Kam Collins’ (2) brief spell of form ending, while Patty Ireland (1), Sam Reid (4) and Paul Black (2*) attempted to see out the overs, but eventually fell as Buln we’re all out for just 63.
In reply, the Hawks showed no mercy cleaning up the runs with only Malcolm Dow (11) removed, as Damon Healy (34*) and Sam Wyatt (14*) saw the home side to victory in just 16.3 overs.
Western Park has gotten back to winning ways, accounting for Garfield-Tynong in a tense contest.
Batting first, the Warriors commenced swiftly, however Sam Batson (19), Leigh Diston (4) and Zane Harper (7) fell in quick succession, leaving Western Park in a spot of bother.
Joel Batson (61) and Asa Singappuli (55) found much-needed form to rebuild the innings, the Sri-Lankan left-handed looking ominous as the score began to accelerate.
Tyler McMillan (15) came in late and added handy runs as Western Park neared 200, however four run-outs and strong death bowling from AK Tyrone (2-31) and Grant Pearson (231) caused a massive collapse of 5-4 to leave Western Park all out for 184 on the slow Tynong expanses.
In reply, Matthew Dodman got off to a swashbuckling start, sending the Warriors bowling to the boundary, however, he found little help as Singappuli took key wickets through the innings.
The Sri Lankan’s four wickets helped crush Tynong’s hopes, as they fell from 1-60 to 7-87, Dodman’s 43 the only score of note as all seemed lost for the cellar-dwellers.
Tate Burgmann (33) tried to wrench the game from the fire, he and Chad McKie (16) adding 47 runs in quick time to keep the game alive, but wickets to James Allen (2-22) and three of the fast bowlers resigned the Titans to 142 all out, giving Western Park a 42-run win.