Western Park claims minor premiership

Division 4: by Adam Johnson

Western Park has finished the regular season on top of the ladder after a comfortable win over Longwarry.

The Warriors will battle Hallora for a spot in the big dance after the Kangas easily accounted for Ellinbank.

The loss sees the Crows slip to third place, and they will face a confident Warragul who stormed into second with a win over Jindivick. In the final match of the round, Garfield-Tynong finished the season on a high after routing Iona early on day two.

Best For Last

Warragul skipper Daniel Best led his side to victory with a match winning century at the weekend.

Chasing a competitive target, the Gulls got away to a flying start as Best and Nathan Whitten (24) put on 113 in their opening stand. Lachlan Waters (15) and Jack Buckingham (20) offered good support as the visitors continued to reduce the deficit.

Best stayed on task after reaching triple figures and it wasn’t until his side held a one run lead that he was eventually dismissed.

It was a determined and measured innings from Best who struck 13 boundaries and 2 sixes on his way to a season high score of 130.

Flynn Pallot snared the big scalp of Best in a late flurry of wickets that saw him finish with 3/15.

Western Park Minor Premiers

Western Park took out the minor premiership with a clinical victory over Longwarry.

Resuming at 1/4, the home side laid the foundations early as Peter Croft (21) and Rod Breeden (36) worked the ball through the field, putting on 43 for the second wicket.

Kyle Baker took his cues from the Warriors veterans making a diligent 22 before edging one through to the keeper. With the score on 4/100 the Crows were still in the contest but a disciplined innings from Matt Roberts (18) helped take his side to the cusp of victory.

Paul McCluskey (33 retired) guaranteed the result before giving his young charges an opportunity to spend some time in the middle.

Bob Thomas spun his usual web around some of the less experienced batsmen to finish with 3/43. Joe Pullen ended the day with two wickets in three balls.

Titans Topple Swamp Tigers

A massive collapse of 6/35 has seen Iona’s season come to a disappointing end.

Resuming at 4/63, the Swamp Tigers battled through 25 overs without exerting any scoreboard pressure.

Callum Strange (23) was one of only two men to reach double figures on the day as Darren Vandenberge helped decimate the visitors middle and lower order.

Vandenberge was almost unplayable snaring 5/33 off twenty-one overs with eight maidens to lead his team to victory.