Reigning champs on the brink
There were big results from division one this weekend, with one side locking in a maiden finals berth while the reigning premiers are now looking to be in danger of missing the finals entirely. Ellinbank v Longwarry
Longwarry has produced the shock of the round, stunning Ellinbank to leave the reigning premiers on the brink of missing finals.
Resuming one wicket down and chasing 161, Daniel Pandolfo and Curtis Howell pushed the scoreboard along, albeit slowly, as the Eagles dug in at home.
Pandolfo (27) fell with the score on 53 to bring the Crows into the game, as Mike Aslett (3-23) was unhittable, and from here the visitors went ballistic as Ellinbank's season potentially crumbled before their eyes.
Howell (23) was the next to fall, before Sean Masterson (1), Xavier Van Langenberg (0), Nick Fairbank (5) and Troy Ferguson (4) all fell quickly after - the home side losing a scarcely believable 6-16 in unbelievable scenes.
Despite no Jonah Serong with the ball, Longwarry showed their vast improvement with Dom Pullen (4-26) bowling with serious pace and energy and Yashan Samarasinghe (2-20) racking up maiden after maiden. It meant the underdogs were sending a warning shot to the rest of the competition for the future as they were cock-a-hoop.
The Eagles needed a fightback, and fast, but a short-lived partnership between Sahan Jayawardana (22) and Jeremy Gray (12) couldn't wrestle the momentum back in their favour.
The sheer number of dot balls proved to be too much, and once one fell the rest followed - in stark contrast to their one-day game - as Ellinbank were all out for 106 off an astonishing 63.1 overs.
For the Crows, their season rests on the unlikely scenario of an outright victory and Hallora loss, while for the reigning premiers their match against Drouin next week serves as an early elimination final.
Neerim District v Drouin
Needing a win to stay alive in 2023, Drouin staved off a gallant, winless Neerim District outfit to climb back into the top four heading into the final round of the season.
Chasing 197 for victory, the Hawks were forced to grind early with Nick Harper (7) batting for over an hour for his score as he, Brad Glover (24) and Ben Spicer (15) pushed the score towards triple figures as the match trickled along.
Dane Fawcett (2-68) was bowling manfully from one end, reaching double digit maidens as he desperately searched for quick breakthroughs - his side aching for a final division one win before relegation.
Unfortunately, they were unable to get two in quick succession and, while still in the game, were forced to bear witness as Aravinda Akurugoda and Damon Healy hit their stride. The pair were brutish, turning a score of 3-91 close to tea into 141 in quick time before Healy fell for a brisk 53.
Trevor Gardiner (16) came in to pick up the slack, lashing quick boundaries, before he and Jonathan Bell (2) fell in quick time to Liam Garlick-Adams (3-34) to set up a potential grandstand finish.
With two different goals on the line and the score at 6-166, either side needed a hero. The Hawks found theirs, as Akurugoda (57*) and Simon Gardiner (14*) wasted no time seeing their side to the six points and fourth spot on the ladder.
Catani v Yarragon
Catani locked in a maiden WDCA division one finals berth, with a massive Yarragon collapse sealing the six points at home.
Defending 181, Riley McDonald (2-28) struck gold early as the Panthers quickly slipped to 3-31, seemingly putting the Cats in the box seat.
The big partnership was still to come, however, as the dangerous Kusan Ranasinghe and Lahiru Jayakody appeared to flip the script entirely, leaving the home side struggling for a breakthrough.
Ranasinghe was in season best form, striking three boundaries on the slow outfield in an innings of 39, before he was dismissed with the score on 101.
This was the straw that broke the Panthers' back as Liam Smith-Butterworth (4) came and went, before the big wicket - Jayakody (36) fell to fifth change Nathan Goodes to expose an extremely frail Yarragon lower order.
Knowing the brittleness that was to come, Goodes put the foot on the throat and, in the blink of an eye, Yarragon completely fell in a heap, as has been the case in all but a few of their games this year.
Jake Borsato (3) was Goodes' next victim, before Scott Cumming (0) and Addison Cumming (2) fell straight after, with Heath Kirkham (1) run out amid a predictable collapse.
Goodes finished with astonishing figures of 4-6 as Yarragon were all out for 124 - the favoured Cats launching into the top two in the process.
Western Park v Hallora
Western Park did it comfortably on the weekend, downing arch-rivals Hallora at home.
Defending a monster total of 269, the Warriors looked hot early with Tyler McDonald nicking off Grant Duncan before a run had been scored.
Brett Williams and Grant Duncan rebuilt the innings for the Kangas, with the classy duo appearing to push Hallora into a position to strike as they repelled the spin of the Warriors to reach 53.
Unfortunately for the visitors, everything fell apart quickly from here.
Duncan (22) fell first to Ellis Whiteford (2-20), before Brett Williams (30) and Cam McPhan (0) were removed soon after - the visitors' most potent three batsmen all un-padding together as the home side went for the kill.
Brett Watkins (7) then fell to Jason Croft (2-17) as the match appeared destined to be over by tea.
Damien Lawrence (3-19) confirmed this, with the burly left-armer returning to wreak havoc - Mitch Smith (6), Lachie Pratt (9) and Jimmy Williams (4) were all spellbound by the chiseled spinner, the Kangas completely falling in a heap.
With no Brayden Notman due to a severe ankle injury, they would ultimately bat one short - not that it was likely to matter anyway. They were all out for just 96, a win against Yarragon next week now paramount to keeping their finals streak alive.