Mernda is still winless in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association Money Shield after suffering a 68-run loss to Lalor Stars at home on Saturday.
Lalor won the toss and elected to bat but was up against it early when Cooper Perrin dismissed opener David Worthington for seven.
Aaron Amos led Lalor’s top order from number three, putting together two big partnerships of 56 with Ricky Mittica (14) and 72 with Jordan Steele, on his was to 77 from 81 balls before being bowled by Perrin with Lalor 3/139.
Steele and Steven Kemp put on 24 before Steele departed, dismissed leg before wicket by James Baker for 41.
Mernda was able to get some momentum and started to take wickets more consistently before Lalor Stars’ innings ended at 9/206.
Thomas Hall took three of the last five wickets on his way to 4/34 from eight overs, while Perrin took 2/44 from eight overs.
Mernda started well with the bat with opener Stuart Wright taking 12 off the second over before he was dismissed leg before wicket for 13 with Mernda 1/21.
Opener Darren Mercuri and Damien Stevens dug in and put on 55 – Stevens was dismissed after making 30 from 36 balls.
Mercuri and Dushantha Ranatunga put together a 24-run partnership before Ranatunga was caught leg before wicket for 16 as Mernda fell to 3/100.
Mernda could not control the game from that point on, losing 7/38 to be all out for 138 from 33.3 overs.
Mercuri top scored for Mernda, making 41 from 77 balls.
Mernda captain James Taylor said the batting collapse was the result of mental lapses.
“We had a brain fade with the bat and made some mistakes which lost a lot of wickets in a hurry,” he said.
“We lost a wicket right before drinks, I played a horrible shot and got out and we never really recovered from that, to be honest.
“I think it’s understanding the game and what position you’re in ball by ball and making the right decision more often than not.
“We had an honest chat after the game, we’ve moved on as quick as we can and I’m sure we’ll put on a better performance on the weekend.”
Power cruise on Williams century
Laurimar remains undefeated in the Mash Shield after cruising to an 88-run win over Greensborough at home on the back of a stunning innings from opener Ashley Williams.
Williams was on song from the get-go, making an unbeaten 133 with 18 boundaries to guide Laurimar to a total of 3/235 from 40 overs.
Captain Jake Zerella was the first to fall, caught out after making 19 at 1/40. Ned Welsh followed suit, falling for four after an 11-run partnership with Williams.
Rian Boddy came in at number four and proceeded to put on 184 with Williams before he was bowled later in the innings for 69.
Laurimar was in control with the ball right away, with Nathan Woods dismissing Greensborough captain Thomas Vilchez for a duck and completing the set of openers by sending Suresh Ravichandran on his way for nine, both caught by Chris Marienfeld.
While Greensborough was able to put some small partnerships together, it never looked like getting close to Laurimar’s total and finished the innings at 6/147.
Scott Toull took an efficient 2/15 from eight overs with two maidens while Woods took 2/42 from eight overs with one maiden.
Laurimar captain Jake Zerella said Williams took control of the game from the start.
“[He] batted brillianty the whole way through so that was the pivotal performance to win us the game,” he said.
“I went out pretty early so I didn’t get to see him going too much but [Boddy] was with him and he said it was a pretty good show from the other end.
“Woodsy got two wickets in his first two overs so that had them on the back foot straight away, and we ground at them and bowled really well. Scotty Toull bowled really well also. It was a pretty good all-round performance from everyone.”
Eagles dominate in first win
Whittlesea scored its first win of the Mash Shield season, crushing Hurstbridge by 202 runs thanks to 163 from Nathan Fowler.
After electing to bat, Whittlesea was in trouble early, falling to 2/23 until Fowler and Corey Baker combined for a 112-run partnership.
Baker was caught out for 58 at 3/135, but it failed to stop the Eagles’ momentum as Suresh Fernando entered to put on a 159-run stand with Fowler until Fowler was caught at 4/294.
The next two wickets fell quickly, Fernando was the last to fall after a half-century, as Whittlesea finished at 6/309.
While Hurstbridge started well with the bat, the middle-order struggled to maintain partnerships before a complete collapse of the lower-order saw the team all out for 107.
Baker too 3/31 from six overs while captain Rodney Pratt took 3/20 from eight overs with a maiden.
