LAURIMAR bounced back with a 47-run away win over South Morang in its Diamond Valley Cricket Association Mash Shield clash on Saturday.
Strong batting from Ashley Williams (44) and Scott Toull (49*) led the Power to 7/173 from their 40 overs.
Defending an achievable total, Laurimar won the day with the ball, bowling the hosts out for 126 with Michael Peters taking 3/16 from just 5.2 overs.
Laurimar fell from the top spot for the first time this season after a seven-wicket loss to Panton Hill last week and currently sit in second, a game back from Rosebank.
Whittlesea was handed a hefty loss by Rosebank in its Mash Shield meeting, going down by nine wickets.
The Eagles were all out for 63 from 34.5 overs after losing 7/18 from the middle-order through the tail.
Rosebank’s Rocky Sharma stormed through the Power batsmen, taking 5/11.
Rosebank made short work of the run chase, getting the job done in just 10 overs.
Whittlesea are right on the finals bubble, a half-game back from fourth-placed Panton Hill and ahead of Thomastown United on percentage.
Mernda scored its third win of the Money Shield season, defeating Old Paradians by two wickets on the road.
Despite Jason Berthet’s 45, Mernda was able to take wickets consistently to hold Old Paradian to 9/116, keeping eight Old Paradians batsmen to single figures. James Baker and Josh Delaney took two wickets apiece in the win.
Mernda was able to get the job done in 38.3 overs thanks to some strong scores from opener Jack McLagan (34), captain James Taylor (25) and Cooper Perrin (29), but it was made difficult with three Demons batsmen dismissed for ducks.
The win places Mernda eighth on the ladder, a game either side of seventh-place Bundoora and ninth-placed Old Paradians.
