JUST one more weekend remains in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association, with the fight for premierships set to go down to the wire.
Mernda will require a big bowling effort to get across the line in their Mash Shield Grand Final against Rivergum, defending 143.
The Demons were unable to get the start they needed, losing Stuart Wright for 12, Alex Mitris for 14, and Satinder Sekhon for three early in the piece, but they found some resistance in Bailey Turnbull, who was able to top score with 25.
The common theme throughout the innings, however, was the ability for Mernda batsmen to get a start but then lose their wicket as Rivergum, and in particular Matthew Perri, put the middle order under pressure with four wickets.
Nathan Aston (15), Michael Edwards (11), and Callum Dean (19) all fell, while for the second game in succession, Noah Dodd would help the tail wag a little bit with 24 as the Demons were all out for 143 in the last over of the day.
Perri was too much for the Demons to contain with 4/28 off 28 overs, while Daniel Young took 2/17.
Play resumes at Kelynack Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon, with a berth in Money Shield for the 2025/26 season the reward for the winner.
A win for Mernda would return them to that division after their relegation in 2022/23, while Rivergum are aiming to score promotion in their first season in the competition after moving across from the North Metro Cricket Association.
In the D Grade Grand Final, South Morang’s Second XI were in a good position at stumps, sitting at 2/22, requiring another 97 runs to defeat Bundoora, who were bowled out for 118.
Blair Cass rolled through the middle order to take 3/31, and he was ably supported by Benjamin Zychla, who took 2/14, Matthew Jones, who took 2/26, and Prageeth Hewa Pothuwilage, who finished with 2/27.
While rain washed out Sunday afternoon’s play, there will be a reserve day’s play on Saturday, where the Lions will look to take the premiership.
The Lions lost Matthew Kiriakopoulos for nine and captain Paul Martin for six with their 10 overs late on day one, and so will be relying on Adam Huybers and Lachlan Gatherer to stick around, with both batsmen starting the second day’s play unbeaten on three.
Similarly, South Morang will need a further 97 runs to defeat Dennis to take the F2 premiership, with the reserve day’s play needing to be utilised this Saturday.
A very even team performance with the ball for the Lions saw them bowl Dennis out for 121.
Manoj Devedi popped up at crucial times for the Lions to take 3/29 off 17.2 overs as he held up an end, while Shawn Lindsay White did damage to the middle order with his four overs later in the day, taking 2/9. Opening bowler Kane Slater also took two wickets, finishing with 2/18 off 10 overs.
The Lions had six overs at the end of the day to make an impact, and it was Brodie Slater who was up to the challenge, finishing unbeaten on 17 off as many deliveries.
White was unable to stick around by the end of the day as he was removed for eight, and is the sole wicket that has fallen for the Lions as they finished on 1/25.
