TWO-DAY cricket got underway in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association, with plenty of fascinating matches for punters to feast their eyes on.
Mernda will be hoping 186 is a good target before next week’s second day of play at Beverley Road Reserve against Banyule.
Alex Mitris’ 33 and Gareth Sharp’s 48 gave the Demons a good platform to attack but lost a handful of middle-order wickets to leave them in some trouble.
However, Callum Dean’s 33 and Caleb Leckstrom’s 22 allowed the Demons to eventually make 186, before having six overs to try and land a wicket before stumps.
Banyule were 0/10 at the close of play.
In Mash Shield, Laurimar will need quick wickets to give itself a chance against Lower Eltham on day two.
The Kangaroos were too strong for Laurimar’s top order, taking a number of quick wickets, but Christopher Milne’s 39 at least gave the Power something to defend, all out for 121 from 57.3 overs.
Patrick Richardson was the hero for Laurimar in the early stages, taking two quick wickets, but Lower Eltham negotiated its way to 2/33 by stumps.
South Morang requires a further 75 runs to take care of Mill Park at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
It was Theiveekan Theivanesan who was the hero for the Lions on day one, taking four wickets from 18.5 overs as he helped restrict the Tigers to 176.
Looking for a quick start, Karl Heckmann was caught out in the opening over, but some good shot making from Brad Riley, who made 34, and Lachlan Gatherer, who is not out on 32, allowed the Lions to finish the day on 3/102 at stumps from their 24 overs.
A memorable unbeaten century from Lathindu Kandage gave Whittlesea the perfect start to its season, beating Rivergum by six wickets at Meadowglen Reserve.
On the small, enclosed space, the Eagles did well to restrict Rivergum to 6/237 off 35 overs, before Kandage put on a clinic to guide the Eagles home after a tricky start.
Kandage scored eight fours and nine sixes as he made his 103 off just 65 deliveries, remaining unbeaten at the end.
Tharindu Harith Withana and Sisipsara Dehigaspitiya also took two wickets apiece for the Eagles.
In lower-grade games, South Morang will have work to do as it chases down Bundoora United’s 8/292 in C grade.
Nick Terpou and Suresh Thavaraj took three wickets apiece.
Laurimar scored 9/278 at Anthony Beale Reserve against Lower Plenty.
The knock was guided by an entertaining innings from David Sinclair, who scored 86 off 82 deliveries, while young gun Harrison Rodda scored 57.
B grade scores were yet to be updated at the time of production, while Mernda’s third XI will need a further 184 runs to defeat Riverside, sitting 0/10 chasing 194. Geordi Summers was the man of the moment, taking 4/23 for the Demons off 14 overs, while Jordan Krake added three wickets.
Darren Jenkins and youngster Cian Merrett put on a 20-run final wicket partnership to guide Laurimar’s third XI home in a thriller against Greensborough, with Reece Emmins scoring 63 off 51 deliveries.
Mernda’s fourth XI was too good for Lower Plenty at Eltham Lower Park, with Abhi Patel scoring 47 and Shrey Patel top scoring with 55 for the Demons as they won by five wickets.
There was no luck for Laurimar and Mernda in G1 West, with the Power losing to Heidelberg by seven wickets, and Mernda going down by 46 runs to Bundoora United.
Laurimar lost by three runs in a thrilling G2 grade encounter, while South Morang were comfortable winners, accounting for Research Eltham Collegians by nine wickets.
In G3 grade, Whittlesea’s Dinesh Arachchige scored 43 to help guide the Eagles to a five-wicket victory over Riverside, while South Morang scored a 40-run victory over Greensborough.
