THERE was plenty of action across the Diamond Valley Cricket Association in a wild one-day weekend.
Mernda are up to second in the Money Shield competition after recording a terrific 34-run victory away from home at Eltham.
Batting first, Gareth Sharp’s 70 set the tone for the Demons, before Max Russell added to the work with 66 to ensure the Demons made 6/219 off their 40 overs.
While Eltham made a good start with the bat, Lachie Taylor and James Baker would slow the run rate sufficiently with a steady stream of wickets, with Taylor finishing with 3/31 and Baker 3/34 as the Panthers could only muster 9/185 in response.
Laurimar stayed in the race for Mash Shield finals with a much-needed six-wicket victory over Mill Park at Laurimar Town Park.
Joel Regan was dominant with the ball for the Power, taking 4/22 as Mill Park was restricted to 8/136, before Jonathon McAleer scored 55 and Noah Key 39 to help the Power take a straightforward victory, scoring 4/137.
South Morang had a tense one-wicket win over Lower Eltham at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
Batting first, three wickets each from Ricky Lee and Theiveekan Theivanesan helped roll Lower Eltham for 106, but in response, the Lions were 4/15.
Good batting from Lachlan Gatherer, who scored 21, and Seyon Uruththiran, who scored 22, helped get the Lions back on track, but a 24-run final wicket partnership between Benjamin Zychla, who scored 13, and Theivanesan, who was unbeaten on seven, helped get the Lions home in a tense finish.
Whittlesea’s first XI was no match for Banyule at Burkitt Oval.
Batting first, the Eagles were powerless to stop a constant stream of wickets, with Lathindu Kandage top scoring with 22 and Susipsara Dehigaspitiya scoring 21 as part of the Eagles’ 123.
While the Eagles got off to a dream start with the ball, taking two wickets before Banyule had even scored, the Bears soon settled and eventually chased down the target with five wickets to spare.
In the lower grades, Laurimar had a mixed weekend.
Its D grade team had a comfortable eight-wicket win against Mill Park, while the Power’s fourth XI also scored a strong 20-run win over Mernda, but there were close losses for their third XI, losing to Research Eltham by one run, while the fifth XI lost to Eltham by six wickets.
Mernda took two wins from its five over games, with B grade recording a very comfortable 10-wicket win over North Eltham, while the sixth XI scored an eight-wicket win over Greensborough. However, there were losses for Mernda’s third, fourth and fifth XI against Greensborough, Research Eltham Collegians and Laurimar respectively.
South Morang could only muster one victory from its five lower grade games, despite scoring well in many of its games, with the fifth XI saluting over Macleod by 34 runs.
Whittlesea’s second XI fell just 18 runs short of scoring a win over Panton Hill, its 129 not enough to overcome the Redbacks’ 5/147.
In the North Metro Women’s competitions, Laurimar Black and South Morang Blue fell short in the Lorraine Ireland competition.
Phoebe McKenna’s 35 and Kyra Rule’s 32 helped Laurimar set a competitive 4/116 from its 25 overs, but North Balwyn proved too strong in scoring 4/117 in response.
Bianca Addamo top-scored for South Morang with 24, but wickets fell around her as the Lions were rolled by Heidelberg for 96.
Despite Tahnee Pevitt putting in a good effort with the ball, taking 3/18, Heidelberg was too strong and took a four-wicket victory.
In the Heather Baillie competition, South Morang Maroon and Laurimar Teal took on one another in a blockbuster local meeting.
South Morang batted first, and thanks to 31 runs from Yashoda Jonnalagadda, was able to make 5/108 off its 30 overs.
Ann O’Gorman led the way with the ball for Laurimar, taking 2/3 off five overs.
The Power had a dip at chasing down the target, with Danielle Toull scoring 13 and O’Gorman making a late bid for victory with an unbeaten 15, but it was not quite enough as the Power fell four runs short, scoring 7/104.
Kylie Kreuzer-Pierce took 2/13 to lead the way for the Lions.
