THE minor premiership was decided in the Seymour District Cricket Association A grade competition over the weekend, with a traditional powerhouse flexing its muscle.
Some history was made in Tallarook’s win over Seymour, with the game between first and second the first game to be live streamed online in the competition at Tallarook Recreation Reserve.
However, it was the men in red and blue that were much too strong, sealing the minor premiership thanks to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory.
Seymour was never in the game on Saturday as Ben Trezise and Matthew Archibald ran riot early to reduce the Maroons to 3/6, with Jason Brown, Damian Murphy and Lachlan Drummond all dismissed in quick time.
Cameron Evans provided some resistance for Seymour as he top scored with 22, but Tarkyn Dundon soon came on as first change and put too much pressure for the Maroons to handle, taking 4/22 off nine overs.
Combined with Archibald’s 2/5 and Andrew Dundan’s 2/11, Tallarook was able to bowl out Seymour for 53.
Tallarook took its time in completing the chase, with Hamish Melville playing a steady hand in scoring 27 off 70 deliveries, with the sole wicket seeing Joshua Rudge run out for 11 by Dan Bergowicz.
Melville and Lachlan Watts (10) helped get Tallarook home, scoring 1/56 off 22.1 overs.
Pyalong have strengthened its case to stay in the top four of the A grade competition, scoring a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Yea at Pyalong Recreation Reserve.
It was James Wilkins and Mitchell Wittig who did the damage with Yea batting first, with the duo each taking four wickets, with Wilkins taking 4/20 off nine, and Wittig 4/35 off 8.2, as Yea was bowled out for 152.
With the bat, Dermott Clancy was dominant at the top of the order, dispatching anything the Tigers’ bowlers could throw at him, eventually finishing unbeaten on 73.
Combined with Daniel Sowden’s 27, Pyalong would end up victorious by nine wickets, scoring 1/156 off 38 overs.
Puckapunyal’s chances of avoiding the wooden spoon took a significant blow, losing to Alexandra by 122 runs at the Puckapunyal Cricket Ground.
Pucka made an encouraging start to leave Alexandra teetering on 4/46, but the middle order for Alexandra was much too strong and made 9/226 off its 45 overs.
James Voogt was Pucka’s best bowler, taking 2/22, while Christopher Crabbe took 2/38.
Charles Davies played strongly at the top of the order, but unfortunately, the rest of the Pucka batting lineup couldn’t go with him, with Davies scoring 46 of Pucka’s 104 runs before they were bowled out in 29 overs.
B grade continues to see Tallarook and Puckapunyal go stride for stride on top of the table.
Tallarook was too strong for Seymour at Chittick Park, winning by six wickets.
Seymour batted first, and while a handful of batters got starts, there was no conversion into a big score, with Doug France the best of the Mores with 19 as the Maroons got bowled out for 109.
Sam Watts took 3/15 in an even team performance for Tallarook, which saw Russell Downie, Brendan O’Donnell and Matt Whitfield all taking two wickets.
Kieran Minter then proved to be the rock at the top of the order Tallarook needed, as his 53 helped guide the men in red and blue to 4/110.
This allowed Tallarook to negotiate the sensational bowling of Savi Liyanage, who kept Seymour in the contest with 3/11 off seven overs.
Pyalong was utterly dominant in its 204-run victory at Yea Recreation Reserve.
Batting first, Jaxon Hill’s 67 and a private player’s 70 helped set Pyalong up handsomely, scoring 8/223 off its 45 overs.
When it came time to bowling, it was Pyalong’s strike team which helped completely overwhelm the Tigers, bowling Yea out for 19.
Damien Zoch took incredible figures of 2/1 off five overs, while Jamie Biagioni (2/4 off three) and Nathan Wilkins (2/8 off five) also helped the cause.
Puckapunyal remains contenders for the minor premiership after a strong 128-run victory over Alexandra at Leckie Park.
Pucka batted first, and it was the dominance of Benjamin Kingston, who top-scored with 51, and Pieter Murtagh, who contributed 44 runs, which helped Pucka score with great consistency, finishing on 8/209 off its 45 overs.
With the ball, it was the Mark and Jacob Nipperess show.
Both bowlers went blow for blow at Alexandra’s batting order, with Mark finishing with 5/14 off 5.1 overs, while Jacob took 4/6 off five overs as their dominance allowed Pucka to finish Alexandra off for 81.