A MUCH-DISCUSSED weekend of cricket went ahead in the Gisborne District Cricket Association, despite the impending threat of the Longwood fires. Conditions thankfully eased in time on Saturday, but the quality of cricket did not.
Wallan hosted Sunbury United, but in a blow to the Magpies hopes of clearing away from the bottom of the ladder, was no match for United, losing by nine wickets.
After losing two early wickets, things were looking positive for Wallan as Bryan Vance (30) and Hamish Mullavey-Clark (12) helped get the Magpies to 2/53, but the Magpies would soon collapse and lose 5/12 to regress to 7/65.
Some late hitting from Spencer Whittingham (16) and Scott O’Donnell (10) helped Wallan push to 100, but it was never going to be enough.
Despite the best efforts of the Magpies, Sunbury United chased down the target in just 17 overs.
Other McIntyre Cup results saw Romsey defeat Broadford, which can be seen on page 27, while Rupertswood and Woodend claimed victories over Macedon and Gisborne respectively.
Jacob Walton was the hero in Kilmore’s 57-run Johnstone Shield victory over Harkness.
Shaun Suttie (27), Darcy McNicholas (34) and Rhys Quinert (22) all got starts to help Kilmore along, but it was Walton’s unbeaten 66 off 71 deliveries which helped anchor the Blues, combining well with Marcus Davern (25), Stuart Partridge (25) and Ben Dawson (16) to help them make 9/246.
After that, Walton dominated with the ball, taking 5/48 off 8.3 overs, cleaning up the middle and lower order to send Harkness all out for 189 in response.
The win keeps Kilmore in third position on the ladder, closing in on second-placed Diggers Rest Bulla Village, who was defeated by Eastern Hill by 47 runs.
The Eagles had Billy Cox, Dean Fulco and Ollie Bryant all make above 20 runs as the Eagles made 9/132 on what seemed to be a tricky deck at Kings Park.
However, it was Nathan Fowler who anchored the Eagles with the ball, taking 5/31 off nine overs, while Daniel O’Sullivan’s 2/3 and Oscar Newell’s 2/20 helped roll Diggers Rest for 85 in response.
Lancefield has kept alive its finals hopes in its first season stepping up to Johnstone Shield, taking a 52-run victory over Sunbury Kangaroos.
Much of the Tigers’ top and middle order got starts but couldn’t quite go on with it. Trent McNamara’s 23 top scored, while Lachlan Mitchell added 20 and Ned Budde 17 as they made 9/142.
However, Andrew Richardt and Harvey Lehner combined beautifully with the ball, with Richardt taking 5/13 off nine overs and Lehner 4/18 off 7.3 overs as the Kangaroos wilted for 90 in response.
In the other Johnstone Shield result, East Sunbury defeated Eynesbury.
Broadford was no match for Romsey in its McIntyre Cup seconds’ match, with Romsey making 7/191 thanks to Xavier Webb’s 49 and Matthew Richardson’s 43.
Broadford started well in response, with Connor Stute scoring 37, but his dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse which saw it all out for 75.
Wallan was defeated by Sunbury United by four wickets, despite the best efforts of Troy Jeffs, who scored 53 and took 2/25 with the ball. James Farrell also took 3/35, but Sunbury United scored 6/181 in response to Wallan’s 7/177.
Eastern Hill’s thrilling one-run victory over Diggers Rest Bulla Village was a highlight of Johnstone Shield seconds action.
The Eagles made 8/137, with Richard Grant top-scoring with 27 and Josh Speechley making 26.
Tim Rudd-Schmidt was the hero with the ball, taking 3/8, while Elijah Hoyne took the final wicket to spark scenes of delirium for Eastern Hill as Diggers Rest Bulla Village was bowled out for 136.
Kilmore was no match for Harkness, with the Blues making 134 off the back of Oscar Taig’s 35. However, they could not make inroads with the ball, with Harkness scoring 3/135 to win easily.
Lancefield struggled, bowled out for 51 against Sunbury Kangaroos. Despite taking four wickets, with Samuel Taylor and Patrick Shanahan taking two wickets apiece, the Kangaroos got the job done, scoring 4/54.
In Jensen Shield, Romsey was too strong for Trentham, recording a 116-run win, with Cam Armstrong (71) and Brendan Norris (55) strong with the bat, while Aaron Wright (5/35) dominated with ball in hand.
Wallan held on for a 20-run victory over Blackwood, with Harkanwar Singh Sandhu scoring 48 and taking 2/32, while Kerem Selek was unstoppable in taking 4/4 off 7.4 overs.
Kilmore lost its Jensen Shield game by 147 runs to Aintree, despite the best efforts of Adam Chalmers, who took 2/56, and David MacBean, who remained unbeaten on 51.
In Club Grade action, Lancefield recorded a 51-run win over Romsey, Eastern Hill lost by 106 runs to Malmsbury Gold, Kilmore lost a high-scoring game to Kyneton by 22 runs, and Wallan was successful, albeit via forfeit against Hanging Rock.
