A WEEKEND of thrillers and heroic performances with both bat and ball set the table for a terrific round of the Diamond Valley Cricket Association.
Mernda were desperately close to sealing a finals berth in Money Shield but could not hold out Research Eltham Collegians from taking a one-wicket win at Waterview Reserve.
After the Demons were bowled out for 128 last week, it looked as though Research Eltham were cruising at 2/64, but a run which saw the Demons claim 5/20 turned the match on its head, with Michael Edwards claiming three wickets, Lachlan Taylor two and Stuart Wright two.
However, despite needing 12 for the last wicket, Research Eltham held firm and finished proceedings on 9/129.
In Mash Shield, a perfect weekend for Laurimar means that the Power’s hopes of a second straight finals berth are still alive, defeating Dennis by 65 runs at Laurimar Town Park.
The Power looked to be in a bit of trouble when Dennis opener Abhinav Bhatia scored a century and needed 100 runs with seven wickets in the shed.
Enter Luke Richardson.
The playing-coach spun Laurimar to victory, taking 6/39 off 29 overs in an incredible spell which included 12 maidens.
South Morang’s finals hopes are over after losing by one wicket to Old Ivanhoe Grammarians at Chelsworth Park.
The Lions looked to be in the box seat for much of the game, especially when Old Ivanhoe were 7/91, but some late hitting from the Old Ivanhoe tail meant it caught the Lions’ total of 153 with just one wicket to spare.
Theiveekan Theivanesan and Benjamin Zychla took three wickets apiece.
Whittlesea’s first XI took a thrilling win over Laurimar at Laurimar Town Park to keep its hopes of the minor premiership alive.
Mohamed Isam Rafeek’s 47 at the top of the order helped Whittlesea get off to a good start, and Lathindu Kandage’s 55 in the middle order was also critical as the Power got the job done with two wickets to spare.
For Laurimar, Ben Demicoli took 3/20 off six overs, while Harrison Rodda took 2/19.
In lower grade action, Mernda’s B grade team was too strong for Research Eltham, winning by 60 runs at Research Park.
The Demons’ target of 277 was defended well by both Jordan Krake and Andy Evans, both of whom took three wickets to help roll Research Eltham for 217.
In C grade, South Morang was much too strong for Macleod, winning by 308 runs at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
After Rohin Sidhu’s epic innings last week, the Lions were in the box seat throughout the game, and Prageeth Hewa Pothuwilage made sure the Lions would stamp their authority, taking 4/10 off 8.3 overs to help bowl Macleod out for 84.
Macleod had the follow-on enforced, but the Lions could not make it an outright victory, with both teams agreeing to stop play with Macleod 3/58.
Laurimar’s D grade team lost to North Eltham by six wickets at Wattle Glen Park.
The North Eltham top order had too much batting power, despite Veera Raghava Reddy Maddireddy’s best efforts in taking 3/33 off 10 overs as the target of 185 was dealt with by the Wanderers, who finished on 4/186.
At Waterview Reserve, Mernda’s E grade team completed a stunning outright victory over Thomastown United, winning by 48 runs.
An incredible partnership between Darren Mercuri and Rob Virtue remained unbeaten throughout the course of Saturday’s play, with Virtue scoring 125 and Mercuri 106 as the Demons declared with the score on 241.
Needing 128 to make the Demons bat again, Rob Corrigan and Lucas Ward weren’t going to let Thomastown United back into the contest, with the duo taking three wickets each, and Kyle Reece two, to bowl United out for 79, and roar back into the frame for the minor premiership.
In F2 grade, South Morang gave it an almighty crack against Riverside at Greensborough Park but fell just 21 runs short.
Kade Clohesy had a stunning run at the top of the order, scoring 95 before he was run out, while Connor Jamieson’s 44 and Kane Slater’s 39 provided good support.
However, the Lions’ 9/237 was not enough to overcome Riverside’s 258.
Similarly, Mernda had a crack at chasing Hurstbridge’s 288 but fell 51 runs short at Hurstbridge East.
Josh Brady’s 75 and Christopher Scully’s 44 gave the Demons a good platform, but they ran out of overs, making 7/237.
Mernda was no match in G1 West against Dennis at McDonnell Park.
Dennis made 6/304 off its 35 overs, with Jarred Mitchell taking 2/41, but the Demons could not make inroads with the bat, with Anthony Meek’s 31 leading the way as the Demons made 9/92 off their 35 overs.
Laurimar lost to Bundoora United by eight wickets at Mernda Recreation Reserve.
Chaminda Arachchige made 36 and Daniel Wigney 31 as the Power set 130 for victory, but Bundoora United chased it down with nine overs to spare.
Laurimar’s G2 grade team was also bested by Epping by 165 runs at Epping Recreation Reserve.
The Power had no answer to Epping’s top order as it scored 4/256, with Daniel Goss taking 2/51.
Despite Daniel Van Heerden’s 25, it was never going to be enough, with the Power scoring 9/91 in response.
Similarly, South Morang was no match for Diamond Creek.
Varun Sharma’s 4/32 helped give the Lions a platform to attack as the Demons made 7/170, but the Lions could not recover from sitting 8/54, eventually scoring 9/97.
At Edgars Creek Secondary College, Mernda needed just 11 overs to defeat Whittlesea by nine wickets.
The Eagles struggled greatly in being dismissed for 71, with only Thomas Watt (12) and Chandika Hemachandra (11) scoring in double digits, with Ayaan Kakkar (3/9), Brad Thomson (2/8) and Tej Pal Singh (2/11) doing the damage.
Aarjav Guha wasted no time in getting the score on the board for the Demons, scoring 50 off just 34 balls to chase down the target.
South Morang lost by six wickets to Thomastown at Main Street Reserve.
Troy Slater’s 26 and Nick Perry’s 31 were handy middle order runs as the Lions made 109, but despite Kriday and Manoj Devedi taking two wickets apiece, Thomastown was much too strong.
With just one round remaining in the women’s competition, finals spots are beginning to take hold.
South Morang Blue look likely to earn a division one finals spot courtesy of a 10-wicket win against Holy Trinity.
Louise Moll and Kristy Carbis took two wickets apiece to hold Holy Trinity to 5/125, before Carbis’ 48 and Jessica Parker’s 54 ensured the Lions would get the job done easily.
Laurimar Black’s Saturday twilight outing against the Cameronettes saw the Power win its division two clash by 34 runs.
Victoria Mitchell and Kyla Rule helped set up the Power by scoring 35 runs each to help Laurimar score 1/139, while Phoebe McKenna and Tara Chetcuti helped preserve it with two wickets apiece as the Cameronettes scored 5/104.
Laurimar Teal scored a seven-wicket win in division four over Rivergum.
Danielle Toull was in the thick of everything, taking 3/24 and scoring 50 with the bat, while Ann O’Gorman provided good support in also scoring 50. Alaina Demiris’ 27 helped get the Power home as it chased down 188.
South Morang Maroon was unable to stop East Coburg/Haig Fawkner from winning by five wickets.
Renee Smith provided good batting ammunition by scoring 46, while Kylie Kreuzer-Pierce added 24 as the Lions made 4/137.
Both Smith and Kreuzer-Pierce took two wickets, but it wasn’t enough, with East Coburg/Haig Fawkner scoring 5/142 in response.