After a week off due to soaring temperatures last weekend, cricketers across the RDCA hit the park in cracking conditions. Cricket was the winner in the games featuring Mt Evelyn with most contests going down to the wire.
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI have had a wretched run this season with inconsistent form, with injuries and just plain bad luck hampering their season and it has left them clinging to the slightest hope of avoiding relegation. With their Round 12 opponents, Mooroolbark, sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder, this contest looked a mountain too high to climb.
Mooroolbark won the toss, and were quick to take the opportunity to bat in friendly conditions at Gary Martin Oval, a ground which has netted plenty of runs this season, with n a bid to heap the pressure on the hosts. Despite some tidy bowling upfront from Bohdie Jones, in which he bagged a couple of wickets, Mooroolbark were set for a big score as the run rate began to blossom on the back of consecutive half century partnerships from the Barkers. At 3/166 with ten overs remaining, the visitors looked well set to post a score in excess of 240. A run-a-ball benchmark.
Spin twins Jake Blackwell and Malinga De Silva did their best to stem the flow through the middle overs, but it was the run out of Jaylan Ross, courtesy of some brilliant fielding from Brad Westaway, that put a dent in the Barkers plan to hit full throttle. Darcy Fraser and Cal Dooley would resurrect their day after copping some early stick, and with regular wickets over the closing overs, the Mounters were able to restrict the Barkers to 9/224. Short of the benchmark, and yes, still a score to be chased, but one well within the capabilities of a deep batting line-up.
Daniel Fraser (54) and Brad Westaway (28) have the Mounters the perfect start with their contrasting styles. Their crucial 82-run opening partnership set the perfect platform for the rest of the batting order to chase the total. No wickets and the innings travelling at the required run rate through the first 14 overs. The only blemish was the fact that the pair would lose their wickets in consecutive overs, leaving Daniel Giblin and Jake Blackwell to restart the innings.
They would ensure that they would embed themselves at the wicket, but an unfortunate blow to Blackwell’s front foot required him to use a runner and that stunted their ability to tick over the quick singles. At 3/162 after 30 overs, the Mounters found themselves in a similar position to the Barkers. The game was there for the taking and a big upset was on the cards with the hosts requiring a run-a-ball, with wickets in hand, to clinch victory.
When the whips began to crack, the Mounters would hit a debilitating hurdle as Giblin, Blackwell and the fast-scoring Jett Hartman would fall in quick succession, leaving captain Campbell Mole and Malinga De Silva to chase the runs against a Barkers attack that had started to turn the screws. In a crushing blow, the Mooroolbark attack would execute far better than the batsmen, and the Mounters finished agonisingly close with 5/209.
Amazingly, and frustratingly so, other results in the round actually went in favour of the Mounters, and had they saluted, they would’ve risen up the ladder above the relegation zone, it does mean that all is not a forlorn hope, and should they find a win or two in a tight competition over the final two rounds, they could conjure a miracle to remain in the Wilkins Cup competition.
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI were the big winners over the weekend, both in margin and in significance. The team travelled to North Ringwood to take on a young and struggling Bulls team, and they would put the youngsters to the sword.
The Bulls would ask the Mounters to bat first and were immediately put to the sword by the experienced opening pairing of Adam Smith and Luke Jones. The pair would put on a commanding 193-run opening partnership to effectively end the contest before it started. Smith was particularly brutal, scoring a blazing century (138 off 91 balls) which included 19 fours and 6 sixes. Smith has been in scintillating form since being demoted to the 2nd XI and has scored an amazing 417 runs at an average of 83.40 in five innings. Jones would be the rock of the innings, unremoved for the entirety of the innings, scoring 86 not out, whilst Alex Brisbane-Flynn would continue Smith’s attack, scoring an unbeaten 70 off just 50 balls. When the dust settled, the visitors had compiled a brilliant score of 1/310. Game over.
Mt Evelyn’s bowlers wouldn’t be outshone by their batting counterparts and soon had the Bulls innings on the ropes as they quickly slipped to be 5/61 courtesy of a brilliant opening spell from Kynan Yates and Austin Leonard and a brace of wickets from Billie Laird in his first over. A rearguard action from some of North Ringwood’s exciting youngsters would ensure the Bulls wouldn’t roll over without a fight, but wickets to captain Joey Chamberlin (2/27) and Lachie Morrow (3/16) would see the hosts’ innings wrapped up for 165.
The win keeps the 2nd XI inside the top four, but remarkably, they are far from assured finals action. They must keep their form going if their season is to progress into March.
The Rhead Group 3rd XI hosted Heathwood on a key clash to keep themselves in finals contention. A win against the Lions would see them create some distance from them on the ladder, a loss would see them give up their position in the four to the Lions.
Mt Evelyn gave Heathwood the opportunity to post a score and what transpired was an even contest between bat and ball. A fast Gruyere outfield yielded plenty of runs, but the Mounters were able to keep things in check. Just as the Mounters looked as if they would restrict the score below 200, a more than satisfying result, the Lions blew the innings open over the closing ten overs scoring at nearly 10 runs per over. The final score would stretch out to 7/230, not an impassable total, but one that would require a big effort to haul down.
Unperturbed, the Mounters would steadily go about their business on the back of Jamie Shaw’s innings of 46. The major stumbling block would be the regular fall of wickets and the gradual rise of the required run rate. When the experienced Darren Westaway fell with the score on 5/127, the Mounters were left with the task of finishing as quickly as the Lions did. Unfortunately, they didn’t quite possess the same firepower despite having a red-hot go. Andrew White would do his best to try and get the hosts home with an unbeaten 41 off 32 balls, but the task became too great, and eventually the Mounters would fall 16 runs short on 216.
The loss now puts the 3rd XI in the precarious position of missing finals. The results from the weekend have seen them slip to fifth and the race for finals has tightened with teams placed 3rd to 7th a realistic chance of featuring. Wins now become a must for the Mounters.
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the second-placed Vermont as they did everything possible to secure a win without actually netting the points.
Vermont would bat first, and the Mounters would produce one of their best performance with the ball, and in the field, for the season. Right from the first over the Mounters would turn the screws on the Eagles. Luke Thomson was particularly miserly with figures of 0/9 off his 6 overs. Ian Hawkey would be the beneficiary of the teams’ all-round efforts capturing 4 wickets whilst the rest of the bowlers would be economical whilst picking up wickets of their own along the way. Eventually, the Mounters would bowl the hosts out for 140. A great result against a strong side and they would be justified in thinking they were in front of the contest at the change of innings. They did however, recognise that Vermont’s strength lies in their bowling stocks.
Jarrod Hartman would get the innings off to a brisk start, but his innings was short-lived and the Mounters struggled early on. Despite battling bravely, the top order would find it tough against some disciplined bowling and fielding from the hosts and soon found themselves behind the eight ball, falling to 5/61.
The mainstay of the innings would be Craig Steele, and whilst he was at the wicket, the Mounters were always a chance of winning. Captain Connor Hartman would join Steele at the wicket and the pair would resurrect the innings through a calm and patient 50-run partnership to put the Mounters within striking distance of victory.
30 runs needed off the last six overs with five wickets in hand. Hartman unfortunately departed and it was left to Steele to find a way to win. Partners would come and go at the other end until the game was left with Mt Evelyn needing two off the last ball to win. A swing and a miss was followed by the inevitable run out and the Mounters would find themselves one run behind their opponents. A devastating loss.
A win would’ve guaranteed the 4th XI a spot in the finals and despite the confidence gained from pushing one of the best teams in the competition right to the wire, the team have to dust themselves off and go again. Next week’s game becomes a huge contest against Wonga Park who currently sit in fifth position. A win will guarantee the 4th XI finals action, whilst a loss will leave the season on a final round cliff edge.
The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI were pitted against Warranwood in another key clash for finals qualifications. A win would see the Mounters close the gap and surpass the Sharks, whilst a loss would see them drop two games behind the Sharks and leave them in a dog fight for the final place in the four.
Mt Evelyn won the toss and elected to field in a tactic to understand the requirements of their chase. It was a brilliant all-round effort from the hosts the ball as they all either contributed with wickets or economical bowling. Brothers Ben (3/40) and Harry (2/28) Dunstone would be the wicket takers as the Mounters would restrict the Sharks to 9/185, a score well below par on the ‘Postage Stamp’, however it was still runs that had to be made.
Craig Kenins and Ryan Doyle would get the chase off to a steady start, but it would be Andrew Frid who would ensure there would be no wobbles in the chase. Frid would reel off a masterful unbeaten 80 to lead the Mounters to victory. He would be well supported by Paul Flavel (35) in a crucial century partnership that would see the hosts cruise to victory with six wickets in hand and seven overs in the bank.
The win gives the 5th XI a stronghold on a position in the finals. They are not guaranteed their place just yet, but the win does give them some breathing space from the chasing pack.
The Flowtec 6th XI had a day to forget against a far more experienced and skilled Heathwood line-up. In short, the Mounters would be bundled out for a dismal 28 with the Lions chasing down the total inside three overs. The disappointing aspect of the game was not the loss itself, but it belied the competitive results the team had been putting forward this season, despite their lowly ladder position. A game to put in the rearview mirror and onward and upwards to the next contest against Wonga Park.
