By Chris Anderson
Sunny skies greeted Mt Evelyn’s cricketers for the second week of action of the season and they made the most of the beautiful conditions to post some great results.
The First XI escaped with a victory when all looked lost for long periods of their Stuart Newey Plate clash against Croydon North. Croydon North won the toss and promptly put the Mounters in to bat in a game tactic asking the visitors to put a score on the board. For the majority of the innings, this decision looked like a masterstroke. After the openers put on a brisk 23 run partnership, the bowlers took ascendency. The innings stuttered with regular wickets putting a dent in any aspirations of the Mounters compiling a total of any substance. For most of the innings it looked as though they would fall short of three figures. The only saving grace was a quick cameo from Bohdie Jones, who scored 24 runs featuring a couple of big blows, late in the innings, to push the total to a paltry 122, also leaving over ten overs in the bank.
With a pace laden attack, the Mounters would need to be on the front foot early, with quick wickets a must. Things couldn’t have got off to a worse start, with a blistering attack with the bat from Knights’ opener Luke Perry who smashed the ball to all parts of Hughes Park, and quickly had the home team 1/43 after 6 overs, and a short day on the pitch, and a big boilover, looked a distinct possibility. Mt Evelyn captain, Troy Hancock, tossed the ball to Will Macklin (2/6), Darcy Fraser (1/21), and Jake Blackwell (3/32) through the middle overs and this proved to be the turning of the tide. Through some miserly bowling, the run rate was soon kept in check, and more importantly, the wickets started to fall giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. At 6/99, Croydon North still held ascendency with plenty of overs in the bank. Add to this, the aforementioned bowlers were fast approaching the end of their allotted overs. In one final fling at victory, Hancock brought himself on to bowl, and with two quick wickets, his contribution led the Mounters to a face saving victory, bowling the home side out for 111.
The Second XI would have a much easier task against East Ringwood. In great batting conditions, on a fast Gary Martin Oval, the Mounters had little hesitation opening up with the bat upon winning the toss. With a batting line up laden with talent and experience, the bowlers had the task in front of them. After a couple of early wickets, it was all Mt Evelyn’s way with middle order half centuries from Luke Jones (66), Chris Morrow (56), Jamie Bliss (51) and a blistering finish from Brad Jones (33 not out from 13 deliveries) all added up to an impressive total of 5/255 after the 40 overs.
The bowlers weren’t going to let their batsmen down after their meritorious efforts, and quickly had the visitors on the back foot with regular wickets. In an even bowling performance, it was a team effort by the Mounters who bowled tight lines and fielded well to restrict the scoring. In the end, the Kangaroos battled on valiantly to bat out their overs, but they were unable to match the scoring rate of the Mounters, and their innings petered out to finish at 8/168. New recruit Kynan Yates was the pick of the bowlers with 2/36.
The lower grades almost made it a clean sweep for the Mounters. The Third XI hosted Heatherdale at Lilydale Reserve and in a high scoring contest, they came away with victory chasing down Heatherdale’s total of 4/200. The Mounters bowlers found the going tough against some free flowing batting, but the total was achievable with some good batting.
The Fourth XI had the most thrilling game of the round finishing their contest with the Seville Burras with identical scores, 9/184. Batting first on the batter friendly, Mt Evelyn number 2, the home team scrounged for their total as regular wickets stifled any chance of a blistering attack to boost the final result to an imposing total. Father and son duo, Chris (30) and Caleb Doyle (42 not out) were the pick of the batters as they gave themselves a chance of victory. For most of the chase, the Burras looked as if they would fall short, as early wickets to Spencer Tabone (3/48) was matched with steady and tight bowling from Mike Leonard (2/27) and Jonathan Brew (3/16). At 8/111, the contest looked done, but the Burras found another gear with Hunter Beers (30) and Rod Pearse (46 not out) reigniting the innings. With 13 to get off the last over, and one wicket in hand, all three results were on the table, and fittingly the game finished in a tie as both teams had given their all in a classic contest between two great rival of the Yarra Valley.
After a round one forfeit from their opponents, the Fifth XI were eager to kick off their season, and they did so in style posting a victory against Chirnside Park. The Mounters batted first and posted a more than competitive 5/195 on a slow ground at Lilydale Heights Secondary College. Leighton Joyce (38) and Craig Kenins (31) laid the foundations of the score, but it was a blistering 50 not out, featuring three fours and five sixes, from Craig Steele that boosted the score to an imposing one. The Panthers couldn’t get it going in the chase, and a disciplined all round effort with the ball from the Mounters saw them post an impressive victory restricting the home team to 7/112.
The Juniors were back at it this weekend with a mixed bag of results. The Under 10s got their first taste of leather on willow for the season in a game enjoyed by all, the U12(1) and U14 teams posted victories, whist the other teams found their opponents too tough to overcome. The star for the round in the junior ranks had to be Harry Dunstone for his hatrick for the U12(1) team on his way to remarkable figures of 7/5. Not to be outshone, Ezra Joyce made a handy 41 not out with the bat in the same game.
