With the New Years break fast disappearing in the rearview mirror, attention for the cricketers at Mt Evelyn now turn to the run home to finals, and with five of the six teams in finals contention, there is an air of excitement around Gary Martin Oval.
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI have reached a point in their season where it is now or never. The team have struggled to find consistency this season, but have squeaked themselves into the top four. With a run of games against teams in and around the top four, the Mounters have a great opportunity to take their game to the required level to make an impression in the finals. On the flip side, if they can’t rise to the occasion, they will have a quiet March.
This week they travelled to Warrandyte to take on the top of the table Bloods. Captain Troy Hancock would elect to bat first upon winning the toss in perfect conditions, and his batting lineup would put together a well constructed innings. Openers Jake Blackwell and Adam Smith would ensure there would be no customary early wobble as the navigated through some probing bowling from the home team. The pair would guide the team through the first twenty overs without the loss of a wicket to be well poised for a late onslaught at 0/84. The visitors would gradually amp up the run rate after the break without too many concerns. Blackwell would eventually fall for his second half century on the trot as the openers would combine for a 119 run partnership. Unfortunately for Smith, his innings wouldn’t extend much further as he succumbed to injury at the end of the 30th over after he also contributed a solid half century.
With the score on 1/135, wickets in hand, and just ten overs in the bank, the time was now to push the run rate into overdrive and push the score to a considerable one. Daniel Giblin (30 off 19 balls), Campbell Mole (30 not out off 22 balls) and debutant Mike Mawson (26 not out off 11 balls) would ensure the Mounters would miss the opportunity to pile on the runs. 96 runs would be scored over the closing ten overs with boundaries aplenty littering the scoresheet. When the innings was closed, a more than competitive total of 4/229 would be posted.
The home team have held the top spot on the table for the entirety of the season, and they would relish the challenge set by the Mounters. The Bloods would approach the start of the innings in a contrasting style with opener Brady Poole putting the pedal to the medal with a blistering early onslaught. His innings would be brief in the scheme of things, but his strokeplay would give the Bloods a flyer as they raced to 1/56 off the first seven overs. The home team would then settle into some more conventional cricket on the back of talented youngster Isaac Rukuscek. He would guide the team to the drinks break without the fall of another wicket, as like the Mounters, their innings was well set for a late push at 1/100. Bohdie Jones and Will Macklin would ensure the middle overs would be tight, but the Warrandyte batsmen would ensure there would be no disastrous collapse. With the host sitting at 3/159 with ten overs remaining, the game was set for an exciting finish. The Mounters would breakthrough with wickets to Jones and Macklin, but the scoreboard would continue to tick over, and the Bloods would eventually break the back of the contest courtesy of the some late order hitting from Ben Davies to escape with victory with an over to play out. Bohdie Jones (3/37) and Will Macklin (2/33) would be the pick of the bowlers as they battled manfully to keep their team in the contest.
Although on the losing end, and with wins at a need, the Mounters would be buoyed by the performance against the competition’s best, however they now have left themselves some work to do over the closing rounds of the season. Fortunately, they remain in the top four, so their destiny is in their own hands as the challengers close to within touching distance on the table.
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI are enjoying a stretch of good form as they challenge the top end of the table in a close run competition in Beatty Shield. This week they hosted Croydon Ranges in a game in which they just needed to tuck away a win against their struggling opponents. The visitors would take the opportunity to bat first and they would aquit themselves well against a disciplined Mt Evelyn attack. The batters would put together a string of useful partnerships, whilst the bowlers would ensure the run rate would stay intact. Eventually the Ranges would be bowled out for a useful total of 192, but as it would prove, the total would be short of the mark on a ground which has yielded big totals this season. In a good allround performance, Brad Jones (3/34) and Luke Shepherd (2/44) would be the pick of the bowlers.
After an early wobble seeing the home team slip to 3/26, the experience of the Mounters would shine through, and where the Ranges failed, the Mounters would excel, with a 92 run partnership between TJ Hancock (63) and Brad Jones (70 not out) not only protecting the innings from any further damage in the wickets column, but their expansive strokeplay ensured there would be no problems with the required run rate. Eventually the home team would cruise to the total in the 29th over with the loss of just five wickets. Although the win now has the team within reach of the top echelons of the ladder, the nature of this competition also has the team in a precarious position should their form slip. It makes for an exciting finish to the season for the 2nd XI.
The Rhead Group 3rd XI have had to work hard for their victories this season as they continue to stay in the mix for finals action. This week they would travel to Mooroolbark for the toughest test in their competition, as the Barkers have been dominant this season on the back of an experienced, and talented, line up. The hosts would ask the Mounters to bat first, and despite losing early wickets, the visitors would put in a good performance with the bat. The mainstay of the innings would be in form opener Kadyn Newport who would post his third consecutive half century, and he would be well supported by an explosive half century from Alex Whiting. When the innings was closed, the visitors would be pleased with a score of 8/194.
This Mooroolbark batting line up is littered with past champions who have lost nothing, and despite an excellent bowling performance from the Mounters, they would keep wickets in hand which would prove vital in the chase. The Barkers would have to use the majority of their allotted overs to get to the total, but the chase was relatively stress free as they passed the total with eight wickets in hand. Although just sitting outside the top four, the 3rd XI have the opportunity over the closing rounds to fight for finals action with games against teams around them on the ladder.
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI are in the midst of a rich vein of form, and have entrenched themselves in the top four. This week’s clash would be pivotal to maintaining their place in finals contention as they hosted Wantirna South on ‘The Postage Stamp’. The visitors would bat first and they would navigate through some tight bowling to post 3/195. Although a handy total, on the small confines of ‘The Postage Stamp’, it would prove to be well short of the mark as the Mounters wouldn’t let this opportunity slip. An even contribution from the batters, including an unbeaten partnership of 86 from captain Chris Doyle (55 not out) and young gun Jake Rigg (38 not out), saw the hosts race to the total within 29 overs. The 4th XI have a tough run home, but they have posted enough victories to give themselves some breathing space in the top four, and a continuation of the good form could see them fighting for a home final.
The Mt Evelyn 5th XI are the team to beat in their grade as they continue to lock away the wins. The team travelled to Heathwood and made short of another vanquished opponent. The hosts would bat first and would battle against some excellent bowling from the Mounters. The Lions could only muster a score of 94 as the attack, led by Craig Steele (2/15) and Jacdan Mikaelian (2/9), would strangle their opponents. The highlight would be a hatrick to Paul Flavel, as swooped to take 4/3 and closed the hosts innings in haste. For the second week in a row, the Mounters would make short work of the small chase as they raced to the total within 13 overs. Craig Steele (28), Leighton Joyce (27 not out) and Ryan Doyle (25 not out) would all make useful contributions to the chase. With a stronghold on a top two spot, the challenge for the 5th XI is to maintain their form over the closing rounds of the home and away season. After the long weekend, the team has the perfect chance to test their progress against Kilsyth who occupy second on the ladder and are the only team to best the Mounters.
The Flowtec 6th XI continue to improve their onfield performances despite their lowly position on the ladder. On the weekend they travelled to Heatherdale to take on the second placed Dales. The home team would bat first, and early on would take full advantage of a Mt Evelyn team short of playing numbers on the field. The Mounters would battle manfully with tight bowling, but the many gaps in the field made it difficult to contain the run rate. Andrew Giblin would turn back the clock with figures of 2/24, and when the Mounters gained their full quota of fielders, they were able to limit any late damage. Eventually the hosts would post an imposing total of 5/253.
The Mounters would make a fair fist of the chase as unbeaten half centuries to Chris Anderson, Andrew Frid and Chris Graham at the top of the order would see the visitors only lose their first wicket on 179 with the run rate nearing the required rate. Unfortunately, the score would prove to be too great for the visitors as the required run rate slowly pushed out of reach as the Dales would tighten the screws over the closing overs. Eventually the Mounters would fall 29 runs short of the target, finishing on 7/224. Despite being disappointed on getting so close, the team would be well pleased with their progress across the season and gives them some impetus to posts some confidence boosting victories over the remainder of the season.
