Premier Cricket: Melbourne scores two-wicket win over Monash Tigers
Dom Matarazzo hit a century and took four wickets but his efforst were not enough to stop Melbourne from scoring a two-wicket win over Monash Tigers.
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Dom Matarazzo couldn’t have done much more.
The experienced all-rounder bludgeoned his way to his second First XI century on Saturday and backed up that performance with a four-wicket haul on Sunday.
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But Matarazzo’s efforts failed to give Monash Tigers their fourth win of the Premier Cricket season as Melbourne scored a two-wicket win in the Round 6 fixture at the Albert Ground.
Matarazzo was typically hard-hitting in his approach, clubbing 106 from 136 deliveries, including 17 fours and a six.
His ton came in just over a session in a power-packed knock.
“He was in before lunch and he had his hundred before tea. Not many No. 7s get a hundred before tea,” injured Monash captain Daniel Sartori said.
“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but the way he played was fantastic.
“He’s got all the shots in the book and when he’s batting he seems to have all the time in the world.”
Matarazzo and Jake Fraser-McGurk counterattacked to lift Monash out of trouble at 5-69 with a 110-run stand for the sixth wicket as the Tigers piled on a remarkable 3-175 in the second session on day one.
By tea, the score had zoomed to 8-255 before Matarazzo was removed with the first ball of the final session.
Teenager Fraser-McGurk was just as aggressive in his approach, creaming 53 from 63 deliveries, powered by 8 fours and a six, in 88 minutes to log his maiden First XI half-century.
“I think it will be the first of many 50s, if I’m being honest,” Sartori said.
“To come out and play his shots and take the game on like he did, he just looked at home and not many 16 year olds look that comfortable in first grade cricket.
“He’s certainly on track for a pretty exciting future.”
The tail of Blade Baxter (29), Mitch Perry (18 not out) and Fred Klaassen (10) frustrated the Melbourne attack with the addition of 112 for the last three wickets before Monash was bowled out for 295.
Melbourne’s chase was top and tailed by half-centuries from the state duo of Blake Thomson (54) and Sam Harper (50) and the lower-order pair of Brad Melville (68) and Sean Sturrock (62).
Resuming at 1-70, Thomson and Harper cruised to 1-111 before Matarazzo intervened. Matarazzo removed Thomson, Harper and Melbourne captain Matthew Brown (6) to trigger a collapse of 5-51 as the home side crashed to 6-152.
But Melville and Sturrock delivered a seventh wicket stand worth 105 to lift Melbourne to a position of favouritism.
Matarazzo finishing with figures of 4-38 from 20 overs, including seven maidens, but a calm hand from No. 9 Kieran Elliott (18 not out) ensured Melbourne victory.
Sartori will return from a thumb injury for the two-day clash against Melbourne University starting this weekend at Central Reserve.
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