Oakleigh ends Caulfield’s long run of matches without defeat

ALL good things must come to an end and it was Oakleigh which stopped Caulfield’s long run of matches without defeat.

The experienced Brendan McGuinness guided Oakleigh past Caulfield.

Something unusual happened in Sub-District cricket on Saturday.

Caulfield lost, falling to its great rival Oakleigh in their one-day match at Caulfield Park.

The Fielders’ last defeat was in January, 2017 to Plenty Valley, and since then they had completed back-to-back premierships, prompting Subbies president Phil O’Meara to declare them the best team he had seen during his long association with the competition.

After stumbling to the Valley they had won 20 matches and drawn three; their loss to Oakleigh left them five games short of the record jointly held by Brunswick and Port Melbourne of 28 games without defeat, VSDCA historian Peter Vesty said.

Sent in on a wicket with a shade of green, Caulfield was dismissed for 138 in 43.3 overs. The Oaks grabbed opener Graeme Rummans for a duck and worked their way through the rest of the batting, encountering the most resistance from No 6 Tom Simmons (24no) and No 3 Jacob Thorne (22).

It wasn’t an easy chase for Oakleigh — it was 4-54 at one stage and then 6-86 — but captain Brendan McGuinness was a determined guide, hitting 35 not out off 76 balls.

Victory was achieved in 40 overs and with three wickets standing, Shane Townsend (16) and Miles Fabris (20no) coming through with vital runs.

Honoured: former Caulfield champion Shaun Richardson.

“If you’re going to lose, it’s probably better to lose in Round 2 in a one-dayer,’’ Caulfield captain Thorne said.

“We were right in the mix, but ‘BJ’ (McGuinness) was the one we needed to dislodge. He batted through.

“We didn’t bat particularly well, we let them (Oakleigh) dictate things. No one really got going. A couple of 20s but that was it.’’

McGuinness said it was a terrific day for his club, with all four teams defeating Caulfield.

He said the First XI “played a really good brand of cricket’’ to take the first Richardson-Travaglia Shield, named after club greats Shaun Richardson (Caulfield) and Jarrod Travaglia (Oakleigh).

McGuinness thought his bowlers did an excellent job and he was particularly pleased with medium pacer Geoff Latham, who had 3-26 off his nine overs.

“He’s done a fair apprenticeship in the twos, with guys like ‘Spike’ (Ben Pinwill) in the ones over the years,’’ he said of Latham.

“He’s been toiling away in the twos for a few years and always been a consistent performer. This season has been his first real crack at a permanent place in the First XI and he bowled fantastically well yesterday. I was really proud of the way he went about it.’’

Jarrod Travaglia hitting out for the Oaks.

McGuinness was unaware of Caulfield’s long run without defeat, but noted it had players missing, including Jack Sheehan Medal champion Dale Denny and fellow all-rounder Adam Warren.

“It’s a fair record, isn’t it? I didn’t realise it was that many games. But they’re a formidable line-up and we know next time we play them it will be just as tough, if not tougher.’’

Elsternwick captain Cam Christiansen completed a century, his fourth in Subbies cricket, as his team thrashed Brighton at Elsternwick Park.

The Wicks had resumed at 5-196 off 67 overs, with Christiansen on 84, and the right-hander cranked it up to 121 as the hosts hit 8-283 off their 80 overs.

The skipper received 215 balls and hit 12 fours and 1 six. He was eventually bowled by Alex Hewet, who collected 5-67 off 23 overs.

Brighton lost openers Michael Nyary and Brendan Murphy cheaply but improved through Ricky Damiano (51) and Marcus Glenister (42). But from 2-97 they were all out for 138, Indian recruit Rizul Chhabra claiming 4-32 off 14 overs with his offies.

Tons of runs: Elsternwick’s Cam Christiansen.

Christiansen, filling in as a wicketkeeper, took two catches and also made a stumping.

“It was a good win for us,’’ he said.

“We set ourselves to get 250, we got a few more than that, and we bowled well. They (Brighton) batted well for a period but we stayed patient and (Andrew) McGorian came back to get Ricky (chipping a catch to mid-wicket).’’

Christiansen has played 161 First XI matches for Elsty and is closing in on 5000 runs.

Ormond also won emphatically, running through Malvern for 131 as it chased 268.

It was all about salvaging respectability for the Roosters after they tumbled to 7-31.

Rodney Bird grabbed three early wickets to push the visitors on to the back foot, and Mick Oaten and Murray Ring chipped in with two apiece.

Malvern’s last pair Will Patterson (53no) and Ben Nethersole (20) added 66 to at least hold up the home team.

Nethersole finally fell to Monders skipper James Wild, whose two wickets went with his day-one score of 92.

Bird finished with 3-42 off 19 overs.

“No excuses. That was poor. A good wicket, fast outfield and an attack we are familiar with,’’ Malvern skipper Luke Walker said.

“To serve that up was terribly disappointing. I thought we bowled OK for the most part last week to restrict them to a manageable score and we were in the game.”

Walker remains confident in his charges.

“There are some good players there. We had a bad one, no hiding from that, but we will bounce back next week I am sure of that. I have complete confidence in the ability of the team at Subbies level.”