Premier Cricket 2018-19: Henry Hall’s four wickets put St Kilda on top of Fitzroy-Doncaster

Henry Hall claimed four key wickets as St Kilda, striving to stay in the top eight, took the high ground against Fitzroy-Doncaster at Schramms Reserve.

Henry Hall has known some frustration this season, but the St Kilda opening bowler reserved his best performance for the final round to put the Saints on top in their crucial clash with Fitzroy-Doncaster.

The Saints, seventh of the ladder, went in to the match believing they had to defeat the third-placed Lions at Schramms Reserve to stay in the top eight and so qualify for the Premier Cricket finals.

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It was going to be no easy assignment against one of the competition’s most consistent and accomplished teams.

But by stumps the Saints were in an excellent position, going in at 0-25 after knocking over the hosts for 180 in 78 overs.

Hall finished with 4-44 off 17 overs, and they were good wickets.

The Lions chose to bat but Hall quickly had them under pressure by removing opener Jack Rudd (2) and No 3 Noah Korkolis (0) in his opening six-over spell.

After lunch he bowled the always-dangerous Trent Lawford and then broke an innings-best partnership of 52 between Ejaaz Alavi and Liam Banthorpe (52no) when he had the Lions skipper caught behind for (30).

All wasn’t left to Hall.

St Kilda opening bowler Shea Gribben.

Shea Gribbin captured 3-27 off 17 overs, Josh Bartlett (1-34 off 14) claimed the coveted wicket of Lions champion Peter Dickson (8), and Jon Merlo (1-18 off nine) nabbed Lions No 4 Nat Vardi for 30 as the home team went to lunch at 4-69 off 31 overs.

It didn’t improve greatly from there.

Hall found himself in the Second XI two rounds ago, took five wickets and promptly returned to the top team.

Two wickets in Kingston Hawthorn’s first innings and three more in the second made for a handy contribution last week.

“He bowled well yesterday, got some big wickets,’’ St Kilda skipper Michael Beer said of the right-arm paceman.

“Our bowling group was very good in hot conditions. Hall got the spoils.’’

The Saints had 14 overs to negotiate before stumps, and Josh Manning (no) and Dan Meddings (15no) took them through while erasing a few runs from the target.

“Happy where we are sitting,’’ Beer said.

“The game has never been out of either side’s reach. Hopefully we start well next week and get the required 155 left.’’

St Kilda’s Jon Merlo takes a bowling stint against Fitzroy Doncaster.

Melbourne needs to conjure an outright victory over Prahran to have any hope of vaulting into the top eight and it made a flying start by taking a first-innings victory over the True Blues on Saturday at the Albert Ground.

Producing their best bowling effort of the season, the Demons knocked over the visitors for 144 in 56 overs and sped to 3-145 in 21.4 overs before declaring.

Prahran is 1-68 in its second innings.

Seb Gotch crashed 59 not out off 35 balls (3 sixes, 6 fours) to push Melbourne to its declaration.

Earlier pacemen Jackson Koop (4-41 off 11 overs) and Kieran Elliott (3-31 off 14) rattled through the batting of Prahran, which, like Melbourne, needs outright points and other results to go its way in the final round.

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