Victorian Sub-District: Brighton unveils star import as it remains undefeated
An exciting talent from South Africa made an immediate impact as Brighton banked another win in VSDCA south-west section. Stunning displays from Hoppers Crossing, Elsternwick and Spotswood also feature in our weekly wrap.
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The names have changed but the results have stayed the same.
The sweeping changes Brighton had during the off-season have made no impact to its ability to win.
The Tonners, after defeating Taylors Lakes on Saturday, remain the only undefeated side in the VSDCA South West competition.
A haul of 3-35 from Nick Huttley helped Brighton dismiss the Lions for 156 before the Tonners, led by South African import Daniel Doyle Calle (40no), sealed victory in a canter.
Doyle Calle piled three sixes and two fours into a 37-ball stay.
“He (Doyle Calle) only got here on Wednesday, he’s a ripping fella, has played cricket all over the world,” Brighton captain-coach Peter Cassidy said
“He hits the ball so hard, a few of the Taylors Lakes boys were saying after the game ‘you’ve found a player here, he can seriously play cricket’.
“We’re pretty excited to see what he can do for the rest of the season for us.”
Cassidy says the Tonners are a refreshed group who are finding new ways to win.
“We had about five new blokes play on the weekend, it was probably one of the strongest teams we’ve had this year,” he said.
“It’s been a different team to last year, we lost a lot of older players, it’s been good to get this group together and play some games.
“I think we played a game earlier this year, we played Altona at home, and Parksy (Glen Parker) said after the game ‘we don’t normally win like that’.
“We haven’t normally found a different way to win, the last two or three years we’ve won the same way.
“We are finding different ways to win at the moment because we’re a different side and it’s good to have that balance.”
The Tonners have taken 37 of a possible 40 wickets so far this summer, including at least one scalp from each of the six bowlers used on Saturday.
Cassidy thinks the Tonners’ new-look attack challenges any he has seen previously at Brighton Beach Oval.
“We didn’t bowl well early on Saturday but the beauty of our team is that we’ve got so much depth now,” he said.
“Another bowler comes on, does their role.
“Our bowling is probably the best it’s been since I have been there.
“Huttley is slowly finding his feed, (Nick) Gillard, Parks (Glen Parker) and Sisty (William Sist) … it’ll be a good attack this year.”
Elsewhere, Hoppers Crossing made light work of Yarraville.
Hoppers bowled Yarraville out for 97 and chased down the small target with five wickets in hand.
Harshit Takkar took 3-30 and Brett Smith 2-8 in a strong bowling display.
Elsternwick star Dasun Opanayaka was left agonisingly short of a century but his knock steered the Eels to victory over Moorabbin.
Opanayaka hit 11 ours and one six on his way to 98 not out.
The Eels posted 4-250 and restricted Moorabbin to 190 in reply.
Ormond’s difficult start to the summer continued after it was bundled out for 76 against Altona.
Charlie Ward took 4-23 and Adam Yates 2-1 before Ben Davies (38no) and Connor Brown (28no) saw Altona home by nine wickets.
Former Melbourne spinner Sean Sturrock delivered a crucial spell to set up Williamstown’s five-wicket win over Port Melbourne.
The left-armer took 3-41 off 8 overs, including the key wickets of Port skipper Jake Rothnie (45) and Sean Pickles (10), after Port Melbourne was 1-62 off 13 overs. Port was dismissed for 141 and Williamstown in reply achieved victory in the 31st over, making 5-143, with openers Cameron D’Altera (37) and Fraser Hay (30) showing the way.
Spotswood climbed to seventh spot after Sandeep Mandalika and Jackson Wadden bowled beautifully in its thumping win over Melton. Melton coasted to 0-57 before the game changed. Spinner Mandalika took a wicket in his first over and finished with 4-23 off 9 overs while Wadden bowled with pace to take 3-18 off 8 overs and help round up Melton for 139. Brenton Cook (36) and Joshua Luca (28) did best for Melton. In reply, Spotswood hurried to 2-143 in only 26.3 overs, with Jarrod Martignago (71no off 70 balls, with 8 fours and 2 sixes) and left-hander Taylor Tatterson (64no off 67 balls, with 11 fours) in mint form. Martignago’s two sixes were powerful pull shots, the second to bring up his half century.
A strong batting display, headlined by Nathan Harford (40), Jack Clark (47) and Sam Jones (38), fired Oakleigh to victory over Malvern — handing the Roosters their first loss of the season. The Oaks put up 9-219 off their 45 overs and then dismissed Malvern for 168, with Alexander Jones (3-31) and Geoffrey Latham (3-32) doing the damage.
Caulfield put in a clinical performance to beat Werribee, with champion Jacob Thorne (46 and 3-24) featuring prominently. The Fielders batted first and put up 5-177, with Thorne, Madhur Ghai (44), Jeremy Corby (28no) and Vinnie Page (27) in the runs. In reply, Werribee slumped to 2-10 as Caulfield paceman Lachlan Graf grabbed 2-8 and was all out for 107 in 41.2 overs. Corby capped a fine game with 2-15 off 9 overs.
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