VSDCA: Port pushes Werribee all the way, Brighton again goes in with 10 players

Brighton selecting only 10 players, Port Melbourne’s plucky performance, Spotswood’s flying start: talking points from the south-west section.

Nick Oaten after taking five wickets for the Monders.

Performances on the field and issues off it provided plenty to talk about after the second lot of matches in the VSDCA south-west section.

Here are the headline-grabbers from the weekend.

Port Melbourne

The Borough didn’t defeat Werribee, but they pushed them all the way at Chirnside Park in a performance that showed they might not be the easybeats some were expecting as they returned to the competition.

The Tigers, premiers last season, put up 8-229, largely through class pair Matt Dean (81) and Tim O’Brien (53).

At one stage in the run chase Port was 3-179, with former Carlton batsman Jonathon Crowe closing in on three figures.

But when he was run out for 91 – off 97 balls, with 10 fours and 3 sixes – the hosts gained control.

Crowe and Ryan McDonald (47) had put on 90 for the fourth wicket.

In the end the visitors fell for 215, a total that would win most one-day games.

As a proud president Chris Sewell said, “not a bad effort from our blokes’’. Port Melbourne played in the third tier of Cricket Southern Bayside last season; it’s a big jump from there to Subbies, but the historic club has set itself to be competitive in every match.

Brighton

As it did last week, Brighton fielded only 10 players to keep within the VSDCA points cap of 19, prompting wags to start referring to the Tonners as the Tenners.

And again Brighton won, running down Moorabbin’s 9-173 at the Moorleigh Community Village Reserve.

The Tonners have their critics on social media, with some saying fielding 10 players is against the spirit of the game and is bringing the Subbies into disrepute.

There is no rule, however, from stopping Brighton going in short as Brighten.

Cricket Victoria last week reviewed the points previously allocated to Justin Butterfield and Rob Salerni – both were marked as four-pointers – and backed the VSDCA ruling.

“CV determined it was satisfied both players were assessed in accordance with our guidelines,’’ Sub-District secretary Ken Hilton said this morning.

He said of Brighton going in with 10 players: “That’s an internal decision. We can’t really influence that at all. Phil (O’Meara, VSDCA president) has been quoted as saying he doesn’t like it.

“But they’re not breaking any rules of cricket. Under VSDCA pennant rules seven players constitute a side. They’re well above that.’’

Peter Cassidy bowling for Brighton. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Spotswood

One of four clubs added to the competition for 2021-22, Spotswood has made a bold start to the season, easily defeating Port Melbourne and, on Saturday, flogging local rival Yarraville.

Last week president John Wheeler spoke of his hope that “our boys are up for the task’’, noting Yarraville had been in Sub-District cricket for a long time and “to take on a club like that, it’s a big challenge for us.’’

Spotty won by nine wickets and with 15 overs left, sprinting to 1-148 after dismissing the visitors for 142.

There were starring roles from skipper Jakson Knight (69no), Riley Vernon (52no) and Jarryd Vernon (3-19).

Adam Bull

The former Premier Cricket opener played his first innings for Ormond and it was a good one.

The right-hander hit 71 off 83 balls, with eight boundaries, and shared a second-wicket partnership of 117 with fellow newcomer Cormac Hassett (53) to lead the Monders to 8-213 against Melton.

Bull took two catches too as the Lions were shaken out for only 64. Nick Oaten captured 5-29 off nine overs for the visitors. And the club’s young president, Will Robertshaw, chipped in with 2-8 off 3.3 overs.

Robertshaw would have been happy just playing cricket after having to steer the club through a Covid episode that prevented all its senior teams from playing last week. He did it well.

Michael Beer

“Beery’’ is captaining Malvern this season but he must think he’s back playing Under 10 cricket given he opened the batting and the bowling against Elsternwick at Elsternwick Park.

He scrapped out 19 off 38 balls on a slow wicket. But he was immaculate over three spells with his left-arm spin, collecting 3-22 off nine as the home team fell frustratingly short of victory, held to 8-214 in answer to 7-218.

Beer bowled at the death as Elsternwick made a charge through Callum Sinclair, who swiped 29 off 16 balls.

Earlier captain LJ Edwards cracked 68 and Zac Grundmann-Perera 42.

Malvern star Tom Rickarby played the innings of the match, 93 off 104 balls, with 7 fours and 3 sixes, and Roosters coach Chris McCormick provided the late flourishes with 49 not out off 25 balls.

Caulfield’s batsmen

The Fielders are in mid-season form with the bat.

Last week they put up 3-232 against Werribee.

On Saturday they came in with 7-270 against Hoppers Crossing, with captain Jacob Thorne unbeaten on 77, Graeme Rummans crafting 67 off 52 balls and opener David Tantsis-Hall muscling 63 off 59 deliveries.

Thorne has hit 156 runs without being dismissed this season; the Caulfield scorer might need to find a spare red pen.

Hoppers were knocked over for 107 in the run chase. New Caulfield opening bowler Oliver Hayes struck twice with the new ball and finished with 2-15 off five overs.

Williamstown

The Towners put in a shocker against Moorabbin in the season-opener but they hit back against Altona, taking a last-over win after a blast from Brenton Hodges.

He packed 4 sixes into his 54 not out off only 36 balls to lift Williamstown to 7-156 in reply to 153.

Sean Sturrock, with three cheap wickets, was another key performer for the winners.

Jack Blyth

The former Fitzroy-Doncaster player couldn’t buy a run for his new club Oakleigh last season. He averaged 11.1 (but he did excel with the ball, collecting 26 wickets at 9.0 with his spin).

He apparently did a lot of work in the off-season and he’s started 2021-22 in good style, scoring 39 against Altona and 57 off 53 balls on Saturday against Taylors Lakes. Andrew Splatt contributed 54 not out as the Oaks made it two from two with a comfortable victory.

The effort of Anthony Howes was noteworthy too: he claimed 4-29 as he stakes his claim for a First XI place.