VSDCA 2018-19: Callum Nankervis leads Plenty Valley to win over Brunswick

Aarriving at the crease with the match in the balance, Plenty Valley all-rounder Callum Nankervis stood tall to lead his team to victory over Brunswick.

Plenty Valley’s Simon Black appeals for a wicket. Picture: Mark Dadswell

TWO sixes sailed deep over the mid-wicket boundary.

The third landed in a playground 10m behind the fine-leg fence.

By the time the 37th over was done, the match was effectively over.

Callum Nankervis launched a brutal counter-attack to haul Plenty Valley to victory on Sunday, including three consecutive sixes off one of the VSDCA’s premier pacemen, Brunswick’s James Pearson.

The former Essendon all-rounder finished with a hugely-entertaining 122 from 103 balls, powering the Bats to their third win of the North-East group campaign and consolidating their top-six spot.

Plenty Valley celebrates the wicket of Brunswick’s Karl Mayne. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“I knew he was going short, so I was just waiting for it and opening the front leg,” Nankervis said.

“You just keep going with it and it felt nice out there.”

Nankervis joined Daniel Heatley in the middle of A.G Gillon Oval with the fixture in the balance. With his team defending 145, Leigh Brennan produced a superb spell in the opening session, beating the bat several times and skittling Plenty Valley opener Ryan Pearson (21).

His wicket brought Nankervis to the crease and he rode his luck alongside Heatley before exploding.

Early in their union, Brennan and Pearson drew edges which flew wide of slips or gully on a day where Brunswick could ill afford missed opportunities.

From 4-34, Heatley (44 from 99) played the support act to perfection as Nankervis plundered the Wicks attack.

Houses on nearby Hope St were under threat when Nankervis let loose, clearing the rope six times and hitting nine boundaries in his knock.

His hundred came from 77 balls and was achieved minutes after a lofty blow from spinner Tim Daykin took about 10 minutes to retrieve.

“I was pretty scratchy early, playing and missing at a fair few,” Nankervis said.

“I got going in the end and it was nice to get the win.”

The Bats were eventually dismissed for 202 after completing a six-wicket victory.

Sean Ayres grabbed three wickets for the Bats. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Milestone man Sean Ayres celebrated his 300th game in style with 3-11 from 17.2 overs on Saturday, combining with Nankervis (3-35) and Simon Black (3-61) to reduce Brunswick to 7-88 despite Karl Mayne’s defiant 46.

A fighting lower-order rearguard from Pearson (22) and Brennan (17) willed the Wicks to 145, which appeared a tricky target until Nankervis’ heroics.