DDCA: 25 wickets, 10 of them ducks, in a stunning opening day in the Dandenong District Association
Batters came and went, many taking a dip in the duck pond, in an incredible day of DDCA cricket. The stunning match between Narre South and St Mary’s leads off our wrap.
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Narre South coach Matt Brooks can’t recall a day like it.
25 wickets fell, 10 failed to score and the average partnership across the day lasted 19 deliveries.
St Mary’s managed just 37, Brooks’ Lions only 106 in reply and, overnight, the Saints are 5-48, still 21 in arrears.
A grateful Brooks said it was one amazing toss to win.
“With the overnight or day full of rain we had on Friday, the pitches had a bit in them,” he said.
“She was a bit wet and soft, so it was a really good toss to win.
“We were able to bowl well, make them play early, bowl at the stumps and challenge the outside edge too, we bowled well that first hour or two and it happened quick.
“I haven’t seen anything like it, at least for a while anyway.”
The Lions were 3-80 in the second innings before wickets fell quickly.
Brooks said the game plan consistently changed throughout the day.
“We had planned to look at bowling again at some point but were a bit disappointing at the back end our batting,” he said.
“We would’ve liked to get to 150-160 and have a lead of 120 but I think it worked out quite well given the conditions didn’t change much during the day.
“We were able to make a dent in their innings and set ourselves up for hopefully pushing the game forward next week.”
With six points separating Narre South (seventh) and North Dandenong (fourth), an outright victory would propel the Lions back into finals contention.
North Dandenong and Springvale South lasted just eight balls in the middle before the match was rescheduled to a one-day clash next weekend.
Buckley Ridges, meanwhile, posted Hallam Kalora Park 10-190.
Roshane Silva (62) was the only Buck to pass 36 in a difficult day for batting, while Hawk Lauchlan Gregson took 5-56 from 15.2 overs.
A win for the fifth-placed Hawks would keep them in touch with the top four.
Beaconsfield captain Mark Cooper led his group with the bat in its clash with Berwick, scoring 62 from 88 deliveries as the Tigers posted 10-188.
Michael Dunstan chimed in with 33 after Mitchell Shirt (4-16 off nine) ran through the Tigers’ middle order.
In Turf 2, HSD all-rounder Triyan De Silva crunched 70 to guide his Cobras to 9-254 against Keysborough.
Anuda Akmeemana (60) also scored a half century as the Cobras look to consolidate second position on the ladder.
Abhinay Motupalli (3-45 off 12) took important wickets for the hosts.
Parkmore Pirates has a chance to claim the scalp of Dandenong West after dismissing the Bulls for just 104.
Ammar Masood Bajwa captured 5-16 while Dilum Sasantha snared 3-25.
The Pirates were 0-4 in the first over of their innings before play finished.
Dandenong West can’t be removed from pole position but a win for the Pirates would keep their finals dream alive.
Parkfield posted Lydale 10-173 from its 78 overs after five players reached the 20s but none managed to go beyond 28, which came from no.10 Riyanzi Vidanelage.
Narre Warren (3-44) is 132 runs shy of victory over Cranbourne, which posted 175.
Magpies bowlers Damien Gamage (5-30) and Talal Shahzad (5-34) split all 10 Cranbourne wickets.
In Turf 3, Berwick Springs and Silverton put their respective opponents to the sword with the bat before making inroads with the ball.
Berwick Springs posted 6-327 in its clash with Doveton courtesy of century from Jackson Marie.
The Titans’ opener now has two hundreds to go with his two half-centuries this summer.
Shalika Karunanayake has 3-9 from eight overs in reply as Doveton is 4-52 at stumps.
Davandeep Premi belted eight sixes on his way to 102 for Silverton in its match against Fountain Gate.
The no.5 hit more sixes than fours as his side posted 8-303.
Fountain Gate is 2-41 in reply.
The match between Coomoora and Hampton Park is in an intriguing position after a busy opening day.
Coomoora has already won first-innings points – chasing Hampton Park’s 135 inside 34 overs – but the Redbacks put up some resistance late on day 1 and hold a lead at stumps.
The hosts chased the Redbacks runs in such short time due to a sizzling 43 not out from Dean Krelle.
Krelle’s 17-ball stay included five sixes and two fours.
Hampton Park opener Nirmal Dhillon got his side back in front with some of his own big strokes and remains unbeaten on 36 from 23 deliveries.
Doveton North all-rounders Gayan de Silva and Sachith Jaysasingha had a day out against Lynbrook.
De Silva nabbed 4-19 and Jayasingha (4-30) in the first innings to dismiss Lynbrook for just 82.
In pursuit, de Silva crunched 45 from 52 balls before Jaysaingha made his way to 37 not out overnight.
Doveton North leads by 48 runs at the close of play.
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