Daniel Watson hits eighth Turf 1 century for Buckley Ridges

Daniel Watson cracked 138 not out off 124 balls as the Bucks had their way with HSD at Reedy Reserve.

Champion: Buckley Ridges all-rounder Daniel Watson. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Any list of the best players in local cricket would be incomplete without Daniel Watson.

The player they call “DJ’’ has been a star for Buckley Ridges ever since he moved from junior to senior cricket, and on Saturday the 31-year-old put his name up in lights with another outstanding performance in Turf 1 of the Dandenong District Cricket Association.

Watson hit 138 not out off 124 balls against HSD at Reedy Reserve, putting away 13 fours and 5 sixes.

His innings, and 56 from Michael Davies (off 74 balls, with 4 fours and 2 sixes), took the Ridges to 4-252 off their 45 overs.

HSD was dismissed for 92, of which Ryan Patterson contributed 30.

Watson has now hit eight Turf 1 centuries – he also has 10 scores between 80 and 100 – to go with two tons in T20s and two in Turf 2.

Buckley Ridges stalwart Chris Rattle assessed his innings on Saturday as his best since his stunning 188 not out against Mordialloc in the 2012-13 grand final.

“Didn’t offer a chance. He got hit on the pads once and didn’t play and miss at anything, I don’t think,’’ he said.

“It was a really controlled innings. He hurt his calf the week before so he might have played within himself.’’

Watson had a season with Casey South Melbourne, winning the club championship.

He’s been playing at Buckley since he was six.

Aside from his batting, he touched high speeds with his right-arm bowling before being troubled by a back problem.

English batsman Ian Cockbain played his first match for Buckley on Saturday, opening with Watson. He made 14 before nicking off – and then he did an hour of running.

The club’s other overseas player, Benny Howell, has been called up to the Melbourne Renegades squad but expects to be back at Buckley after Christmas.

At Lois Twohig Reserve, runs flowed from Springvale South batsmen against North Dandenong.

The Bloods piled up 5-269, with opener Ryan Quirk hitting 92 off 103 balls, with 6 fours and 5 sixes.

Newcomer Clint Tomlinson put on a show, thrashing 75 off 37 balls.

Recruited from Bentleigh ANA, the former WA Second XI representative cracked 5 fours and 5 sixes as the visitors zipped past 250.

North Dandenong put in a respectable chase, reaching 193.

Openers Syed Mehmood (41) and Mahesh Kumaraput (39) put on 51 and captain Clay McCartney breezed to 37 off 21 balls.

South’s ace left-arm spinner Jarryd Straker nabbed 5-20 off 11.3 overs.

Springvale South slowie Jarryd Straker.

Scott Phillips and Kyle Hardy batted Narre South to victory over Hallam Kalora Park.

The Hawks batted first and lost Leigh Booth for 6, Ryan Hillard and Jordie Hammond for blobs, and Matt Cox for 4 to slump to 4-16.

They could thank Ben Hillard’s fighting 53 not out (off 91 balls) and Sachith Jayasingha’s 34 off 33 deliveries for reaching 8-139.

Josh Dowling removed Hillard and his former Casey South Melbourne teammate Hammond and finished with 4-50 off his 12 overs.

Will Whyte, playing his 150th game for the club, made two early strikes to put South under some pressure.

But opener Hardy was steady with 48 not out off 110 balls and Phillips blitzed 57 off 41, with 6 fours and 2 sixes.

St Mary’s gave Berwick a scare but the Wicks held on for a 26-run victory at Thomas Carroll Reserve.

Batting first, they were 6-72, but ended up with 181 after useful runs down the list from Nick Shirt (27), Jarrod Armitage (19) and Jarrod Goodes (24 off 22 balls, with 2 sixes).

Star all-rounder Ruwantha Kellepotha top scored with 35, then pocketed 4-34 off 11 overs of spin.

Kusan Niranjana (36) and Junaid Kari (38) gave the Saints hope but from 2-74 they were all out for 155.

Armitage was the pick of the pacemen with 3-45.