Check out all the highlights from the weekend’s VSDCA North-East action

Another big weekend in Subbies. Patrick Rowe on fire for Donvale, Preston chasing perfection and Coburg’s record-breaking batter backs it up with the ball.

Ivanhoe bowler Jonathan Kuch. Picture: Valeriu Campan

There’s just three games left in the Subbies season.

But is the top-six already locked up?

Preston, St Bernard’s, Noble Park and Brunswick are all looking strong.

Plenty Valley remains in a good position despite losing its last three matches.

That leaves Mt Waverley holding sixth, currently nine points ahead of seventh-placed Croydon and 12 in front of Bayswater.

Check out the highlights of the weekend’s action below.

Patrick Rowe in action for Blackburn before his move to Donvale.

SAINTS BY AN INNINGS

When was the last time Ivanhoe won a Subbies First XI match by an innings? A while ago one assumes. That wait was ended on Saturday with one of the most dominant wins of the entire VSDCA season. Ivanhoe bowled Balwyn out twice on Saturday, skittling the visitors for 57 and then 91, to earn an innings and 154-run victory. Captain-coach Henry Tyler’s 110 last week set the Saints up, guiding them to 302 all out. Jonathan Kuch snared an incredible 5-17 and Ed Withington 4-16 to rout Balwyn the first time. Harry Dixon scoring 31 (not out) of those 57 runs. It was Patrick Hewson’s turn in the second innings, claiming 4-8. Withington picked up 2-5 an Kuch 1-11 to both finish with six scalps for the match.

ROWE MASTERCLASS

A 7-34 haul – and nine scalps for the match – from Donvale’s Patrick Rowe spearheaded the Lions to a third win of the season, prevailing outright by four wickets over fellow battler Endeavour Hills. Hills were sent packing for 72 on day two, with Rowe’s dominance on show early, removing opener and Papua New Guinea cricketer Sese Bau after three balls. Hills’ 72 wasn’t enough on top of 141 the previous weekend, as Donvale replied with 6-92 to go with 123. Rowe’s season has yielded 25 wickets at 16.32 from 11 matches – ranked seventh in the competition.

Brunswick’s Ameya Gharat during his time at St Bernard’s. Picture: Stuart Milligan

SPIN TO WIN

Last round Brunswick’s two-pronged pace attack decimated Endeavour Hills. On Saturday, it was gun spinner Ameya Gharat doing the damage. The leggie bamboozled Mt Waverley, finishing with figures of 6-41 from 19.4 overs. After a five-fa last week, Dan Houghton picked up 4-49 in support and is now fourth on the wicket-taking charts with 27 scalps at 11.52. Opener Zac Gucciardo was Mt Waverley’s best with 44. The result sees Brunswick sit fourth on the North-East group ladder, level with Noble Park but trailing by 0.15 per cent. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Kangaroos, they played a make-up game against Strathmore on the Sunday and came away with a strong five-wicket win, cementing themselves in the top-six.

KETT SAVES SNOWDOGS

After bowling Croydon out for 182, St Bernard’s were in strife at stumps last week, falling to 2-29. The trouble only got deeper when Josh Lawrenson was out without adding to the score on Saturday. That brought Jevon Kett to the crease and the game changed. Kett and Tom Winchester (27) made a critical 64-run fourth-wicket stand and then he combined with Nish Perera for a 65-run fifth-wicket partnership before falling for a match-high 75. Kett and Perera (16) fell within minutes of each other but Caleb Carson (22) and Blake Manassa (19) saw the home team home by four wickets. The win sees St Bernard’s in second place on the ladder.

Nathan Johnson hits a massive six for St Bernard’s. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Tom Scriven rolls the arm over for Croydon. Picture: Andrew Batsch

NOBLE HOLDS THIRD

It’s a logjam from third to fifth on the North-East ladder – but Noble Park made a big statement against one of its major challengers – knocking off fifth-placed Plenty Valley by 97 runs. Noble put on 237 led by Bhanuka Keppetipola (65) and Pawan Dias Edirisinghe (54) in what proved a bridge too far in the hosts’ chase, falling short on 140. Noble Park captain Janaka Liyanabadalge made light work of Plenty Valley’s batting order, taking 4-16 off 9.5 overs.

MORES PUNISH PREMIER

Strathmore secured one of its biggest Subbies wins on Saturday, taking down reigning premier Kew by 95 runs at Victoria Park. Isaac Dukic’s 60 last week saw the visitors post 8-243. Kew was on track in the chase, reaching 2-97 before Luke Adams (25) fell. It triggered a stunning 8-51 collapse that saw Kew rolled for just 148. Harshan Yogendra (3-35) and Daniel Lombardo (3-41) did the damage with the ball, while Darcy Cotter pitched in with 2-20. Yogendra was arguably man-of-the-match after also scoring 34 not out with the bat.

Blake Manassa in action for St Bernard’s. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Caleb Carson at the crease for St Bernard’s. Picture: Andrew Batsch

PRESTON EYEING PERFECT SEASON

There are three games remaining in the Subbies home-and-away season and Preston remains undefeated, going 11-0. The latest win, a four-wicket triumph over Bayswater at Marie Wallace Oval. Despite Rishi Patel’s 78, Baysy was dismissed for 167 last week. Bullants skipper Vaib Deshpande snaring 5-21 and Marcus Murphy 4-23. In the chase, Shakeel Ahmad was a man on a mission, smashing 96 from 106 balls before falling agonisingly short of a deserved century. Some late drama, two wickets falling within seven runs of victory including Ahmad with scores tied as he chased his ton, couldn’t stop Preston from victory. The ladder-leader faces finals contender Plenty Valley and Coburg at home before Kew away in the last round.

MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH

Coburg’s record-breaking 8-416 was too much for Box Hill at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday. The Mustangs all out for 124 as the visitors claimed a thumping 292-run victory. After his blistering 179 from 197 deliveries last week, Noah Thain backed up his performance with the ball, claiming 3-16. This time he had to play single fiddle to fellow Englishman Cameron Harding as he ripped through the home side for 5-25. Tail-enders James Box and Muhammad Saeed both scored 30 to top-score for Box Hill. The hosts were put back in as Coburg chased an outright win but survived 16 overs to stumps at 2-56. Harding and Thain added one more wicket each, while Tom Simmons scored 32 not out.