Check out all the weekend’s big performances from around the VSDCA North-East group

A pair of English imports peeled off big numbers with the bat while there were plenty of match-winning performances with the ball. It’s all here in our weekend wrap.

A pair of English imports peeled off big numbers with the bat while there were plenty of matchwinning performances with the ball.

It’s all here in our weekend wrap.

ABBAS EXPLODES

Ivanhoe import Mo Abbas had scored 8 and 0 in his first two knocks of the season. On Saturday, he showed what he’s truly capable of with a blistering century. The Lymington CC import blasted a match-winning 133 from 128 balls on Saturday as the Saints topped Donvale by 122 runs at Donvale Reserve. The knock included 13 boundaries and five sixes. Abbas and opening partner Alex Pannell put on a 186-run opening stand before Pannell fell for 83 from 82 balls. Jon Kuch and Alvin Simon then ripped through the Donvale batting, snaring 4-26 and 4-31 respectively, to wrap up the club’s first win of the campaign.

VSDCA 2024-25: Ivanhoe's Mo Abbas. Picture: Supplied

BAYSIE BLASTER DOES IT AGAIN

A lofty benchmark was set by Bayswater’s heavy-hitting recruit Rishi Patel when the UK import blasted 169 in his Round 2 Subbies debut.

And heads turned left and right again on Saturday as the 26-year-old opener repeated the dose, putting Croydon to the sword with 167 off 126 to spearhead the Waters to a 52-run win.

Facing the wrath of Team of the Year quick Tom McQuinn, record-breaking fast-bowler Chris Brown – and Leicestershire county cricket teammate Tom Scriven – Patel simply didn’t miss, driving 17 fours and seven sixes to lift his side to 7-252.

Could we be watching a record-breaking season unfold?

VSDCA 2024-25: Bayswater's Rishi Patel. Picture: Supplied

MUSTANGS CRASH MORES’ HOMECOMING

Box Hill held off Strathmore by eight runs to claim its first victory of the season – crashing the Mores’ return to their home deck, Lebanon Reserve, after an 18-month renovation. The Mustangs were led by the crucial wickets of Amir Altaf, who finished with 4-52 off seven after ripping through the hosts’ top and middle order. Strathmore’s batters weren’t given much of a chance as captain Chris Williams fell for 27, before Matthew West (4), Beau Carey (3) and Shea Mulkearns (duck) also felt the wrath of Altaf. Box Hill’s Abu Bakar Siddiqui finished the job with 2-10 off 3.2 as Strathmore closed in on the Mustangs’ 130 total.

Box Hill batsman Ammar Shah drove a leading 27 for his side in a low-scoring arm wrestle. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Strathmore captain and co-coach Chris Williams bowling. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Box Hill batsman Thomas Simmons put up 19 off 41. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Strathmore players celebrate the wicket of Box Hill batsman and captain, James Box, out for one run. Picture: Andrew Batsch

SKIPPER DELIVERS FOR SNOWDOGS

Chasing Brunswick’s 8-215 looked tricky but St Bernard’s captain Daniel O’Connor and gun all-rounder Nish Perera delivered to keep the club’s perfect record intact. O’Connell blasted 64 from 47 balls at the top of the order, while Perera fell agonisingly short of a deserved half-century, out for 49. Tom Winchester (29no) and Blake Manassa (4no) then finished off a five-wicket win at Murphy Oval, chasing down the Wicks’ in 40.1 overs. Earlier, Jackson Cooper scored a patient 77 from 114 balls to set up Brunswick’s first innings. Nathan Johnson (2-35) and Josh Lawrenson (2-32) were the Snowdogs best bowlers, while Louis Cameron snared 2-37 for the visitors.

BULLANTS CRUISE

Preston got a match-winning performance from it’s captain too as it smashed Mt Waverley by six wickets at Preston City Oval. Vaib Deshpande snared 4-11 from 6.1 overs, while last year’s skipper Kyle Walsh claimed 3-26, to skittle the Kangaroos for 105. Sent in after losing the toss, the visitors were in immediately trouble, falling to 5-64 - including a disastrous 3-2 collapse. The chase lasted just 24.2 overs. Opener Alex Maratos hit 39, while James Wigginton (27) and Swapnil Salvi (25) played key roles in victory. The win sees Preston go three from three to open the season.

BATS DOWN PREMIER TO STAY PERFECT

A true team effort from Plenty Valley secured a well-earned 48-run win over reigning premier Kew at North Oval on Saturday. Karthik Singh (35), Chenutha Wickramasinghe (35), Alex Cole (25) and Tom Raper (22) all contributed handy scores as the home team was bowled out for 168 in the 42nd over. Lachlan Cunningham snared 3-26 for Kew. In response, James Stewart was out first ball of the innings in a bad omen. Despite the two Jack Carrolls (32 and 27 runs respectively) there was little more resistance as Kew was dismissed for 120 in just the 26th over. Ali Hamza (3-25) and skipper Simon Black (3-31) were the main destroyers. Plenty Valley remains perfect on the season, now three wins from three matches.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!

Balwyn skipper Adi Narayana fired his side to a 10-wicket victory with a 5-29 haul off nine overs, consigning Endeavour Hills to a modest 133 total. Dismissing Hills’ opener Ajayveer Hundal for 44, Narayana’s handiwork sparked an almighty batting collapse as he took to the middle order, claiming the scalps of Tyrell Panditharatne (golden duck), captain Blaize Bainbridge (9) and Rhys McDonald (1). In the space of 14 overs, Hills plummeted from 1-85 to 7-127, as Narayana then made it two scalps in three balls with the dismissal of Jasmeet Singh for a duck. The Tigers put up 137 in reply, with opening pair Tynan Forster (78 off 67) and Kane Heathcote (56 off 56) shouldering the load.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Janaka Liyanabadalge and Sahan Perera steered Noble Park to a six-wicket win over Coburg as the star duo stood out with bat and ball. Chasing 137, Noble skipper Liyanabadalge did most of the heavy lifting with a 61-run effort off 51 deliveries, smacking three fours and five sixes to help his side to a 4-143 total following 2-35 off nine with the ball. Meanwhile Perera put up 32 off 37 with the bat after hauling in 4-29 off nine. Bhanuka Keppetipola also tipped in with 2-21 off seven.