Craig Berger’s red ink runs out at Middle Park

Former Premier Cricket star Craig Berger’s red ink finally ran out for Middle Park in Cricket Southern Bayside.

Premier Cricket great Craig Berger is enjoying a hit for Middle Park.

HE’S OUT

There was a bit of an oddity in Cricket Southern Bayside on the weekend. Craig Berger was dismissed. The former Premier Cricket great has for a while played in a lower-grades one-day team for Middle Park. Last season he got three scores of 50 retired, another of 42 not out and finished with an average of 208, finally running out of red ink when he was LBW for seven in a semi-final. Berger, 47, started this season with two unbeaten knocks but last Saturday he was caught at point for nine against Murrumbeena. He made amends with the ball, grabbing two cheap wickets to help his team to a win. Berger was an outstanding Premier player across 254 matches for Essendon, hitting almost 8000 runs, cracking 12 centuries and 44 half-centuries and jagging 229 wickets. Incidentally he had a famous football name as a teammate in Round 1 when his neighbour Leigh Montagna filled in. “Joey’’ made what one onlooker called a “promising’’ six. Richmond Football Club chief marketing officer Simon Matthews also plays with Berger.

Michael Vandort dealing with a Brett Lee bouncer. The pace is far more leisurely in the Dandenong association.

TON UP

Speaking of notables names, former Sri Lankan Test opening batsman Michael Vandort was in the runs in the Dandenong District Cricket Association on Saturday. In his first season with Beaconsfield, the tall left-hander hit 116 not out in a Turf 2 game against Narre North. Vandort played with Parkdale last season and was previously at Springvale South in 208-19.

BATSMEN BLAST OFF

While we’re on tons, there were two blistering centuries in the South east Cricket Association’s Longmuir Shield on Saturday. Brighton Union captain Darian Kuzma cracked a masterful, unbeaten 137 against Bentleigh ANA as the Hoops retained the Egan Shield. Kuzma smashed 8 sixes in the last eight overs and nine in total as his side ran up 3-244.

It was a similar story at Centenary Park where Bentleigh Uniting blitzed 5-291 against Mackie. Craig Short and Hugo Ferdinand added 152 for the second wicket, with Ferdinand making a breezy 86. Short went on with it, hitting 126, with 10 boundaries and 8 sixes. Down the grades, Hampton Central great Nick McMillan went big in G Grade, his 138 including 10 sixes. In the same grade West Bentleigh stalwart Neil Hartlett bought up 10,000 runs for his club and in N Grade Mackie’s Jamie Jeffrey celebrated his 300th game by taking 4-20.

Daniel Ballard hits out for Delacombe Park.

BANG, BANG, BANG …

Delacombe Park Fourth XI opening batsman Daniel Ballard was lame on Saturday morning, limping around home with a sore ankle and a strained groin. He was about to ring his skipper and pull out of the game in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association. But he didn’t, and he’s glad. Ballard produced the innings of his life later in the day, smashing 21 sixes on his way to 218 – a new Delacombe Park CC record score. “It was crazy,’’ he said. “I’m not really a big hitter as such. I was on about 40 off about 20 overs when I tweaked my quadriceps. I was batting with the captain and I said, ‘I’ve got to go here, I can’t run any more’. And then just bang, bang, bang …’’

Baxter bowler Ben Brittain.

FOUR ON THE SPIN

Still in the MPCA and Dromana fast bowler Ben Brittain estimates he’s been on 10 hat-tricks during his cricket career, only to “stuff up’’ the crucial third delivery each time. But on Saturday, the 34-year-old struck it lucky — and then some. Playing against Crib Point in an MPCA District game, Brittain not only took his first hat-trick but made it a double hat-trick with the last four balls of the innings, reducing the Magpies from 6-134 to 134 all out. Brittain will be going for five successive wickets when he sends down the opening delivery of this weekend’s game against Carrum. “I’ll be letting him (Carrum’s opening batsman) know he’s facing a triple hat trick,’’ Brittain laughed.

STANLEY STANDS TALL

MacKenzie Stanley slammed a brilliant 122 for Lower Eltham on Saturday, hammering nine boundaries and seven sixes. Only trouble was it was all in vain. Despite Stanley’s ton, the Kangaroos could only muster 159 in their 15-run defeat to Riverside in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association. None of Lower Eltham other 10 batsmen managed double figures and extras (eight) were the third highest score, while Steve Villani’s 45 was the best contribution from the winning side. Hopefully Stanley receives better support this weekend.

DAMJANOVSKI DELIVERS

Victorian Turf Cricket Association powerhouse Yarraville Club is fielding a new-look line-up this season after losing Andrew Cullen, Emmett Bronca and Adam Contessa to retirement and Will Sheridan to Kew. But the Clubbers still have some fine players, and one is James Damjanovski. The all-rounder has started 2020-21 with three consecutive half-centuries (including one Twenty20 fixture). On Saturday, he held his team together at the top of the order to make 65 from 95 balls against Aberfeldie before collecting 5-29 from 7.4 overs. Ryder medallist and former Big Bash League player Trent Lawford blasted 72 from 41 deliveries in the same match.

Nick Hatzoglou.

MILESTONE MEN

A pair of life members notched noteworthy milestones for Sunshine Heights at the weekend, with president Nick Hatzoglou becoming the first player in the club’s history to play 400 games and Michael Burton racking up 300 games. Both are life members at the VTCA club and have made significant contributions with bat and ball during their long careers.

RECORD FOR LOYAL CLUBMAN

Chirnside Park has a new games record-holder, with paceman Rob Clarke assuming the mantle at the weekend. Clarke made his 251st senior appearances for the Panthers, collecting 1-14 in his club’s win over Kilsyth in the Ringwood and District Cricket Association. The loyal clubman has 417 wickets to his name at an average under 20, is a three-time premiership player, four-time club champion and six-time winner of Chirnside Park’s First XI bowling average.