Cricket Southern Bayside: St Brigid’s skipper Jeremy Heys and Bonbeach’s Tom Smith blast off

Dramatic batting collapses, gritty fight backs, blazing batting and big wicket hauls featured as Cricket Southern Bayside resumed.

Tom Smith of Bonbeach batting this season. He made 115 on Saturday. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Bonbeach skipper Tom Smith smacked 12 fours and 3 sixes in a brilliant knock of 115 against South Caulfield in CSB Championship division on Saturday.

His 150-ball innings at the top of the list helped the Sharks to 234 after fortunes fluctuated between the fierce rivals at Cannes Ave.

It was Englishman’s third century for Bonbeach — one of them was a double ton — and his first ton for the Sharks since 2017-18.

“Hopefully a few more to come,’’ Smith said.

Smith and Ollie Sutton (45) put on 96 for the first wicket but Bonbeach then lost 4-6 to slump to 5-102.

Smith found a willing ally in Robbie Lancaster (19), the pair sharing a 29-run stand. Bonbeach vice-captain Tim Mulholland joined Smith and they put on 38 as the home side went past 200.

Bonbeach skipper Tom Smith raises his bat.

Will Russell catches Tom Smith on the boundary.

Smith was eventually out, caught on the long-on boundary by South Caulfield skipper Will Russell from the bowling of Tom Morris, whose ploy to toss up his gentle left arm tweakers paid off. He took 1-21 off five overs.

Mulholland (22) and No. 11 Jamie Matheson (10no) kept the Bonny tail wagging with a 25-run partnership for the last wicket.

South Caulfield paceman Conway Gilbert was the pick of the bowlers wikth 5-55 off 13 overs.

Facing 13 overs before stumps on Saturday afternoon, South Caulfield slumped to 3-26. South was 4-43 on Sunday when rain washed out play, the game finishing in a draw. Daniel Mueller snared two wickets.

St Brigids St Louis captain Jeremy Heys. Picture: Supplied

With a flurry of sixes, St Brigid’s St Louis captain Jeremy Heys blasted his side out of trouble against Beaumaris. The Saints crashed to 4-8 before Liam Harris (45), Andrew Loffel (37) and Heys (87 off 76 balls) came to the rescue, lifting the side to 230 off 58.4 overs. Heys crunched 7 sixes and 7 fours. Beaumaris paceman Ben Earney did the early damage and finished with 4-24 off 15.4 overs and Jonathan Leadbeater took 3-46. In reply Beaumaris was 5-64 when the rain arrived in Sunday.

Bentleigh recovered from 2-1 to post 218 against Hampton. Demons opener Shane Jeffree (50) and No. 4 Ben Seabrook (44) led a rebuild before Luke Mott (49) and Jake La Brooy (31) contributed later on. Hampton new ball bowlers Freddie Smith (4-19 off 10) and Shea Gribben (2-12 off 12) impressed. Hampton was 0-29, with Jarrod Hewitt (12no) and Michael FitzGerald (11no) when play was washed out.

Mentone vice-captain Comrey Edgeworth made a patient unbeaten 72 off 179 balls to guide the Tigers to 7-220 at Mordialloc. Opener Joshua Fisher (38), skipper Dave Heverin (21) and No. 8 Edward McGarry (27) chipped in. Brendan Morris did best for the Bloodhounds with 3-46.