J.G Craig Shield top performers continue to shine

Balwyn and Croydon have won through to the J.G Craig Shield grand final with Thursday’s semi-finals highlighted by two stunning bowling efforts.

Balwyn and Croydon will contest the 2023 J.G Craig Shield grand final.

The Tigers earned their place in the grand final after a thrilling eight-run victory over Kew at home on Thursday.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Jack Childs put his side in a strong position with 41 runs from 68 balls as Balwyn reached 8-140 from its 40 overs.

Luke Bellingham was also impressive with the bat scoring 39.

Bellingham then played an important role with the ball taking 2-15 from eight overs as Kew were bowled out for 132.

Billy Rayner also took two wickets.

Meanwhile, a dominant bowling display helped Balwyn secured a seven-wicket win over Williamstown.

Heath Fox (3-7) and Logan Sibderhof (3-2) led the way with the ball for the Tigers as the Seagulls were all out for 50.

Despite losing some early wickets, Balwyn eventually showed great patience to win through to Sunday’s decider.

The game will be played at Spotswood’s Donald McLean Reserve from 10am.

QUARTER-FINALS REVIEW

Then there were four.

The Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s J.G Craig Shield is down to the semi-final stages after exhilarating quarter-finals were played out on Tuesday.

Kew won through to the final four after powering to a 90-run win over Melton.

Opener Isiah Boston helped to set up his side’s victory after posting 55 runs from 62 deliveries to guide his side to 168 after it won the toss and elected to bat.

Melton was eventually all out for 78 as James Webb led the way with 3-14 from his eight overs while wicketkeeper Lachlan Gilligan impressed with his work behind the stumps — being involved in four dismissals.

James Rosham continued his brilliant tournament with 2-21 and a catch.

Croydon won through to the semi-finals after overcoming Ormond, with Melbourne’s storm impacting the game’s latter stages.

After being sent into bat, Croydon posted 9-130 from its 45 overs as Billy Rayner and Tate Hodgson led the way with 27 runs each.

Matthew Stone impressed with the ball for the visitors taking three wickets.

Ormond reached 8-115 when play was stopped in the 35th over with Declan Herridge the pick of the bowlers taking 3-34.

Williamstown proved to be too good for Brunswick after overcoming the northern club by 29 runs.

Half-centuries from Parvan Singh (66 runs) and Antone Harb (50) proved to be critical as the Seagulls posted 5-176.

In response, Brunswick was all out for 147.

Balwyn showed fantastic patience to overcome Elsternwick by seven wickets away from home.

Heath Fox produced a dominant showing with the ball for the visitors, taking 4-12 to have the hosts all out for 100.

Yash Goel led the way in the run chase with a patient 41 not out.

SEMI-FINAL FIXTURE

Croydon v Kew at Croydon Oval.

Williamstown v Balwyn at Williamstown.

ROUND 7 REVIEW

Players returned to the field in the J.G Craig Shield on Thursday after missing a day earlier due to consistent rain.

And it was one extreme to another after cool conditions greeted clubs compared to the scorching hot temperatures on Tuesday.

It was a day dominated by the bowlers with Box Hill’s Charlie Pataki finishing with the best figures of the day.

He finished with 5-11 in his side’s loss to Bayswater, who came out on top by 36 runs.

Plenty Valley’s Aryan Sharma continued his impressive tournament with 71 runs to guide his side to a 46-run win over Strathmore.

Charles Roylance scored 62 in a losing effort.

Melton stormed to a 10-wicket win over Hoppers Crossing after a dominant bowling display.

Hoppers were all out for 79 before Lions openers Jake Howell (41 runs) and Ayman Zawahir (32) comfortably navigated the run chase.

Stumps on Thursday marked the end of the pool stage of the competition with the quarter-finals set to be confirmed soon.

TOP BATTING PERFORMANCES

71 – Aryan Sharma, Plenty Valley

65 – Harvey Redpath, Spotswood

64 – Kobi Glenister, Taylors Lakes

63* – Madden Sadowy, Williamstown

62 – Charles Roylance, Strathmore

59 – Rupptaz Kharoud, Brunswick

58* – Billy Rayner, Croydon

53 – Lucas Kennedy, Caulfield

48 – Anagha Bhan, Plenty Valley

47 – Noah Green, Moorabbin

BEST BOWLING PERFORMANCES

5-11 – Charlie Pataki, Box Hill

4-4 – Nanak Veer Oberoi, Preston

4-12 – Shyam Madan, Preston

4-22 – William Forrest, Moorabbin

4-26 – Zachary Cotter, Spotswood

3-9 – Thomas Merry, Brighton

3-10 – Aden Bates, Bayswater

3-12 – Dante Happawana, Noble Park

3-15 – Callum Anderson, St Bernard’s

3-15 – Lueder de Podolinsky, Melton

3-16 – Charles Roylance, Strathmore

3-16 – Mitchell Taylor, Bayswater

3-17 – Issam Sami, St Bernard’s

3-19 – Armi Wakefield, Yarraville

3-21 – Camdyn Jones, Croydon

3-22 – Isaak Edens, Mt Waverley

3-24 – Pranav Mittal, Port Melbourne

3-24 – Navjot Bhardwaj, Taylors Lakes

3-46 – Ricky Hobson, Williamstown

ROUND 7 RESULTS

EAST: Noble Park 1-89 def. Endeavour Hills 88; Bayswater 118 (Charlie Pataki 5-11) def. Box Hill 82; Croydon 2-108 (Billy Rayner 58no) def. Donvale 7-107; Balwyn 6-181 def. Mt Waverley 102.

NORTH: Kew 9-140 def. Coburg 73; Brunswick 4-125 (Rupptaz Kharoud 59) def. Ivanhoe 105; Preston 133 def. St Bernards 67; Plenty Valley 7-172 (Aryan Sharma 71) def. Strathmore 6-126 (Charles Roylance 62).

SOUTH: Elsternwick 2-93 def. Ormond 92; Brighton 7-148 def. Port Melbourne 121; Caulfield 152 (Lucas Kennedy 53) def. Moorabbin 9-117; Oakleigh v Malvern (no play).

WEST: Melton 0-80 def. Hoppers Crossing 79 (Lueder de Podolinsky 3-15); Williamstown 5-139 (Madden Sadowy 63no) def. Altona 114; Spotswood 8-159 (Harvey Redpath 65) tied with Taylors Lakes 8-159 (Kobi Glenister 64no); Werribee 8-172 def. Yarraville 7-120.

ROUND 5 REVIEW

While games might have been shorter, that didn’t mean the action was any less impressive in Tuesday’s J.G Craig Shield action.

All games were reduced to 35 overs due to Melbourne’s hot weather.

Box Hill’s Sebastian Pascoe led all comers on the day in his side’s 62-run over Mt Waverley with 92 runs from 81 balls.

Pascoe’s innings included eight boundaries and three 6s.

Meanwhile with the ball, Donvale’s Simarjit Pawar produced an impressive performance finishing with 5-16 in his side’s four-run win against Noble Park.

Elsternwick’s Jyothiryaditya Raju Reddycharla was the other player to finish the day with a five-wicket haul.

Meanwhile, Port Melbourne wicketkeeper Brendan Plumb enjoyed a fine outing behind the stumps in his side’s win over Moorabbin.

Plumb finished with four catches and three completed run-outs.

TOP ROUND 5 BATTING PERFORMANCES

92 – Sebastian Pascoe, Box Hill

86 – Antone Harb, Williamstown

69 – Rupptaz Kharoud, Brunswick

65 – Jobe Fraser, Malvern

57* – Will Sharpin, Port Melbourne

55 – Viraaj Aulakh, Werribee

54* – Lucas Kennedy, Caulfield

54* – Aden Bates, Bayswater

53 – Hayden Finkelde, Elsternwick

53 – Jack Czosnek, Elsternwick

TOP ROUND 5 BOWLING PERFORMANCES

5-16 – Simarjit Pawar, Donvale

5-19 – Jyothiryaditya Raju Reddycharla, Elsternwick

5-26 – Jake O’Brien, Caulfield

4-10 – Liam Odewahn, Hoppers Crossing

4-17 – Milun Fernando, Ivanhoe

4-18 – Lachlan Green, Ivanhoe

4-32 – Hayagriv Mallichetty, Mt Waverley

ROUND 5 RESULTS

EAST: Box Hill 5-206 (Pascoe 92) def. Mt Waverley 9-144; Bayswater 4-177 (Bates 54no) def. Endeavour Hills 8-109; Donvale 109 (Singh 52) def. Noble Park 105; Balwyn 8-132 def. Croydon 7-128.

NORTH: Strathmore 5-96 (Rein 51) def. Preston 6-92; Kew 145 def. Ivanhoe 91; Brunswick 7-166 (Kharoud 69) def. St Bernards 7-135; Plenty Valley 4-119 def. Coburg 6-118,

SOUTH: Elsternwick 3-137 (Finkeide 57, Czosnek 57) def. Malvern 136 (Fraser 65, Reddycharia 5-19); Port Melbourne 4-106 (Sharpin 57no) def. Moorabbin 105; Caulfield 0-104 (Kennedy 43no) def. Oakleigh 9-102 (O’Brien 5-26); Ormond 6-130 def. Brighton 127.

WEST: Hoppers Crossing 6-97 def. Altona 95 (Odewahn 4-10); Melton 5-86 def. Yarraville 82; Williamstown 4-166 (Harb 86) def. Spotswood 63; Werribee 7-105 (Aulakh 55) def. Taylors Lakes 103.