Luke Smith, Kane O’Halloran star in St Francis de Sales’ win over Altona Roosters

Luke Smith scored his first hundred in four seasons to inspire St Francis de Sales past fellow centurion Nadeera Thuppahi and Altona Roosters.

Aaron Maynard in action for St Francis.

St Francis de Sales won the battle of the centuries on Saturday.

Saints’ opener Luke Smith, 101, and Altona Roosters’ Nadeera Thuppahi, 111, both scored hundreds in a VTCA Division 1 run-feast at Langshaw Reserve.

However it was Smith and St Francis de Sales that came away with four points, the Roosters chase falling 11 runs short.

The match-defining ton was Smith’s first since 2017-18, when he smashed 132 against Footscray United in Division 2, and third for the club.

Aaron Maynard came agonisingly close to making it a double celebration, falling for 90, having earlier combined with Smith in a 138-run second-wicket partnership that helped the Saints reach 3-226.

Blake McKinnon in action for St Francis de Sales. Picture: Julian Smith

St Francis de Sales captain Matt Costello said Smith thoroughly deserved his reward.

“Luke’s one of our club stalwarts, it was a really sensible knock and he was able to accelerate in the second half of the innings,” Costello said.

“That can be the lot of an opening batsman, you get that good ball, you might not be batting poorly but you get a few good ones.

“We were all really pleased for him because he puts in a lot of work and definitely deserved three figures.

“Aaron is a classy player who can manipulate the field from ball one.

“He took advantage in the last 10 overs, he really accelerated his rate, and had his eye on a ton in the last over but he ran out of gas by the end.”

Everything was coming up trumps for the Saints when Kane O’Halloran nicked off Roosters opener Leigh Lewis with the first ball of the innings.

However, things quickly changed with Thuppahi and Tharanga Indika (51) at the crease.

Kane O'Hallaran in action for St Francis de Sales.

“We were in the box seat and then got a wicket first ball and it was all looking our way but their No.3 and 4 put on near on 100,” Costello said.

“It was about limiting the damage there for a while, our fields were a bit defensive, but while the run-rate was over a run a ball we were happy to give them the singles and try to take a risk.

“I reckon they were ahead of the game, we were well on the back foot, but we brought our opening bowler back on and he got both the breakthroughs for us.

“We got (Indika) trying to make a big shot and he was caught and then (Thuppahi) tried to improvise and he got bowled.”

With both key wickets in his pocket, O’Halloran finished with 3-41 while Blake McKinnon snared 2-43.

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“The last few years in that situation we might have dropped away but we’ve got a lot of experienced players now and we were able to draw on that when it matters,” Costello said.

St Francis de Sales 16-year-old Daniel Di Qual is pushing for a recall after an unbeaten 108 in the Second XI.

The Saints host premiership favourite Airport West St Christopher’s on Saturday at Fawkner Reserve with the Eagles coming off a shock 10-run loss to Altona North.

Elsewhere, Seddon (9-138) defeated PEGS (110), Deer Park (6-217) were too good for Sunshine (124) and Tullamarine captain-coach Danny Law scored 96 in a 49-run win over West Coburg.