Rickarby, Beer show the way for Malvern

Malvern stands at 4-0 ahead of its clash with fierce rival Caulfield in the final round before Christmas.

Elsternwick players get around Jacob Kerr after his wicket against Moorabbin. Picture: Valeriu Campan

More runs for Tom Rickarby. Wickets for Michael Beer. And another win for Malvern.

At 4-0 the Roosters are enjoying the view from the top of the VSDCA south-east section ladder ahead of their Round 5 clash with their great rival Caulfield.

On Saturday they timed a run chase perfectly against Balwyn, getting to 3-172 in the last over in reply to 8-170.

Rickarby, coming off hands of 105 not out and 66, saw them home with 57 not out, off 85 balls and with 5 fours.

He shared a 51-run stand for the second wicket with his captain, Luke Walker (44), and then a 71-run partnership with Randev Pathirana (34).

The Tigers batted first and reached 1-75 through Luca Gambell (32) and Aditya Narayana (45) but Malvern held the rest of the batsmen in check.

Former Test spinner Beer returned 3-33 off his eight overs.

Caulfield had a strong win over Brighton to receive the Stafford-Morrison Cup that the club contest in recognition of stalwarts Graham Stafford (Brighton) and Brian Morrison (Caulfield).

They put up 6-160 from their 40 overs and dismissed the Tonners for 121 in 34.3 overs.

A disappointing chase from the visitors would have been considerably worse if not for No 3 Rob Salerni’s 59 off 84 deliveries.

He’s a fine player.

Skipper Ricky Damiano made 10 against his former club before being given LBW to Caulfield paceman Andy King. Brighton supporters were quick to suggest there might have been two noises.

King (3-15), Lachie Graf (3-23 off seven) and Jacob Thorne (3-17 off 7.3) swept through batting that had been impressive in the first three rounds.

Left-hander Jono Aikins supplied the innings of the match with 44 off 63 balls. There was a bit of Leigh Baldry about him with his whips and clips.

Cal Rayner took 3-48 off eight overs, scalping the great Graeme Rummans (his former St Kilda clubmate) for 22.

“Rummo’’ hasn’t got going yet. Someone, somewhere is going to pay.

Moorabbin’s Calvin Walker. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Elsternwick broke through for its first win of the season, holding off a Moorabbin side that came with a late charge.

Chasing 6-150, the Binners got in a winning position through captain Roshie Livera’s 34-ball 52, which included seven boundaries.

But after he went the last four wickets dropped for 10 and Elsty held on, Callum Sinclair vital at the end with his 4-12.

Young leggie Henry Bennett took 2-25.

An even younger leg-spinner, 15-year-old Caleb Candappa, nabbed 2-33 off eight overs for Moorabbin. Ruan Jayaratne took 2-15 off four.

Elsternwick captain Cam Christiansen held the innings together with 49 not out, an 80-ball dig-in that included 5 fours and 1 six.

Candappa opened the Moorabbin innings and toughed it out for 23 off 83 balls.

A hard-hit half-century from Mick Splatt took Oakleigh to an excellent win Ormond at The Gunn.

Young Moorabbin opener Caleb Candappa. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Needing to top 9-138, the Oaks were in the soup at 5-52 and with Graeme Vimpani (6), Jack Blyth (2), Ryan Pearson (18), Brendan McGuinness (19) and Blake Pearson (1) all dismissed.

The Monders had swarmed behind new-ball men Blake Baxter (2-7) and Rodney Bird (1-24).

But Splatt and Elliot Fabris denied them another wicket, putting on an unbroken 89-run stand.

Fabris was 35 not out off 69 balls.

As he’s done regularly over the years, Splatt launched at the bowling, particularly young spinner Tom Buchanan, cracking 54 off 52 balls. There were 4 fours and 4 sixes for the right-hander.

Bayswater star Paul Gloury was in the runs again as his team proved too strong for Croydon.

Gloury hit 77 off 112 from the No 3 slot (taking his season aggregate to almost 200 runs) to steer Baysy to 5-190.

Journeyman Chanaka Sampath slapped 38 at the top of the list and Jack Pollard (44no) was crucial in the late overs.

Hamish Paterson (3-25) continued his good season for Croydon, which was bowled out for 159, skipper Steve Wright top scoring with 61.

Robbie Cox took four wickets for Bayswater.

Elsternwick’s Ben Cooper.

Mt Waverley whizzed past Endeavour Hills, coming in at 3-145 off 28.4 overs in reply to 142.

Openers Nathan Pruscino (58) and Michael Millier (67) dashed to a 109-run partnership.

Earlier the emerging Kurt Benjamin (4-19 off 6.4 overs) and Hugh Birchall (3-21 off eight) pulled back the Hills after Chris Ryan (45) and Austin Heldt (49) took them to 1-97.

Box Hill improved to 2-2 when it made 7-178 and knocked over Noble Park for 120.

Wicketkeeper Tom Newman led the batting with 62, and Moiz Hasan Khan and Blake Nikolic both took three wickets.