VSDCA 2024-25: Sahan Perera, Shakeel Ahmad go large as finals race boils

The reigning Val Holten medallist continues to stake his claim for another end-of-season gong, while the fight for a top-six spot is down to seven teams.

Noble Park’s Sahan Perera knocked his third ton of the season on the weekend. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

It was not the weekend to lose the toss.

As rain and dark clouds hovered over Melbourne, several teams were sent in and suffered the consequences.

One team even sent themselves in and paid the price.

With just two games remaining before finals, the fight for a top-six spot is down to seven teams.

Check out all the highlights of the weekend below.

LIONS POUNCE

It was a good toss to win at Coburg City Oval and the Lions took full advantage. Sending Brunswick in, the hosts ran through the premiership hopeful, dismissing it for just 104. Young gun Nic Martel top-scored with 40 off an incredible 141 deliveries, while skipper Simon Hill (26) was the only other Wicks bat to reach double figures. Noah Thain led the way with the ball, snaring 3-31. In a man-of-the-match performance, the Englishman then smashed an unbeaten 68 from 86 balls to guide his team to an eight-wicket win, chasing down victory in just 27 overs.

BASSI BLASTS COCKIES

Luke Bassi had never taken a five-fa for Strathmore before, he’d only taken six wickets for the season. By Sunday afternoon he had his best ever bowling figures and doubled his season output. The Mores won the toss and sent Croydon in at Lebanon Reserve. Bassi ripped through the visitors, collecting 5-11 from 11 overs. Cameron Vos (41) played a lone hand with the bat as the Cockies were skittled for just 85. Isaac Dukic’s 41 then led Strathmore to a four-wicket first innings win. Tom Stevenson (33) and Harshan Yogendra (28no) providing key support. The hosts were all out 144 and then set about chasing an outright. They had Croydon 4-43 when stumps was called, Bassi taking 1-5.

ROOS, SHENUKA GO LARGE

Mt Waverley’s hopes of a finals berth received a timely boost with two rounds to play, romping to a 173-run upset over third-placed St Bernard’s. The Roos’ 9-278 total was spearheaded by the efforts of Madan Basavarajaiah (63 off 78) and Ben Hocking with an unbeaten 54, while Shenuka De Silva led the way with the ball, bagging 6-23 off 15.3 overs to send the Snowdogs out for 109. Mt Waverley sits fifth on the ladder – three points clear of Plenty Valley on eight wins.

PERERA STRIKES THREE

It’s a third ton of the season for Noble Park champion Sahan Perera, with the reigning Val Holten medallist driving 116 off 159 balls to lift his side to 6-271d in a 43-run win over a battling Endeavour Hills (228). But he wasn’t the only heavy-hitter, with Nilochana Perera (66 off 97) slugging three sixes and four fours. Noble Park sits three points clear in second spot, ahead of St Bernard’s.

AHMAD BLITZ LIFTS ANTS

Shakeel Ahmad smashed a dazzling 89 not out from just 62 balls to batter Plenty Valley at Preston City Oval. The Ants claiming an eight-wicket win to remain undefeated with two games remaining. Ahmad was unstoppable, blasting seven boundaries and six sixes. Earlier, Preston won the toss and sent the Bats in, taking advantage of the ball-friendly conditions to dismiss the visitors for 112. Chenutha Wickramasinghe top-scored with 24. Marcus Murphy (3-28) and Mahesh Kodamullage (3-18) did the damage with the ball. The loss sees Plenty Valley drop to sixth on the North-East ladder but it remains nine points clear of seventh-placed Bayswater.

TAIL-END HEROICS

Reigning premier Kew was given a gift when Ivanhoe won the toss and decided to bat at Ivanhoe Park. The home team was promptly skittled for 112. Brad Loveluck (28), Rishabh Nagpal (26) and Ed Withington (21) doing the bulk of the scoring. Michael Letson was the main destroyer, claiming 4-45. However, Kew almost fumbled the opportunity, falling to 7-69 in the chase. In a man-of-the-match performance, Letson combined with Sidney Johns in a match-winning 49-run eighth-wicket partnership to lift the visitors to a three-wicket win. Johns top-scored with 36, while Letson added 13. In a bizarre ending, having already wrapped up the win, Kew lost its last three wickets for zero, dismissed for 118. Mo Abbas finished with match-best figures of 5-65.

MUSTANGS DIG IN

Box Hill etched a third win of the season, led by bowling pair Muhammad Saeed (4-20 off eight) and Abu Bakar Siddiqui (3-20 off 16.3), consigning the similarly-placed Balwyn to 109. Siddiqui fired with the bat in reply alongside Rizul Chhabra, with the duo knocking 32 apiece to help the Mustangs to a winning 166 total. Meanwhile, Harrison Goad and Lachlan Fitzpatrick were their dangerous, usual selves for Balwyn, collecting three wickets apiece.

WATERS HANGING IN

Bayswater’s finals hopes remain alive – just – after its 47-run victory over Donvale. The Waters sit just outside the top six in seventh – two games behind Plenty Valley with two rounds remaining. Mt Waverley (fifth) and Balwyn (12th) round out their run home. Sachin Halangode peeled off a leading 75 runs from 187 balls while Jake Wigney (49 off 157) also did much of the heavy lifting. But there were plenty of contributors for Donvale, with Rowan Elliott (75 runs) and Patrick Rowe (4-79) standing out.