VSDCA: Oakleigh strengths its grip at top of Sub-District Cricket ladder
Oakleigh sits 15 points clear at the top of the North-South ladder – and it has been strengthened by the addition of a premiership player for the second half of the season.
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He may not be available every week but Oakleigh expects former Victorian batsman Graeme Vimpani to play out the remainder of the season.
Vimpani, 47, hit 41 at the top of the order on Saturday in the Oaks’ 28-run victory over Plenty Valley.
It was the former Sheffield Shield opener’s second game of the season after playing in the Round 6 win against Moorabbin.
He made a comeback last season following a 13-year hiatus and featured in Oakleigh’s grand final triumph.
Captain Brendan McGuinness said Vimpani’s availability would be a weekly talking point at selection.
Vimpani made 273 runs in six First XI games in 2018-19, hitting 68 not out in the decider.
“(It) depends how he pulls up after every game,” McGuinness said.
“It’s really up to him but the enthusiasm is certainly there and he’s always around the club and at training.
“It’s a week by week proposition mainly dependent on his body, family and his work commitments.
“Whenever he is around the boys certainly walk a little bit taller.
“He’s a valuable asset, whether he is on or off the park.”
Plenty Valley looked on course to chase down Oakleigh’s 8-157 until Dravid Rao intervened.
The Bats reached 1-68 before Rao snaffled three wickets as the Bats were bowled out for 129.
Ryan Pearson (45) and Callum Nankervis (0) fell in the space of 2-0 before the Plenty Valley slipped to 6-106 when Rao removed Michael Rogneda (1).
Rao took his tally to 20 wickets for the season with 3-25 from his allocated nine overs.
Geoff Latham (3-16) mopped up the tail to also grab three wickets.
“They probably had the upper hand because they had wickets in hand,” McGuinness said.
“We only had them one down at drinks but to our credit, our bowlers bowled really tight early on and in terms of run-rate, we probably kept them under pressure on the scoreboard.
“We knew at the turn if we could get a wicket or two early after drinks, we’d really swing things in our favour and turns out that’s what played out in the end.”
Connor Byrne anchored Oakleigh’s innings with his second First XI half-century as he continues to nail down his place in the side’s middle-order.
Byrne topscored with 52 not out and has 197 runs for the season to be one of Oakleigh’s leading contributors.
Oakleigh is 15 points clear at the top of the table and will play Coburg in a two-day clash in Round 10.