By Jonty Ralphsmith
A Cal O’Hare century led Tooradin to a comfortable 63-run victory over Merinda Park to get the reigning premiers’ season started with a win in the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) Premier competition.
O’Hare finished unbeaten with a-run-a-ball 117, setting up the innings with an 83-run opening partnership with Josh Lownds before accelerating at the back-end.
The game was shortened to a 34-over per team contest due to rain, with Tooradin reaching 3/218 in a blistering batting display, before keeping Merinda Park to 8/155.
Debutantes Connor O’Riordan and Cody Mannix both impressed captain-coach Mick Sweeney with their control in wet conditions.
O’Riordan had a dream start to First XI cricket, picking up a wicket off his first ball and finishing with 4/23 with his mediums, while Mannix got 2/46 off seven.
“Connor is probably our best trainer – he never complains and is really dependable,” Sweeney said.
“I’m sure the footy club would say the same thing about him.
“He’s predictable to his teammates, and he was a very good selection for us.
“He played exactly the way he trains.
“He’s a medium pacer, really accurate, forces batters to change what they’re doing – you can set fields for him, he’s capable of hitting the seam and moving it around a little bit.
“He’s not the sharpest but he’ll wear you down and apply the pressure.
“Cody did get hit for a few fours and you know young spinners will but for him to bounce back and take wickets off the back of that when you could (drop your head) with a wet ball was impressive.
“It wasn’t ideal conditions for him but we were rapt with both debutantes.”
For Merinda Park, English recruit and club debutante Ash Slater provided an glimpse into his talent, top-scoring with 35, just five days after arriving in the country.
O’Hare’s century reinforced his bullocking reputation in the CCCA competition, following 764 runs including a grand final century last season.
“There’s not too many, if any players in the competition who can do what he does with the bat at his size and style of cricket,” Sweeney said.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to be opening the bowling to him.
“Cal’s consistency after last year; I’d like to think the innings was a little bit of a statement that as he’s getting older, he’s getting better so hopefully it bodes well for the rest of the season.”
Each of the other three games started, before persistent afternoon rain lead to the matches being abandoned.
Upper Beaconsfield was competitive against Pakenham, keeping the visitors to 6/110 in 32 overs before rain prevented further play.
Daniel Brennan claimed the wicket of Jack Anning in the first over, with run-scoring machine Chris Smith (36) and Zach Chaplin (42*) the only batters able to score freely on the day.
Brennan claimed two wickets in an attacking opening spell, while Chad McDonald built the pressure up the other end with an economy rate of 2.25, and Andrew McDonald also chipped in with two wickets.
Cardinia was well on top against Devon Meadows, scoring 4/196 before having Devon Meadows 5/90 in response, just eight overs short of a completed match.
The returning Mark Cooper started his tenure back at the club with a well-built 70, grafting early before catching up his run-rate later in the innings.
Bradley Welsh also caught the eye with 66 off 54, before recruit Trishane De Silva started the Devon Meadows’ innings with a wicket to put Cardinia on the front foot.
De Silva finished with 2/26 and opened the bowling alongside fellow Beaconsfield recruit Jack Burchill, while leggies Yohan Arumadura and Cooper combined for 3/15 off 12 overs.
In the other game, Clyde wasted a 78-run opening partnership between first-year skipper Trevor Bauer and stalwart Michael Vandort losing 9/50 to fall to 9/139 at the change of innings before rain fell.
In his highly anticipated first match back at full-fitness, Jess Mathers bowled five overs at first change for Kooweerup for a return of 0/20.
Joel Anderson, Steve Dillon, Shiran Rathnayake and Cody Miller each claimed two wickets.
