Merinda Park wasted no time adjusting to the second tier of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) as the Cobras handled business in round one against a strong Carlisle Park outfit at home.
Merinda Park opted to take the ball to open its season as hosts, with Matt Dennerley claiming the prized wicket of Ethan Davies for 10 early in the innings.
Hasnain Azeem then couldn’t manage a score before David Nutting and Tanvir Singh formed a crucial partnership that steadied the Vikings.
Nutting (42) then departed but shortly after Singh raised the bat for a half ton.
After Singh (52) was bowled by Tyson Bertrand and Carlisle Park was 4/112, wickets came in bunches for the Cobras.
Jarrod Armitage (15) and Adam Hollingworth (17) were the only two bats in double figures for the remainder of the innings and the visitors stumbled to 159.
Bevin Corneille took 3/22 and Dennerley ended with numbers of 3/26.
Merinda Park was aggressive but careful in its pursuit of the target with the opening pair of Jordan King (38) and Corneille (42) posting 74 runs before Corneille was caught off the bowling of Azeem.
Cambell Bryan was then impactful as first drop, adding a further 36 to put victory in reach for the hosts.
Despite King, Bryan and Ashley Slater (1) falling in quick succession, Merinda Park saw out the chase by posting 5/160, grabbing a five-wicket victory to bank its first triumph of the campaign.
It was a demolition at Harry Blackman Oval with Pakenham Upper/Toomuc shredding Clyde by eight wickets.
The Cougars won the toss and elected to bat which soon proved to be a big mistake, being rolled for 61 as only Nick Miles (16) could manage a score higher than seven.
Ben McLeod was back in scintillating form as the quick took 5/14 in just under seven overs.
Ryan Yeates was impressive under John Langley as acting skipper with the young pace bowler grabbing two poles.
The Yabbies blasted their way to the low target, reaching the required total in just over eight overs thanks to 34 not out off 24 balls from Prabath Kobbekaduwa.
Kooweerup’s deep performance with the bat and ball pushed the Demons past Cardinia at home.
Steve Dillon (44), Hunter Cairns (31), Robert Maskiell (31), Ethan McDonald (25 not out) and John Bright (19) all added valuable contributions to the hosts putting up 8/198 after being sent to the crease.
Raj Khatusuria was the best Bull with the ball as he snagged 4/29 off eight overs.
Bradley Remy led the charge for Cardinia in the chase but he wasn’t supported, meaning the Bulls would ultimately fall short.
Remy scored 77 off 69 balls but fellow opener Brandon Mackie (13) was the only other double-digit run scorer for the innings and the visitors were all out for 113.
Kooweerup’s attack had four players claim two wickets being Dillon, Cairns, Maskiell and Mathew Bright.
Things got interesting at Rutter Park between Nar Nar Goon and Tooradin after the Seagulls put on a two-man show spearheaded by Bailey Lownds.
Lownds smashed his way to an incredible score of 124 off 109 deliveries faced, an innings which included 12 fours and a pair of majors.
Down the other end, Luke Adams and Aaron Avery were both dismissed for ducks, paving the way for Michael Ralph to come to the crease.
Ralph, whilst more conservative, joined in the run frenzy and helped himself to 80 not out, leading Tooradin to 4/218 after 40 overs.
The Marygoons had a troubling start with the bat as Dimantha Fernando was caught for a duck.
Rajiv Kumar (33) offered some resistance but wickets down the order fell quickly.
That was until captain Troy Ferguson came out to the middle with the skipper putting the team on his back and steadied the ship to the point where an unlikely victory now seemed possible.
His brave effort of 60 off 56 balls gave Nar Nar Goon hope, but the last overs needed to be high-scoring.
Ferguson fell in the 38th over, leaving the visitors at 9/186 before the last partnership fought bravely but the last wicket fell with the Marygoons at 206, 13 runs shy of the required effort.
Scoring was hard to come by at Chandler Reserve but it was the hosts that grinded out the result with Emerald edging out Pakenham.
The Lions won the toss and took to the crease but soon found runs were far and few between.
Nicholas Sadler, batting at four, was the first Pakenham bat to score more than five but even he was caught for just 12.
Sendhil Naidu top scored for the visitors with 15 and after 31 overs they were all out for 102.
Jack Raukola took three scalps for the Bombers while Bailey Tucker, James Sheerin and Lawson Cocks all bagged two each.
Things weren’t any easier for Emerald in its pursuit, losing its first two wickets without scoring before limping to 3/19.
Raukola got the situation back on track, providing an important 25 before Bodie Hughes added the same amount.
Skipper Owen Thorne also scored 25 before being the last bat to get out as Cocks and Clinton Marsh hit the winning runs with Emerald surviving at 7/103.
Jack Scott did everything he could for Pakenham, taking 4/21 off eight overs.
In round two, Pakenham Upper/Toomuc hosts Emerald, Merinda Park visits Clyde, Nar Nar Goon and Carlisle Park will do battle in the Marygoons’ backyard, Kooweerup will head to Toomuc Reserve to face Pakenham and Cardinia is at home against Tooradin.
