By JARROD POTTER
DDCA – Turf 1 and Turf 2 semi-finals review
NOT even a Steve Spoljaric solo-knock could keep Cranbourne’s (152) latest Turf 1 finals’ campaign alive, as Heinz Southern Districts (216) feasted on the Eagles’ batting.
CRANBOURNE v HEINZ SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
A LITTLE from a lot of Cobras led Heinz Southern Districts (216) to a grand-final showdown against Mordialloc – after dispatching Cranbourne on Sunday.
Matt Cox (38) and Michael Davies (32) led the middle order charge after Adam Semmens (32) and Matt Downe (28) kicked off proceedings at Casey Fields. Steve Spoljaric (2/36) proved tough to get off the square, while Te Ahu Davis (1/63) rattled off 10 maidens in his 25 overs. The wickets would come through Cam Kelly (3/27) and Martin Kelly (2/31) as the Cobras could not finish the job en route to a steep, but chaseable 216.
That chase didn’t start well for the Eagles as Brayden Roscoe (0) succumbed to Chad Van Estrop (2/34) before stumps. Spoljaric (88) put in a superhuman effort to halt Heinz, but he couldn’t find any willing partners to stick with him at the Casey Fields crease.
Cranbourne’s silly shots and Heinz’s straight bowling proved most critical as Ben Maroney (12) dollied one back to Justin Davis (3/33) before Michael Davies (4/28) got a real ‘kick’ out of catching Te Ahu Davis (14), as the Cranbourne all-rounder was one of many to swipe and slash when it wasn’t necessary. Cranbourne’s impressive run-rate belied the problems with its top order – the runs flowed, but so did the wickets and Cranbourne didn’t have a valve to shut down either approach when it mattered most.
Davies would run through the tail as Spoljaric tried his hardest to maintain the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Spoljaric would tonk Paul Stockdale (0/24) out of the attack as he slashed fours and sixes off the leggie approaching the end of the Cranbourne innings.
Captain Trevor Davies would bring back on Davis to curtail Spoljaric from one end and his efforts paid off as the four-time Wookey Medalist holed out to Adam Semmens trying to up the ante one more time.
“To nearly go down last week and only get in on percentage, we always back ourselves against the best and it’s pretty enjoyable today, but obviously there’s a long way to go, “ Davies said.
“We knew what they could do with Spolly – I think Judda (Davis) was really consistent through the middle there – Chaddy (Van Estrop) just done the job all year, Slick (Michael Davies) to come on with his second spell was really good and I think all of them were good.”
“Another tough one – they bat right through, they bowl right through, so same as today (Sunday), we’ve got to be on our game and if we don’t bring our A game they’ll beat us comfortably, but if we do we know we can beat them as well.”
SPRINGVALE SOUTH v MORDIALLOC
SPRINGVALE South (136) showed there’s no giving up in Bloods territory as the home-side managed to surprise Mordialloc (9/172) late on day one.
It went pear-shaped at the start for the Bloods as six quick wickets fell as Mordialloc’s front liners started searing through.
Gallant knocks came from Jackson Sketcher (30) and captain Craig Slocombe (16) to arrest the bleeding, but they too would succumb to the Bloodhounds after a gutsy 46-run stand.
It left the tail to wag as Harry Staude (28 not out) and Jarrod Armitage (13) rallied the first passage of stellar defence.
Bloods young gun Ryan Quirk (21) came to the crease at last drop after batting all morning in the under-17’s final. Alongside Staude, they added 44 for the final wicket.
At stumps, Jarrod Armitage (4/68) and Yoshan Kumara (3/40) had bowled their side back in to the match with 22 overs cannoned into the Bloodhounds between them. Mordialloc held on at the death on Sunday, batting around Stuart Squires (41) as Athukorala (27) and Cameron Tomkinson (19) ensured the Bloodhounds would secure first-innings points and face the Cobras this week for the Turf 1 flag.
TURF 2
IN A very Narre semi-finals, Narre Warren and St Brigids/St Louis will hunt down a place in Turf 1 next season.
After demotion following the controversy of its pitch being dug up – it looks like Narre Warren (133 and 5/131) could be one clash away from a Turf 1 return.
Narre North (115 and 143) could not match the might of the Magpies – especially spearhead bowling from the skipper Kaushalya Weeraratne (6/31). Abid Ali (38) was the only knock of note for the home side as the remaining attack fell to Weeraratne while the reply was quick and painless as Narre took the points via David Wheeler (48).
The Northern resistance was fleeting again in the second innings as Ali (30) held it together from the tail. Wheeler (4/20) and Weeraratne (3/28) made sure there wouldn’t be any reverse shenanigans as they worked their way through the attack.
Weeraratne (52 not out) capped off his superb clash with an equally impressive half-ton to guide the Magpies home to the emphatic outright victory and book a spot against St Brigids/St Louis in the grand final this week at Arch Brown Reserve.
St Brigids/St Louis (220) made sure it would not be easy for Narre South (146). Despite the best efforts of Ali Mortaza (6/32), the Lions could not halt the visitors’ charge as Aaron Douglas (3/37) was the other main wicket taker for the Lions.
The Lions struggled in response and could only muster 146 with Brendan Wilson (27) top-scoring.
