By Jonty Ralphsmith
A 99-run victory over Keysborough ensconces Beaconsfield in the upper echelon of the DDCA Turf 2 competition after a strong start to the season.
A 102-ball 96 to number-three Ashan Madushanka proves there is much more to the batting order than just a sturdy opening partnership.
Three consecutive 50-plus run opening stands between captain-coach Mark Cooper and anchor Tyler Clark had limited the opportunity of Beaconsfield’s middle order.
But after an injection of ‘Bazbal;’ from the opening pair early at Rowley Allan Reserve, when everything was punished to the boundary, Christo Otto got one to cut back off a length, dismissing Cooper.
With an affirmative defence and textbook cover drive which he executed on repeat throughout his innings, Madushanka set the pace of the innings, going through the gears as necessary.
His dismissal was as unfortunate as his knock was impactful, the left-hander run-out when he set off for the sort of single he and Clark took throughout their 157-run partnership, but one which Jesse Busacca did not want to take so early in his innings.
After hitting it to point, he set off, got halfway up the pitch and was turned back with no hope of regaining his ground.
A collective groan of frustration and disappointment came as the squad expected to cheer a century for their quiet teammate, but it was quickly replaced with warm applause and appreciation as the Beacy boys knew he had set up the match.
Madushanka and Clark both raced to 20 off just about a run a ball, Clark punishing the bowlers by leaning back on some back foot flushes and Madushanka opening up the offside in front of the wicket.
A change of bowlers brought about increased pressure, the scoring rate stalling as the first two overs offie Hennadige Fernando bowled were maidens, with Abhinay Motupalli complementing him up the other end.
But the left-hand, right-hand combination had laid the foundations on a flat deck and launched after drinks, scoring 18 runs in the first two overs after the break.
Singles in consecutive balls saw both players pass 50, but it was mostly Clark playing second fiddle, picking singles and hitting gaps, while Madushanka played with more confidence.
Madushanka got particularly ambitious just before his dismissal, hitting two leg-side sixes off spinners who bowled too straight.
Keysborough’s frustration and fatigue was palpable when ‘keeper Daniel McConville missed a stumping opportunity when Clark was on 68, though it only cost them four more runs.
At times during the big partnership, a score of 230-plus seemed inevitable, but their back-to-back dismissals gave Keysborough a chance to pull it back, until a late flurry from Mitchell Tielen propelled them to 239.
Keysborough never looked likely in pursuit, losing three wickets to opening bowlers Callan Tout and Jake Cutting, before Madushanka’s left arm offies picked up three wickets.
“He was really impressive,” captain Cooper said of Madushanka.
“He went about his business but just did it longer than what he has done earlier in the season.
“I thought he really controlled the innings well and helped us get the score we needed.
“He’s a hard trainer so it is good to see him get rewarded.”
Meanwhile, at Casey Fields, Cranbourne suffered its third loss in four weeks, this time against a rebounding Doveton.
It means Cranbourne, so long the pace-setters of the Turf Two competition, sit mid-pack, just outside the four almost halfway through the season.
It puts some question marks around where Cranbourne sit in the Turf Two competition, after so long being the pacesetters of the home and away season in the competition.
They’ve added the fearless Harsaroup Singh to ease the pressure off the Sweeney brothers and the recruitment of Jakeb Thomas and Jayden Scotland has strengthened their fast bowling stocks.
The view is that they are still the barometer of the competition, and captain Mick Sweeney said the club is still confident despite some underwhelming results.
“We haven’t been far away, there’s no need to panic, it’s a long season and we play all these teams again, we’re not far away from (having) one loss and being towards the top – I think (this week) is the first time we got outplayed,” Sweeney said.
The skipper highlighted the need for greater output from the medium pacers after strong outings from spinners in recent weeks, including a seven-wicket haul to Peter Sweeney.
“It’s a really tight season, you just go about trying to improve yourself and focusing on the process and the ladder will take care of itself,” he said.
“We know where we need to improve and a good performance against Beaconsfield would just be the tonic for it.”
Cranbourne lost 8/38 after the loss of its third wicket, Ryan Hendy, who has shouldered much of the bowling load for Doveton in recent weeks, rewarded with 4/27 off 12 overs of his off-spin.
“I’ve played cricket with him for the best part of 15 years and he gets better and better,” said captain Nathan Wilson.
“He knows his game inside-out and on a wicket that gave the spinner a bit of help, he excels – for a 40-year-old, he goes alright!”
Wilson claimed three wickets while Kenny Smart got the Sweeney boys in consecutive deliveries to incite the collapse.
Peter Sweeney top-scored with an hour-long 33 in Cranbourne’s first innings effort of 115 before Kaine Bundy cautiously guided the visitors to a five-wicket victory with 20 off 109.
The result is an important one for Wilson’s men who started the season missing plenty of soldiers, but have proclaimed they will be a stronger side after Christmas and just need to bank some early points to contend for finals.
Beating Cranbourne, a week after inflicting the same fate on Parkfield, adds substance to the internal belief.
“The turnaround’s been massive,” Wilson added.
“The first two games it was a little bit to do with personnel but we have some pieces back and the confidence is really high now.”
Parkfield limped to 122 against Narre Warren, which the visitors chased down easily, for the loss of just one wicket and with 13 overs to go.
While Narre Warren keep pace with the rest of the competition, it puts Parkfield firmly at the bottom of the table, with its clash against seventh-placed Keysborough this week perhaps one which will prove telling when it comes to relegation.
In the other turf two game, Lyndale’s top five shared around the runs, all passing 25 as it made 9/228.
Himesh Galhenage Don again looked on early after scoring a century last week against Keysborough, hitting three over the fence before being dismissed for 32 off 17.
Surien Silva then made easy work of HSD, claiming six scalps off his 9.5 overs to help consign the visitors to a 74-run defeat.
