By David Nagel
It’s a bit scary isn’t it!
Reigning premier Tooradin (7/267) reminded us all of its extraordinary batting depth on Saturday with Dylan Sutton (133) producing a magnificent innings to destroy a hapless Officer (182) at Starling Road.
It’s one of those moments where you go…” Oh yeah, I forgot about him.”
Sutton, one of the preeminent players in the competition – and a Team of the Year member of the last two seasons – has quietly gone about his business while the spotlight has pointed elsewhere.
This was only the fifth time he had batted in nine rounds, and this was his first visit to the middle since making 11 against Carlisle Park in early November!
But on Saturday, wow-wee…didn’t he remind us all of what he’s capable of.
Sutton is not just a talented cricketer; he seems to do it when it matters most and the Seagulls needed him on Saturday when he walked to the crease after Tom Hussey (0) and Cal O’Hare (0) had both blobbed up and the score was 2/5.
Fast-forward 94 balls, and just over two hours later, and Sutton had smashed 13 fours and two sixes on a wonderful day at the crease.
He saw off Josh Lownds (9) and Tyler Evans (9) before sharing a 71-run partnership with Aaron Avery (29) …before things got really interesting with Brad Butler (66 not out).
The pair put on 91 at record-setting pace, with Butler continuing his outstanding hard-hitting form of late.
In his four most recent visits he’s compiled scores of 37, 47, 73 and 66, and doesn’t he do it quickly!
Saturday’s 66, off just 38 balls, was littered with five boundaries and three towering sixes.
The Bullants were never a chance in reply, but Nick McLennan (47) continued his resurgence and Chathura Imbulagoda (37), Ash Smith (23), Sam McDavitt (21) and Cooper Pursell (21) all got starts against one of the best bowling attacks going around.
The pick of that attack was Kallan Braid-Ball (4/29 off 8), while O’Hare (2/27) broke the promising partnership of 79 between Imbulagoda and McLennan to remove any threat of an unlikely Bullants victory.
Tooradin heads to Carlisle Park after the break, while the Bullants host Pakenham in what’s sure to be a hotly-contested clash at Starling Road.
The only CCCA Premier Division team to chase runs on the weekend and win was Kooweerup (6/155) who overcame some early hiccups to edge past Cardinia (8/153) at Gunton Oval.
The Demons were desperate to turn their form around, after losing three of their last four matches, and in a promising sign for the future threw Mitch Davey the new rock.
Davey was one of the most talented young quicks in the region, but injury not only prevented him from showing his best, but from bowling a ball at all.
His return to the crease over the last fortnight is great reward for persistence and a huge boost for the Demons moving forward.
Davey (1/20) got the ball rolling for the Demons, trapping the out-of-form Morteza Ali (3) in front – who has now made just 60 runs from seven visits to the middle after opening his season with an even 50.
Alex Nooy (31) and Bradey Welsh (32) then consolidated for the Bulls before Jess Mathers (4/21 off 8) ripped the heart out of the Bulls top-to-middle order.
Mathers was back to grand final-winning best, rocking the castle of Nooy before having Bulls’ skipper Jake Prosser (4) caught by Steven Dillon.
Mathers then had Travis Wheller (3) dismissed via an LBW shout, before capping off a brilliant spell of bowling by knocking over the stumps of Welsh.
Nathan Volpe (43 not out) then made double-figures for the sixth consecutive occasion, sharing a vital 48-run stand with Dean Henwood (15) to give the Bulls a defendable target.
The Bulls were 7/99 at one stage and did well to post a competitive score.
Kooweerup then coughed and spluttered at the top of the order, with Chris Bright (7), Cody Miller (1) and Luke McMaster (16) all back in the sheds with just 35 runs on the board.
Davey (41) and Gamini Kumara (51 not out) then partook in a vital 56-run partnership that stopped the Bulls in their tracks.
Henwood (2/21 off 8) then stood tall for the Bulls, trapping both Davey and Mathers (1) in front before Matt Welsh (1/20) had Demons’ skipper Michael Giles (11) caught by Wheller.
The Demons were 6/113, still requiring 41 runs for victory, and on the brink of losing a third game on the trot.
Kumara, a big-name recruit who had made just one score over 14 (63) this season, showed his importance to the Demons line-up with a steadying knock that decided the outcome of the match.
Alongside Dillon (16 not out), Kumara hit three fours and a six to share in an unbeaten 42-run partnership that put the Demons’ season back on track.
Henwood and Josh Grogan (2/26) – who removed the two big guns Bright and McMaster – were the pick of the Bulls’ trundlers.
Both teams take on last-start winners after Christmas, with the Demons heading to Clyde and the Bulls looking to bounce back to the winners list against Merinda Park at Donnelly Reserve.
A stylish half-century from skipper Brett Reid (75) has breathed new life into the season of Clyde (4/210), who caused the upset of the season against Pakenham (8/200) at Ramlegh Reserve.
Anytime the bottom team in the competition rolls the undefeated ladder-leaders it should be big news, but the Cougars aren’t your run-of-the-mill cellar-dwellers.
They have some real talent running through their list, with a fair proportion of that talent still yet to fire.
With the Cougars still on the bottom of the ladder, but just one game and percentage behind fourth-placed Cardinia, it makes for a fascinating last five rounds of the season.
Pakenham, Tooradin and Kooweerup look safe, but any one of the five remaining sides could realistically feature in the 2022/23 finals series.
Reid and Trevor Bauer (52) set the scene for the hosts, sharing a 112-run stand that built confidence within a group that had not tasted success for two months.
Fortunately for Bauer and Reid, James North (41 not out) and Zac Davis (21 not out) decided to cash in on the great start, coming together for an unbroken 63-run stand that gave the Lions something to think about, despite making 1/247 the last time the two sides met!
The Lions had their chances, with partnerships of 36, 33, 30 and 35 being built, but the Cougars kept themselves in the hunt by not allowing the Lions to build a significant stand.
Opener Jack Anning (42) continued his push to being the most improved player in the competition, while the reliable Rob Elston (46) gave the Lions hope until the latter part of their innings.
Nera Wanniarachchi claimed three wickets for the Cougars, while Max Adams and Nick Miles made crucial breakthroughs at exactly the right time for the winners.
The Cougars host Kooweerup first-up after Christmas, while the Lions make the short trip to Officer.
And Merinda Park (5/199) has denied Carlisle Park (7/194) a third-consecutive victory in a thrilling contest at Donnelly Reserve.
The Cobras have been unlucky in a couple of close finishes this season, and with a bit of luck could be well entrenched in the top four.
The Cobras best player of the last decade, Dan McCalman (70 not out), guided the hosts through a roller-coaster 40-over journey, sharing partnerships with Cambell Bryan (53) and Sas Perera (29) along the way.
After a rusty start to the season, ‘Danners’ has regained his shine with knocks of 41, 70, 66, 28 and 70 in his last five innings.
McCalman has made 70 in the Cobras last two victories to rubber-stamp his huge importance to his side.
Not surprisingly the talented Vikings made a good fist of their reply, with batting something they’re much better at than filling out their online scorecards.
At the time of going to press, there was no batting or bowling information provided by the Vikings from the weekend.
Josh Phillips (2/33) was the main protagonist for the Cougars with the ball, while the economical spell of skipper Andy Martin (8-0-1-28) should not be underestimated in such a tight contest.
The Vikings now have three consecutive games at home after Christmas, with Tooradin, Officer and Pakenham on the horizon, while the Cobras will break into the top-four if they can douse Cardinia’s fire at Donnelly Reserve.
