By Marcus Uhe
Officer’s statement win in CCCA District Division will send ripples of fear across the competition as the team from Starling Road surges 20 points clear at the top of the table.
The Bullants completed a brutal seven-wicket outright victory over Cranbourne Meadows, comprehensive in all departments of the game at home over the previously undefeated Rebels.
Resuming the day at 4/90, Officer survived a collapse of 6/20 to take the lead after the first innings as the final wicket pair of Ash Smith and Noah Parraga pushed the total to 131, for a 15-run lead.
Smith finished on 54, the only Bullants contribution of note, with his 20-run stand with the scoreless Noah Parraga ensuring his side took the initial honours, while Rebel Thomas Smith finished with 5/23.
It was then Ash Smith’s turn with the ball, taking 4/13 to help dismiss Cranbourne Meadows for just 106 in 39 overs.
From 2/49, the Rebels lost the remaining eight wickets for just 47 runs, with seven players scoring in single figures, Amreek Mann leading the way with 23 not out.
Cooper Pursell, Dan Irvine and Chathura Imbulagoda each grabbed two wickets to keep Cranbourne Meadows’ lead to just 91.
Scoring at just shy of a run-a-ball, the Bullants reached the target in the 16th over with Imbulagoda reaching a half-century on the final ball of the innings.
A stumble of 3/8 was rectified by Imbulagoda, as he and Sam McDavitt put on 62 for the fourth wicket to secure the outright victory.
Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll is back on the winners list for the first time since round one after a much-needed 21-run win over Lang Lang.
267 was enough to keep the fighting Tigers at bay, bowled out for 246 in the 78th over.
It was always going to be a tough ask for the Tigers after opening pair William Wykes and Jeshan Pius were both removed with the score on 13.
Oshadha Ariyadasa and Max de Longville came together for an 83-run fourth wicket partnership but Ariyadasa’s run out caused another collapse in the middle order as three wickets fell for just six runs in six overs of trouble from the desperate Marygoons.
Captain Rajind Dassanayake withstood the drama around him at number six to edge his side closer and closer to victory, but his wicket brought the innings to a close at 246, top-scoring on 72.
Jess Grima and Russell Perry each took three wickets for the Marygoons.
It was a similar case for Emerald, falling 47 runs shy of Upper Beaconsfield.
Difficult batting conditions kept strike rates down for Emerald as the top four all went at a clip of under 35.
The slow scoring ultimately came back to hurt the Bombers who fell short despite using the full allocation of overs and having two wickets in the shed.
Only Sembakuttige Lakshan and (79 off 70) and Clinton Marsh (19 off 16) struck at better than a run-a-ball.
Maroons captain William Haines and Kyle Gibbs were most effective in keeping the scoring rate low, offering economy rates of just two and 1.1, respectively, as Gibbs sent down eight maidens.
Leg-spinning dynamo Scott Pitcher provided the highest economy rate but kept attacking to finish with three wickets.
The Maroons find themselves now in the second tier of teams, joining Cranbourne Meadows below Officer…in a class of its own at the top.
Lang Lang, Pakenham Upper Toomuc and Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll make up the middle of the table at fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, with Emerald winless at the foot of the table.
Cranbourne Meadows host Upper Beaconsfield next week, Lang Lang head to Emerald and Pakenham Upper Toomuc welcome Officer to Harry Blackman Oval.
