By David Nagel
MERINDA PARK V CARDINIA
It takes something special to set a new benchmark in an already glittering career; but that’s exactly what took place for Merinda Park (321) superstar Daniel McCalman on Saturday.
Tony Way Reserve became the canvas for McCalman’s greatest masterpiece yet, a career-best 161 not out that has the Cobras ready and poised to record a terrific victory over finals bound Cardinia.
McCalman is one of the great players to have played in the WGCA/CCCA Premier Division in the last 15 years with his record up there with the best.
Since electronic records were kept in 2008/09, only four players have scored more runs than the classy right-hander in the history of the competition.
That list consists of an elite group of players, including Chris Smith (PUT/Pakenham), Chris O’Hara (Kooweerup), Cal O’Hare (Tooradin) and Chris Bright (Kooweerup).
He has now played 170 games since the beginning of 08/09, made five centuries and 34 times passing 50.
He has now made 5248 runs at the quality average of 34.75.
Overall, he has made 6538 runs for the club.
It’s an average that grew marginally on Saturday after one of the great innings of his career, his fourth century against Cardinia in Premier Cricket.
McCalman forged his way past his previous best score of 156 – made in 2017/18 – by lacing 19 of his 219 balls faced to the boundary.
He walked to the wicket after Bevin Corneille (7) fell early and dictated proceedings from there.
He shared a 121-run partnership with up-and-coming star Cambell Bryan (47), before backing that up with a 96-run union with wicketkeeper Adam Fisher (42).
With those duties complete he then piloted a coughing and spluttering lower-order to the last of the scheduled overs.
The Cobras fell two balls short of batting out their 80 overs.
McCalman’s innings saw him race past 400 and 500 in the same innings, finishing the season with 529 runs at an average of 52.90.
The just-turned 32-year-old had a great battle with Cardinia-gun Travis Wheller (22.4-4-75-6) who never gave up the fight despite McCalman’s onslaught.
Wheller has now taken more wickets in the CCCA Premier Division than any other player, with his best-of-the-season six wickets taking his tally to 29.
He leads Adam McMaster (Kooweerup) and Dale Tormey (Pakenham) by two, with both of those players having also bowled their last spells of the home-and-away season.
Jaan Balasuriya (Carlisle Park) and Josh Lownds (Tooradin) are next best on 23…with Lownds the only one of the aforementioned top-five with the opportunity to boost his wicket tally this weekend.
Ryan Little (3/44) supported Wheller in style, taking multiple wickets for the second time in four games.
PAKENHAM V TOORADIN
Finals intensity came early for both Pakenham and Tooradin (7/257) at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday with the Seagulls grinding out a slight advantage after an absorbing first day’s play.
The round-14 clash is hugely important for Tooradin, who needs to win to maintain its grip on the ‘minor premiership’ and enhance the possibility of a home grand final.
Pakenham can’t rise or fall from third spot on the ladder.
Openers Cal O’Hare (29) and Josh Lownds (38) played the patience game early, with just 18 runs on the board after the first block of 10.
Things improved ever so slightly in the next 10, with the Gulls still having a full list to bat being 0/43 after 20.
After opening spells from James Close (0/19) and Marcus Martini (0/18), the Lions settled on the tried-and tested formula of bowling Dale Tormey (33-8-105-3) and Jason Williams (22-5-60-1) in tandem.
The pair took all 10 wickets to fall against Cardinia in round 13 and once again settled in for the long haul.
Tormey would bowl 33 overs straight from the Princes Highway end of the senior football ground, with the Lions changing home grounds for the day to cater for 230 attendees at Pink Ladies Day.
Tormey and Williams restricted O’Hare and Lownds, until O’Hare became the first of Tormey’s three-wickets after being trapped LBW.
The Seagulls were 1/58 after 26, with 18-year-old Kyle Parrott (53) walking to the crease to join Lownds.
The youngster looked rock-solid in defence as Tormey and Williams restricted the rate with a strongly set ring-field.
Lownds had earlier reached 11 not out, which took his season-total to 500 runs…becoming the eighth player in the CCCA Premier Division to do so.
Merinda Park’s Daniel McCalman would join him at a later point in the afternoon.
Lownds became Tormey’s second, being caught by Chris Smith in the 38th over.
The stylish left-hander ended the home-and-away season on 527 runs at the impressive average of 40.54 with O’Hare (552 at 39.43) the only Seagull to make more runs in 2023/24.
Lownds had made just 83 runs after five early-season hits, but recent scores of 69, 116, 79 and 38 have turned a moderate output into something substantial.
Parrott and Peter Sweeney (11) combined for a 35-run partnership in 15 overs, with Sweeney hitting just one boundary in his 41 balls at the crease.
Parrott showed slightly more aggression, hitting six boundaries in his 111-ball vigil.
Sweeney was bowled by Williams at the end of the 53rd over; the Seagulls ready to launch at 3/110, with seven wickets in hand and just 27 overs to bat.
Russell Lehman (45) was the one to initially lift the tempo, with him and Parrott putting on 57 for the fourth wicket from just 11 overs.
Parrott fell to Smith (2/43); punching him to Tormey at short mid-wicket off the first ball after a drinks break.
The youngster showed great technique and concentration and seemed to slot in seamlessly at number three.
Lehman survived some early chances, most notably from Dom Paynter in the covers; who uncharacteristically dropped a mistimed cover drive.
The gradual build-up reached fever-pitch in the last 10 overs of the innings, with Lehman, Dylan Sutton (44 not out), Mick Sweeney (14) and Brad Butler (7 not out) combining to take 70 runs off Tormey and Smith.
Tormey’s epic display of endurance snared him bowling honours for the Lions, while Smith and Williams were the other two successful trundlers.
Tormey has now taken 27 wickets for the season, equal with Kooweerup’s Adam McMaster in second place on the table; just two behind Cardinia’s Travis Wheller.
The Seagulls have the runs on the board; always an advantage in big games, but will have to contend with a red-hot Smith, a dangerous Tormey – coming off three-consecutive half-centuries – and a forecast top-temperature of 36 degrees.
The Gulls are looking to make it five wins on the trot, while the Tormey and his Lions are looking to make it a clean sweep of their last seven games.
Play resumes on the number-one oval at Toomuc this Saturday.
DEVON MEADOWS V CARLISLE PARK
Devon Meadows (5/355) number-three Steven Robinson (114 not out) hit just one six in his 163-ball innings at Glover Reserve on Saturday – but it’s one he will remember for a long time.
The left-hander struck the third ball of the 78th over from Carlisle Park’s Senal De Silva (3/68) over the mid-wicket boundary for a maximum; bringing up his first century in the CCCA Premier Division this season.
His innings contained 14 fours, and that six, and helped capitalise on a wonderful start from the Panthers’ two best players at the top of the order.
Youngster Will Halton (96) and Panthers’ skipper Lucas Ligt (41) were at their brilliant best, compiling 89 for the first wicket before Ligt was bowled by Ethan Davies (1/48).
Ligt’s dismissal saw him fall agonisingly short of the 600-run milestone this season, making 597 runs at the amazing average of 59.70.
Ligt made a fantastic start to his Premier Division campaign, making three centuries before Christmas, before plateauing out after the break.
With only one batting day remaining in the home-and-away season, only Chris Smith (891), Chris Bright (621) and Luke McMaster (612) sit above him.
The 32-year-old has definitely been one of the huge success stories this season, and planted the seed of optimism early; one that should see the Panthers finish in fifth position in their first season back in the top flight.
If Ligt has been a success, then 18-year-old Halton has been nothing short of sensational.
He finished with four half-centuries for the season, and 461 runs, averaging 35.46 as an opening batter.
He appears to have no ceiling, and we look forward to following his progress as he attempts to take his cricket further.
Halton and Robinson piloted the Panthers to 1/165 at the tea break, with Halton falling a short-time later, attempting to play a straight drive off Jaan Balasuriya (1/50) and having his stumps disturbed.
Trent Delaney (2) and Jakeb McVicar (7) would then come and go quickly, courtesy of De Silva who was the only multiple wicket-taker on the day.
Robinson soon found an ally in Nathan Worsteling (55) who helped push the score past 300 with a 124-run partnership with the century maker.
Arthur Churchill (18 not out) then made a solid contribution at the end; putting a final exclamation mark on an almost perfect day for the hosts.
Robinson got his ton, but three more runs to Ligt – and four more to Halton in particular – would have been extremely handy!
CLYDE V KOOWEERUP
An inspired spell of bowling from legendary-quick Jess Mathers (4/71) has been largely wasted by Kooweerup (5/75)…who now has its hands full at it looks to chase down a plucky Clyde (196) at Ramlegh Reserve.
Mathers was at his brilliant best – twice being on hat-tricks – after Clyde skipper Zac Davis won the toss and elected to bat first.
The early signs weren’t great for the Cougars, at 1/9, with Michael Vandort (1) adding just a solitary run to his previous 285 for the season; becoming the first of three wickets for the returning Adam McMaster (3/34).
Opener Trevor Bauer (35) and Teddy Fonseka (41) then withstood a dangerous Demons’ bowling line-up, seeing the total through to 1/60, before Bauer edged Luke McMaster (1/15) through to the waiting gloves of Chris Bright.
Bauer’s dismissal brought to an end a rock-solid season for the lefty, who made 458 runs at an average of 32.71.
Fonseka was next best for the Cougars, 151 runs adrift on 307.
Fonseka and Ben Buller (25) then dug in even deeper, taking the score to 2/105 before all hell broke loose.
Mathers would claim four wickets in six balls to – as he has done so often in the past – change the course of the match.
He broke a 45-run stand when Buller hit out to Nathan Voss, before trapping Davis (0) in front of his stumps for a much-despised golden duck.
Nick Miles (29) would see off Mathers’ first attempt at a hat-trick, scoring a single off the last ball of the 29th over.
Miles then played out an over from Voss (0/31), before watching Mathers continue the carnage.
He bowled a dot ball to Fonseka, before having him caught by Luke McMaster, before Max Adams (0) became the second ‘golden goose’ for the day, edging Mathers through to Bright.
From 2/105, the Cougars had lost 4/5 and were now 6/110.
Brett Reid (36) avoided the hat-trick ball before settling in for an innings-reviving 56-run union with Miles.
Matthew Bright (2/24) then took both wickets in quick succession, taking multiple wickets for the first time since round eight.
Daniel Lever (23 not out) then made his third not-out score in the twenties this season to lead the Cougars to four short of 200.
What happened next was not expected.
The Demons were soon 1/4, then 2/12, with both openers Lachie Ramage (4) and Luke McMaster (4) back in the sheds.
Suchintha Lakshan (21) and Chris Bright (44) then rectified the situation with a 36-run partnership before Lakshan hit Lever (1/27) to Davis.
The Demons were 3/73, with just 21 balls left to face…before the Cougars struck two telling late blows.
Davis was once again in the action, catching Gamini Kumara (2) off Miles (1/1), before former Demon Mahie Bodahandi (1/0) was called to bowl the last over before stumps.
He bowled four dot balls to Bright before having him caught by Buller with the second last ball of the day; leaving Matt Bright (0) and Adam McMaster (0) to build their innings from scratch on day two.
The Demons still require 122 for victory, but have quality players such as Steven Dillon, Mitch Davey, Voss and Mathers in the locker-room.
The Cougars spread the load evenly with the ball, with Ankush Rana (1/15), Adams (1/18), Lever (1/27), Miles (1/1) and Bodahandi (1/0) taking a wicket each.
