Pakenham’s momentum is rolling into the second half of the season after the Lions picked up their third straight win in round eight of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) Premier Division.
A nail-biting finish at Clyde Recreation Reserve saw the Lions chase the total with just two balls to spare, winning by six wickets.
Clyde set a tough task for the visitors, putting 7/244 on the board in the first innings.
Pakenham’s issues of failing to find early wickets plagued it again as openers Trevor Bauer and Kane Avard piled on scores with both making half centuries and forming a stand of over 100 runs.
Bauer (60) was the first wicket to fall, departing with the Cougars at 1/127.
Avard (83) batted a while longer and Ryan Adams (37) and Shamil Samarasinghe (31) did their jobs at three and four respectively to get their side to 5/222.
The hosts finished at 7/244, marking a run rate of 6.1 on the quick outfield.
Jason Williams and Marcus Martini both managed a pair of wickets for the visitors.
In the pursuit, the Lions lost Jackson Luka (7) early and stumbled to 1/18, but a 103-run partnership between keeper Zach Flaxman and number three Imesh Jayasekara steered Pakenham in the right direction.
Flaxman (69) was then dismissed by the bowling of Tristan Walton after passing the half century mark.
But once again, the Lions dug deep and brought heavy resistance as Jayasekara and Zach Chaplin created yet another big partnership.
The pair added another 50 runs before Jayasekara (51) was dismissed with Pakenham at 3/174 in the 30th over.
Chaplin and Williams accelerated the run rate to inch towards the target before Williams was castled by Max Adams.
The Lions still required 21 runs with 15 balls remaining as skipper Jack Anning walked out to the middle.
Pakenham nabbed six runs from the remainder of the Adams over (including one wide) and seven in the next, needing eight in the final over to win.
Anning survived a big LBW appeal and scuttled through for a single on the first ball.
A well-timed aerial drive from Chaplin saw the visitors run a pair on the next ball.
Chaplin then advanced down the pitch and punched the ball down the ground for another set of two.
He got two more by slapping it onto the on side and finding the gap, pushing Pakenham within one run of victory and two balls to come.
But in potentially the most anti-climactic way, Max Adams overstepped and the Lions bagged victory with an extra.
Kooweerup rebounded in a massive way after last week’s shock loss by handing Tooradin its first defeat of the season.
The Demons took to the field after winning the toss at home and made the most of their opportunities, knocking over the Seagulls for just 139.
Cal O’Hare snicked off Cooper Davey in the opening over for a six-ball duck, but Davey wasn’t done there, also getting the prized wicket of Josh Lownds (2) in the third over.
Lahiru Jayakody steadied the ship and fought his way to raising the bat and posting 52.
However, apart from middle order bats Russell Lehman (25) and Praveen Perera (25), the visitors never really got going at the crease.
Shiran Rathnayake took 3/18 from seven overs.
Mitch Davey (44) and Steven Dillon (37 not out) led the chase as Kooweerup won with 5/140 in 26.4 overs.
Officer charged to its first win of the season over Devon Meadows to give the Bullants some positivity heading into Christmas.
After posting 8/158 in the first innings at Rob Porter Reserve, led by Cooper Pursell (33) and Ash Smith (30), the hosts were ruthless with the ball.
Officer bowled out the Panthers for just 83 as Pursell and Smith claimed three scalps each.
Sam McDavitt and Agamjot Dhindsa also chipped in with both notching a pair of wickets.
Smith’s fortnight with the ball has been exceptional as the spinner has recorded 7/43 from 20 overs in that time.
Cardinia comfortably got the Christmas chocolates despite a very good effort from Upper Beaconsfield.
The Maroons batted 25 overs at home and brought up 4/114 with Dominic Evans (52 not out) and Will Haines (39) the key performers.
But the Bulls, particularly Morteza Ali, made light work of the amount and made 1/116 in just 18.1 overs.
Ali blasted 83 not out from 65 deliveries and Travis Welsh played a support role with 19 not out.
The break has now arrived with Tooradin and Cardinia locked on 92 points in a tie at the top, while Kooweerup sits third on 60 points.
Pakenham is now a game clear of Clyde and Upper Beaconsfield in the last finals spot with 48 points.
