By Steve Utting
MONBULK’S cricketers finally enjoyed some decent weather in the final game before Christmas, playing their first two-day match-up of the season.
The firsts and seconds both had terrific wins, the thirds lost and the fourths unfortunately had a draw due to an unplayable ground.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:FIRST XI v FERNTREE GULLY
Monbulk, batting first, got off to a great start with a match-winning 70-run opening stand between Jason Simmonds and Dave Wright.
Two more great partnerships took the score on to 9/211. The other two partnerships were between Jason Simmonds and Justin Creed (61 for the fifth wicket) and Blake Walter and Chris Martin (25 not out for the 10th wicket).
Monbulk dismissed Ferntree Gully for 82 in the second week of the match. Bowling unchanged, Chris Martin and Aaron Walter both had amazing spells to take all 10 wickets between them and claim a memorable victory for Monbulk.
Monbulk 9/211 (Jason Simmonds 73, Blake Walter 40 not out, Justin Creed 38) d Ferntree Gully 82 (Aaron Walter 7/26, Chris Martin 3/50).
@BT Sport Sub Mail:SECOND XI v FERNTREE GULLY
Ferntree Gully started their innings in a blaze of glory and at one stage were 1/80 but Monbulk stayed strong and dismissed them for 200 in a great team effort.
In reply on the second week of the match, Monbulk were struggling at 5/53 before they slowly got back into the game with some handy partnerships.
At 8/151 things weren’t looking good until an unbeaten 51-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Matt Terry and Rick Lamers took Monbulk past Ferntree Gully’s score for an amazing victory.
Monbulk 8/202 (Matt Terry 53 not out, Daniel Clark 31, Steve Utting 29, Brodie Emmett 26, Rick Lamers 21 not out) d Ferntree Gully 200 (Craig Broekhoff 4/69, Rick Lamers 2/36, Craig Heppell 2/16).
@BT Sport Sub Mail:THIRD XI v KNOX GARDENS
A young Monbulk side tried hard but lost to a strong Knox Gardens team.
Knox Gardens 263 (Luke Moulday 2/71) d Monbulk 92 (Steve Bohun 30).
@BT Sport Sub Mail:FOURTH XI v AURAVALE
Washout due to an unplayable ground.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:CLUB NOTES
Around 200 people attended Monbulk Cricket Club’s annual Christmas party on Saturday night.
For photos from the event and more cricket action visit the club website at www.monbulkcc.vic.cricket.com.au.
On 29 January the Monbulk Cricket Club will host its inaugural ‘Life Members/Past Players Day’. The event will involve premiership reunions for the 1985/’86 second XI and the 1995/’96 fourth XI. See the website for more information.
