YVCA
IT HAS come to the time in the cricket season where the whips start cracking for the men in white as Christmas approaches.
There has long been a saying that wins before Christmas are crucial for finals aspirants, and this could not be closer to the truth in the Yarra Valley Cricket Association this season – especially in D.J. Strachan Shield where the gap between top and bottom is minimal. Therefore most, if not all, games are crucial to a team’s chances of making finals, even this early in the season.
Week one of round six followed a worrying trend for batsmen around the association as many struggled to handle the conditions. Some would say the conditions played a part, but for those soaking up the sunshine on the sidelines, one would be forgiven for thinking the day produced perfect batting conditions – so the questions still remain on the batsmen’s temperament and concentration.
Hoddles Creek had the most difficult time with the bat as they battled Woori Yallock on the road. The Wombats did manage to bat out all but the last 30 minutes of the day, however their slow run rate meant they were unable to secure a total of significance.
Battling against the brilliant all-round ability of Simon Young (5/26) and the spinning guile of Ben Hayes (2/16), Simon McLauchlan managed to hold an end during the visitors’ innings of 105, but his 48 runs only allowed the Wombats to just scrape past three figures. With 30 minutes to bowl, and nothing to lose, opening bowler Nick Bark ensured the Wombats wouldn’t go home empty handed, snaring two wickets and reducing the Tigers to 3/18.
With the trend of batting in the Valley, and the dismissal of captain Daniel Mock, Woori Yallock still has a battle on its hands to secure the victory.
One suggests that they will manage to find a partnership big enough to get there, but with three wickets already in the shed, and a fresh bowling line-up next week, they won’t be without a struggle.
In their first game since last year’s grand final, Yarra Junction hosted Seville in a beautifully positioned contest between two sides desperate to again establish their positions in the upper rungs of the ladder.
Seville batted first, and as has been the case for the Blues this season, they threatened to post a big total with the bat, showing they have the firepower. However, once again, their batsmen failed to cash in when set.
This can’t be said about Scott Rackham. The opener was unfazed by the wickets falling at the other end as he compiled a masterful 73 not out, carrying his bat throughout the innings.
With that stability at one end, the visitors were able to put some partnerships together to build a defensible total of 163.
The disappointment for the Blues would be their inability to capitalise on the Eagles’ part-time bowlers. Having seen off the likes of Quinton Hodgkinson and Terry Ottrey, the batsmen succumbed to the unfashionable, but useful, part-time bowling of Marcus Hottes (2/0), Brad Nightingale (2/12) and Cameron Spaulding (2/40).
The Eagles have given themselves a sniff of chasing victory, however they will have to bat well against a probing bowling attack and the seasonally slow Yarra Junction Reserve.
Seville will be comfortable with their position as they have made an art form out of defending totals around 150 over the past five or six seasons.
The final game of the round saw the flying Burras of Warburton-Millgrove travel to Healesville, keen to build on their smashing of Mount Evelyn in round five.
The visitors started the game with the ball, and the man with the hot arm David Lever (3/30) made sure the Burras had the early upper hand.
Bloods captain Ash Hamer (39) partnered with Ben Mackey (27) and the pair went about rescuing the innings through the middle stages, however neither was able to build on their starts.
As is so often the case when playing against Warburton-Millgrove, the spinners turned the screws on the middle to lower order. Led by Daniel Lever (5/34), the visitors polished off the Bloods for a below-par 150.
With time still remaining in the day’s play, Ash Hamer was able to remove in-form opener Ben Lever, but Liam Barnard ensured his team had the upper hand at the end of the day finishing on 1/28.
Again 150 will be a tricky total to chase and with canny wicket takers of the likes of Dylan Moore and Chance Burridge, coupled with the experience and firepower of Ash Hamer, the Bloods are still in the hunt.
However with a long batting line-up, 150 soon becomes a small total, as the Burras only need a couple of their line-up to post scores to secure victory.
D.J. Strachan Shield
Seville 163 (S. Rackham 73 not out, D. Troyhan 27, L. Aitkens 21, M. Hottes 2/0, B. Nightingale 2/21, C. Spaulding 2/40) v Yarra Junction, Hoddles Creek 105 (S. McLauchlan 48, S. Young 5/26, B. Hayes 2/16) v Woori Yallock 3/18 (N. Bark 2/5), Healesville 150 (A. Hamer 39, B. Mackey 27, Dan Lever 5/34, David Lever 3/30) v Warburton-Millgrove 1/28 (L. Barnard 16 not out, A. Hamer 1/10).
R.A. Finger Trophy
Woori Yallock 8/210 (T. Smith 67, K. Smith 43 not out, J. Pobke 5/34, Doc Chesney 2/45) v Hoddles Creek, Coldstream 211 (S. Phillips 78, B. Walsh 40, P. McArdle 25, B. Jones 4/30, L. Goodman 5/30) v Mount Evelyn, Seville 173 (H. Byrne 51, J. McInnes 40 not out, M. Johnson 38) v Yarra Junction 2/14 (M. Sandfort 2/4), Warburton-Millgrove v Healesville 9/313 (M. Jackson 93, W. Maile 61, T. Appleton 4/92, M. Hadj 2/49).
C Grade
Wandin 9/251 (R. Painter 44, L. Painter 41, D. Whelan 3/38) v Yarra Glen, Yarra Junction 92 (N. Dowdell 24, C. Neil 22, L. Roberts 5/9, M. Leeds 2/18, J. Mullins 2/41) v Seville 9/45 (L. Roberts 22, S. Perera 3/12, N. Dowdell 3/15, G. Lebrocq 2/4), Healesville 150 (S. Fawdry 66 not out, J. Lawry 35, A. Waixel 5/42, N. Hodgetts 2/26) v Gruyere 1/17 (J. Methven 1/7).
D Grade
Yarra Glen 7/73 (A. Moate 21, C. Foden 4/23) v Wandin 10/131 (B. Sinnott 36, P. Bruzzese 23 not out, D. Taylor 4/7, A. Seeger 2/9), Mount Evelyn 9/163 (D. Westaway 92, M. Darvell 27, A. Cope 4/29, T. Mon-Aphai 2/25) v Launching Place, Seville 8/286 (A. Spargo 123, R. Pearse 110) v Coldstream.
One Day Grade
Hoddles Creek 4/75 (A. Oats 21 not out, N. Caloutas 2/9) d Healesville Red 62 (D. Taylor 22, M. Goff 3/3, A. Oats 2/2), Yarra Junction 150 (C. Fall 40 not out, L. Cove 24, D. Plunkett 2/26) d Healesville White 8/145 (D. Plunkett 30, E. Scanlon 26, W. Robertson 2/10), Woori Yallock 8/130 (A. Matthews 37 not out, J. Smith 23, J. Neale 3/9, T. Walker 2/19) d Warburton-Millgrove 120 (J. Thompson 45 not out, N. Worlley 4/10), Mount Evelyn 103 (C. Morrow 27 not out, P. Jones 3/13, D. Begley 2/11, M. King 2/31, N. McAuley 2/36) d Silvan 101 (R. Dipietrantonio 48, R. Cowan 3/16).
Under 16
Mount Evelyn 2/203 (J. Williams 50 not out, D. Fraser 51 not out, A. Brisbane-Flynn 52 not out, T. Mon-Aphai 2/24) d Launching Place 8/144 (B. Taeuber 44, L. Winter-Annette 28, T. Williams 2/15), Warburton-Millgrove 151 (J. Neale 29, M. McDonald 21, K. Bunn 3/5, L. Hellary 2/21) d Healesville 9/16 (D. Bailey 5/2, M. Arnold 2/8) and 5/106 (D. Senior 51 not out, J. Lawry 21, M. Read 3/6, M. Arnold 2/6), Yarra Junction 8/49 and 7/32 (Thompson 11, J. Buller 2/4) d outright by Seville 1/103 (M. Leeds 50 not out, J. Dyason 29).
Under 14
Seville 158 (T. Spargo 44 not out, E. Leeds 40 not out, D. Tauber 2/10, D. Colling 2/20) d Healesville-Launching Place 9/62 (D. Colling 14 not out, R. Fern 2/5, T. Tronerud 2/8), Yarra Glen 10/94 (K. McDonald 23, L. Nettlefold 21, B. Howson 19, C. Sharp 3/4, H. Lamont 2/6) d Coldstream/Wandin 7/159 and 4/29 (D. Vaux 40 not out, M. Pezzimenti 41 not out, J. Massoud 2/14, B. Cummings 2/11), Healesville 149 (Z. Fawdry 40 not out, H. Keeling 40, D. Howard-Scales 25, B. Loughnan-Jones 3/29, B. Bourke 2/1, R. Nyko 2/1) d Warburton Millgrove 9/121 (N. Andueza 40 not out, A. Nelson 23, J. Bourke 12 not out, K. Thorsen 3/11, J. Simnett 2/5, H. Keeling 2/12 ), Mount Evelyn 161 (C. Mole 44, B. Westaway 16, B. Griffiths 15, D. O’Day 3/13, T. Muir 2/19, H. Ralph 1/11) v Yarra Junction/Hoddles Creek, Mount Evelyn 161 (C. Mole 44, B. Westaway 16, B. Griffiths 15, D. O’Day 3/13, T. Muir 2/19, H. Ralph 1/11) d Yarra Junction/Hoddles Creek 7/96 (E. Tazzyman 13, R. Milkins 10, B. Westaway 2/11, H. Thompson 1/0, J. Maskiell 1/4)
Under 12A
Seville 8/129 (J. Beri 14, H. Smith 7, B. Weir 3/5, M. Milkins 2/8) d Hoddles Creek 2/127 (C. Hrabe 30 not out, O. Simpson 11 not out, D. Ward 10 not out, B. Nathan 1/14), Launching Place 7/150 (R. Thomas 40 not out, C. Winter-Annette 31 not out, M. Bradley 30 not out, E. Crowley-Brown 2/3, J. Sharp 1/11, P. Huynh 1/13) d Warburton Millgrove 131 (B. Humphrey 22 not out, E. Crowley-Brown 14, J. Sharp 11, R. Thomas 2/10, G. Parker 2/19, L. Rogers 1/16).
Under 12B
Mount Evelyn 5/171 (P. Murphy 27 not out, B. Jones 18 not out, H. Grenfell 1/12, M. Duff 1/13) d Yarra Glen 10/98 (C. Adamson 14, O. Grenfell 5, P. Murphy 3/4, D. Finch 2/2), Healesville Red d Marysville (forfeit), Yarra Junction 142 (J. Thurlow 25, D. Clarke 24, J. Schwab 2/10, C. Frazetto 2/11) d Healesville Blue 5/138 (J. Gruar 33 not out, C. Anderson 30 not out, J. Schwab 22 not out, C. Paterson 1/8, L. O’Dea 1/1, C. Zaicz 1/2, J. Ketelar 1/1).
