By Chris Anderson
YVCA
CRICKETERS around the Yarra Valley were greeted with oppressive conditions upon their return from the Christmas and New Year break, testing not only their cricketing skills, but their mental toughness and fitness levels.
In the competition’s top grade, DJ Strachan Shield, there are two races worth following, which is going to consolidate home finals – Warburton-Millgrove, Woori Yallock or Mount Evelyn – and which team is going to sneak the final position in the top four – Yarra Junction, Seville, Healesville or Yarra Glen.
With a one day game greeting the players return, the weather wasn’t the only thing hot.
After making the 2015/16 grand final, Healesville’s season before Christmas has been disappointing, so the break couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bloods; an opportunity to regroup, refresh and refocus.
Their post-Christmas form last season swept them to a grand final berth, so the men from Queen’s Park know how to make a rush towards finals.
Their opponents in Round 9 were Seville, which have managed to keep themselves in finals contention with consistent performances, particularly against teams around them on the ladder, so this contest had plenty riding on it.
Healesville opened the game up with the bat, and with a much-needed rejuvenation of the top order, they had success with moving their inform bats to the top of the order.
Mark Minney (32) finished the first half of the season as one of the most consistent performers in the competition with the bat; and with an elevation up the batting order, his good form continued.
Partnered by Aaron Violi (38), the pair gave the Bloods a start they had been looking for all season.
A careful 62-run partnership put the Bloods in the box seat for a run at a large score at the mid-point of the innings, despite the loss of Minney in the 20th over.
Scott Hamer (42) joined Violi at the wicket and immediately picked up the tempo of the innings, capitalising on the work of his openers.
Despite the loss of Violi, the innings gained momentum through Hamer and his brother Ash.
The pair provided the bulk of the scoring as the home team put the pressure on their opponents in the blistering sun.
Across the second half of the innings, the Bloods were able to put on 115 runs to boost their score to an impressive 8/177.
Manoj Beri (2/46) made the initial inroads for Seville, while Mark Sandfort (3/54) and Mark Proctor (2/34) benefited from a batting order searching for valuable late runs.
Seville had their work cut out for them chasing the total; and despite some stoic defence early, Healesville’s bowlers didn’t allow Seville’s batsmen off the leash, and a lack of runs early compounded the pressure.
With only 2/29 off the first 17 overs, the pressure became too great for the home team.
They did manage to lift the tempo, but along with that, the wickets also kept coming at regular intervals.
A good all-round bowling performance by the Bloods ensured they would collect a vital 66-run victory to keep their hopes of finals action intact.
Dylan Moore’s (3/27) steady bowling through the middle-overs was the pick of the figures among contributions for all bowlers, while Beri was the pick of the batsmen with an unbeaten 28 that ensured Seville batted out their overs.
Healesville now face Yarra Junction at home in the most important game for the finals aspirants.
A win to Healesville will put the two teams even on points, while a win to Yarra Junction will have them two games clear in the four and looking hard to topple.
Seville, on the other hand, face Yarra Glen, and win for them will keep them in the race also, so Round 10 shapes as a key point in this season for the race for fourth position.
Yarra Junction missed their opportunity to consolidate their position in the top four; however, they weren’t disgraced in their performance against front-runners Warburton-Millgrove.
Warburton-Millgrove finished 2016 as the best-performed team, as they finished the year on an unbeaten six-game streak.
With their top order in exceptional form, and even contributions from their bowling line up, not only have they been winning games, but they have been winning in impressive fashion.
Yarra Junction, on the other hand, shook off a slow start the season, and their comprehensive victory over Mount Evelyn in the last round before Christmas had their confidence at a high leading into the mid season break.
Warburton-Millgrove elected to bat first, and found the going tough against a disciplined Yarra Junction bowling attack.
Despite contributions right through the order, the Burras couldn’t quite muster a significant partnership that would take the game away from a tireless fielding effort.
Liam Barnard (41) was the pick of the Burras’ batsmen as his experience proved vital in pushing the total toward 150.
When it was all said and done, the home side managed to bat their overs out to score 9/145.
A competitive total, but not an altogether dominant one.
Yarra Junction were put under the spotlight from the word go in their innings as David Lever (5/27) controlled proceedings from the outset.
Lever is one of the competition’s best; and after failing to make a contribution with the bat, he rarely sees out a game with any type of contribution.
He was matched early by an impressive half-century from Quinton Hodgkinson (52); however, the Yarra Junction captain lacked partners to assist him in heaping the pressure back on Warburton-Millgrove.
The Eagles were within striking distance for most of the innings however the home team seemed to have their measure with regular wickets.
Luke Darwall celebrated his return to the fold with tidy figures of 2/32 ensuring that Lever’s early work with the ball wouldn’t go unrewarded.
Eventually, the Burras wore down the Eagles and dismissed them for 131, a mere 14 runs short of their target.
Despite the loss, Yarra Junction’s form has been tidy, and they will be keen to bounce back against a Healesville side which will be looking to close the gap between the two sides.
Warburton-Millgrove, on the other hand, have a week off to plan their assault on a run towards finals.
In the final game of the round, Mount Evelyn travelled to Yarra Glen; and after coughing up the last two games before Christmas, the Mounters were in desperate need of correcting the course of their season.
Yarra Glen have struggled in their return to the top flight, but no one can question their efforts.
A Round 7 victory against Healesville was just rewards for consistent form; and if they had managed to win the clutch moments in a few other games, then perhaps they could’ve registered a couple more wins.
Mount Evelyn didn’t hesitate in batting first, and perhaps their stumbles pre-Christmas ordered a cautious approach from their top order.
The Yarra Glen bowlers didn’t make things easy for the visitors early as they kept things tight.
Jimmy Lusk (2/25) was the pick of the bowlers early, as his accurate leg spin bowling never let his opponents an opportunity to break the game open.
Although cautious, the Mounters managed to keep wickets in hand; and with the fielding group wilting in the sun, Brad Jones (52) took full advantage.
Jones was able to pick up the scoring tempo, and, in the process, took the pressure off Daniel Fraser, who was doing an excellent job in keeping things intact at the other end.
Jones blasted 52 off 30 balls, in a 71-run partnership that completely changed the course of the innings.
Despite the loss of Jones, Luke Jones ensured the batting side didn’t rest there.
In an opposite approach to his brother, Luke was able to keep the score ticking over with well-placed shots and good running between the wickets.
All along, Fraser kept his nerve at the other end; and with the innings coming to a close, his intensity lifted, when all others began to wilt.
Fraser carried his bat through the 40 overs to compile an impressive unbeaten 93 to which the visitors built an impressive score of 4/210.
Yarra Glen’s line-up were always going to find the chase difficult, especially after enduring the summer sun.
All of the Mount Evelyn bowlers were able to hit their mark consistently enough; and with regular wickets, were able to post a valuable 126-run win after dismissing the home team for 84.
The pick of the bowlers were Kane Jones (3/5) and Chad Witherdin (2/12), but with wickets to all bowlers, this was an impressive team performance with the bat.
Mount Evelyn’s clash with Woori Yallock next week will tell if this performance is a bounce back in form, or a cheap victory against a team struggling to match it with the big boys.
Woori Yallock enjoyed an extra long break, and a victory to the Tigers would almost see them and Warburton-Millgrove establish a strong hold on home semi finals.
Yarra Glen, on the other hand, face Seville, and their clash against the Blues earlier in the season went down to the wire.
They will back themselves in this contest, and another victory will keep them interested in the run home.
DJ Strachan Shield
Warburton-Millgrove 9/145 (L. Barnard 41, J. King 26*, B. Lever 25) d Yarra Junction 131 (Q. Hodgkinson 52, David Lever 5/27, L. Darwall 2/32); Healesville 8/177 (S. Hamer 42, A. Violi 38, Mark Minney 32, M. Sandfort 3/54, M. Proctor 2/46, M. Beri 2/46) d Seville 8/109 (M. Beri 28*, D. Moore 3/27); Mount Evelyn 4/210 (Dan Fraser 93*, B. Jones 52, J. Lusk 2/25) d Yarra Glen 84 (K. Jones 3/5, C. Witherdin 2/12); Woori Yallock bye.
RA Finger Trophy
Hoddles Creek 6/174 (L. Heatherington 52, W. Trotter 47, B. Taeuber 3/29) d Launching Place 5/167 (B. Taeuber 68, L. Thomas 52*, L. Rowe 3/40); Woori Yallock 8/136 (P. Broussard 63, M. Arnold 24, M. Tilney 3/27, A. Vassallo 2/24) d Gruyere 122 (J. Harding 35, R. Prouse 32, C. Ferguson 3/13, J. Young 3/16); Seville 80 (G. Frankovic 31, A. Nelson 4/7, B. Thorneycroft 3/16) def by Warburton-Millgrove 166 (T. Appletron 44, I. Andueza 37, C. Frankovic 3/27, M. Hardy 2/18); Wandin 7/192 (T. Thorne 57, M. Naquash 42, L. Chandler 3/40, H. Keeling 2/35) def by Healesville 8/202 (B. Wallace 55*, B. Horner 37, J. Oakley 4/46); Yarra Junction 129 (M. Robinson 35, M. Richards 16, T. Gaskett 16*, N. Taylor 3/20, D. Whelan 3/21) def by Coldstream 140 (S. Phillips 40, L. Doughty 27, B. Nightingale 3/34, D. Chaproniere 3/43).
C Grade
Powelltown 8/184 (S. Thompson 76, S. Sanders 25, M. Fawdry 2/24, Z. Fawdry 2/16) d Healesville 134 (M. Fawdry 34, S. Gerbet 25, T. Long 2/18, S. Sander 2/22); Mount Evelyn 9/140 (D. Westaway 55, J. Williams 24, J. Dobson 3/19, M. Sinnott 2/18) d Wandin 116 (A. Mohomud 31, B. Sinnott 23, J. Williams 3/28 R. Williams 2/16); Yarra Glen d Seville (forfeit).
