****
Colts canter to outright contention
20/10/13
WILLIAMSTOWN Colts have placed themselves in contention for
an outright victory after the first day of their encounter with Bellbridge at
Greenwich Reserve on Saturday.
The Colts declared at 8/223 with 14 overs to go in their
innings. Avinash Mehla top-scored with 59 at about a run a ball.
Williamstown’s batsmen seemed to struggle in spite of the
mild conditions, with the Colts limping to 3/117 at tea.
Bellbridge’s bowlers could have had at least one more
wicket, with Mehla being dropped when he was on four and six.
The Colts picked up the pace after the break, with Mehla and
Tarlok Sangha, who made 41, putting on a partnership of 97 runs.
Mehla brought up his half-century in style, moving back and
across to send a ball to the cover boundary.
“I love my batting down there – it was an uneven bounce down
there but I took my time and then I played my shots,” he said.
Andrew Wilks was the pick of the bowlers for Bellbridge,
with the captain taking 4/37 for his side. He said his performance was due to
hard work and discipline.
With only 11 overs’ play left at the end of the day, caution
was Bellbridge’s watchword, scoring at just one run an over.
Perhaps it was too cautious, with Steve Keelart being
trapped in front for not many, off the bowling of Sangha.
Play resumes next week.
IN other results, Williamstown Congs are on the chase after
opponent Melton South was bowled out for 246.
Tristan Francis was dismissed one run short of a century,
while Blake Ivory made a solid 52.
Gellibrand made 255 in 79.3 overs against Williamstown
Imperials in an innings that included ten byes.
****
Lower-order scarper saves Bellbridge from outright loss
27/10/13
TWO wickets and an unlikely lower-order partnership were all
that stood between Williamstown Colts and an outright victory in their victory
over Bellbridge.
On an afternoon where drizzle and sun interchanged more
freely than an AFL side, the Colts bowled the guests for 106 in the first
innings, chasing 224.
Tarlok Sangha grabbed the spoils for the Colts, taking 5/33.
Nathanael Ward also joined in on the fun, taking 3/32.
Not a lot can be said for the Bellbridge innings, the
highlights of which included 16 from Ben Powell and 15 from Steven Nolan.
Bellbridge’s second innings was no better, with the side
slumping to 3/21 after 11 overs and then 5/46 before the inevitable fightback
occurred.
Scott Walker and Adam Crosswell, who made the third-highest
score in the first innings with 12, formed an undefeated partnership of 37
runs, helping to deny the Colts four extra points.
Crosswell top-scored with 27 – Ward and Sangha were the
destroyers yet again with 4/22 and 4/26 respectively – while Lee Blake made 16.
Bellbridge ended up on 8/86, still 32 runs short of the
Colts’ total. Bellbridge captain Andrew Wilks blamed undisciplined shots on a
sticky wicket.
“Probably a few loose shots in the first innings made things
a little difficult. The guys stuck at it pretty well when we six down for not
many,” he said.
Colts coach John Callus heaped praise on his side’s
performance, saying they’re looking forward to next week’s away clash with
Gellibrand.
IN other results, Melton South defeated Williamstown Congs
and Gellibrand beat Williamstown Imperials.
****
GU steams to one-day victory
3/11/13
GRAND United has entrenched its lead at the top of the WDCA
ladder after a strong win over cellar-dwellers Williamstown Congs on Saturday.
The hosts defeated the Congs by six wickets in the first of
two consecutive one-day rounds at Parsons Reserve.
GU took 27 overs to reach the target of 113 set by the
Congs, with wicket-keeper Dillon Hinge top-scoring in the chase with 42.
GU captain Glenn Sullivan said everything went right for his
side. He also played down his bowling performance, taking 4-30.
“The boys are batting well, bowling well, everybody’s doing
their job. It’s very pleasing.
“It’s always nice to come and get the cheap ones at the end
to get the tail out, but the boys set it up well.”
The Congs started off well, making 1-59 at drinks. Opener Darren
Murcott made the most of being dropped three times, top-scoring with 50.
Left-hand spinner Luke Johnson ended his run, dismissing
Murcott after dropping him earlier in the over. Murcott scored a match-high
64-run partnership with Ben Cusick.
The juice seemed to run out after drinks, with the Congs
progressing at a rate of around two runs an over to finish with 9-113.
Congs captain Matthew Leach said he knew he total wasn’t
enough.
“I’m a little bit disappointed. We knew we needed another 30
or 40 to have a crack at it.”
GU takes on Melton Centrals in Melton next week, and the
Congs face frontrunners Williamstown Colts at home.
In other results, Gellibrand blitzed Williamstown Colts at
Digman Reserve. The home side won by 82 runs, with under-17 player Callum
Caiger taking five wickets for Gellibrand.
St Johns remain winless after being defeated by West Newport
at Loft Reserve. The home side reached the target of 113 in 24 overs.
In the Melton derby, Melton Centrals won by six wickets over
Melton South, with Matthew Murphy (3-10) instrumental in restricting the
visitors to 95 all out.
Bellbridge continued its unlucky run, losing to Williamstown
Imperials by 47 runs despite Martin Ritchie making 71 for the visitors.
****
Colts clamber into top four in cross-town victory
9/11/13
FOR the second time in two weeks, Williamstown Congs have
set a target score that has been easily reached by their opponents.
In the final WDCA A-Turf one-day round until January next
year, Williamstown Colts defeated the Congs by four wickets after winning the
toss and bowling.
On an afternoon when blustery southerlies ruined otherwise
good conditions, the Congs were determined to post a big total, progressing to
1-77 by drinks.
Vice-captain Matthew Leach worked with Darren Murcott in a
44-run partnership. Murcott looked in dangerous form before being trapped in
front by Robert Harb.
Pitching the ball up on a consistent basis helped to create
the best bowling analysis of the game, said Harb, who returned figures of 4-13.
“All I did was pretty much pitch the ball up. Bowling short
on this wicket was what the other guys did – that’s what I changed up.”
A middle-order collapse, this time brought about by Harb and
Abhilash Shauma, is to be addressed at training again, Congs captain Troy
Stanchinotti said after the match.
“It’s just disappointing. Taking nothing away from the
Colts, they bowled in the right areas and we just played stupid shots.”
Given that the Colts chased down 145 in 35 overs against
flag favourites West Newport in round two, 127 never really looked enough.
The Colts fell to 3-22, but Shauma and Sandeep Mahendru
accumulated a 52-run partnership to put the match beyond doubt. The visitors
reached the target in 34 overs.
Elsewhere, Bellbridge (9-172) pulled off a shock victory
against West Newport (9-171cc) with two spare overs. Gellibrand (9-197cc)
recorded a 100-run victory over Melton South (97) in Melton.
Grand United (9-156cc) looks in dangerous form, routing
Melton Centrals (51) by 105 runs. The game between St Johns and Williamstown
Imperials was abandoned.
****
WDCA juniors miss out on win
10/11/13
The WDCA has made a disappointing start to the Neil Wright
U21 Shield, losing to the North Metro Cricket Association in a thriller at
Melbourne University.
Winning the toss and batting first in the first of three
‘home-and-away’ matches, comprising 40 overs a side, the boys in yellow and
blue scored 5-168.
The total was not enough, with the visitors hitting the
target with two balls to go.
****
Saturday’s WDCA A-Turf matches were abandoned due to pitches
not being prepared in time, according to WDCA senior administrator Bill Taylor.
The matches in A-Turf, B-Turf and Composite that were to be
played as two-day games will be played as one-day fixtures next week.
****
Centrals see red as Gellibrand grasps win
IN conditions that encapsulated Melbourne in Spring,
Gellibrand (9-135) pulled off a wondrous one-wicket victory over WDCA A-Turf contenders
Melton Centrals (132) at Digman Reserve on Saturday.
Gellibrand captain Ash Fine was exuberant after his side’s win,
saying his young bowlers stood up when they needed to be counted.
“We lost five really
quick wickets and we had two 16-year-olds batting at the end who put on about
20 for the ninth wicket.
“I just think it was a good game of cricket. I reckon
there’s not much between the sides – we were lucky enough to win.”
Gellibrand sent in Centrals, bowling Melton to 1-0 after the
first over and then 3-58 in 18 overs, before a downpour delayed play.
The visitors composed themselves, scoring more than double
their total at the break to be bowled out for 132 in the revised maximum of 35
overs.
Gellibrand’s response looked measured, with the
Williamstown-based club 3-61 and in control at drinks – before playing coach
Matthew Murphy (4-18) had other ideas, reducing Gellibrand to 8-116.
Callum Caiger (11 not out) hung in with the tail, but it was
appropriate that captain and number 11 Fine (seven not out) hit the winning
runs.
Murphy seemed despondent after the match, saying his side’s
poor batting performance overshadowed his own bowling figures. He refused to
allow that bad luck determined the result.
“I think we lost the match on the batting side of it – too
many cheap wickets. A lot of work at training (will be done).”
Elsewhere, the matches between Grand United and West
Newport, Melton South and Williamstown Colts and Bellbridge and St Johns were
abandoned because of the inclement conditions.
Intermittent rain also pulled the plug on the match between
Williamstown Congs (4-184cc) and Williamstown Imperials (3-111) at Fearon
Reserve. The sides receive three points each.
****
Colts set up cracker day two
THREE wickets from Nathaniel Ward (3-35) have helped
Williamstown Colts to stop West Newport (238) from making a big total in round
seven of the WDCA A-Turf competition.
Bellbridge will look for economical bowling and tight
bowling on day two of its match against Williamstown Congs at KC White Reserve.
Ben Powell’s 50 (56) was a highlight.
The WDCA (50) suffered an embarrassing 10-wicket loss to the
Box Hill Reporter District Cricket Association (0-52) last weekend in the
second round of the Neil Wright U21 Shield.
After winning the toss and batting first at Harry Trott Oval
in St Kilda, the WDCA capitulated to be all out for 50 in 21.1 overs.
Box Hill reached the target with more than 30 overs to
spare.
****
Colts’ Phillips gallops to high score
7/12/13
WILLIAMSTOWN Colts opener Will Phillips made a WDCA A-Turf
season high score of 177 to help his side (5-243) win by five wickets over West
Newport (238) on Saturday.
Over at Fearon Reserve, Michael Pisani’s knock of 78 for
Melton South PSCC (162) was not enough for the guests, which lost by 57 runs to
Williamstown Imperials (219).
Gellibrand (88 and 8-123cc) came perilously close to a
defeat in the second innings against Grand United (204) at Parsons Reserve.
****
Murcott makes magic, again
DARREN Murcott (48) again came to the rescue of Williamstown
Congs (140) on day one of round eight WDCA A-Turf action against West Newport
(6-81) on Saturday.
Gellibrand (9-251cc) was the only team to complete their
allotted 80 overs, against St Johns – including a 95-run partnership between
Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke (50) and Nicholas Keating (40).
Grand United (1-63) looks set on outright victory against
Melton South PSCC (98). Luke Fox (4-20) and Glenn Sullivan (4-23) were the
destroyers for the Gorillas.
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